New-York tribune., 1890-08-09
THE TARIFF BILL DEBAIE."
SLOW PROGRESS OF THE MEASURE IN THE
SENATE.
DEMOCRATS WASTING TINE IN LoNG-wINDED
ARGUMENTS on TIE sUNDRY CIVIL BILL
THE DUTY ON COTTON TIES.
[BY tELEGRArm TO TIE tribune ]

BY TELEGRAPH 10 TIE IkiBCNEJ
Washington Aug. 8.-Thc debate in the Senate on
the conference report the sundry Civil Approp1a-
ton bill was proractcd until O'Clock this afternoon
upon one pretext or another, and practically whole
days delay upon the Tariff bill was thus gained by
Mr. German and his Democratic associates There
was no valid reason why vote on the report oil the
conferoes should not have been reached before
O'Clock but Mr. Reagan, Mr.. Jones, OF ARKANSAS ana
others insisted upon renewal OF the old fight over the
irrigation onestIon which was in fact not before the
Senate at all the whole matter having been reserved
for another conference between the two houses Mr.
Reagan gently reminded by Mr. Allison That MAJOR
Powclls reservoir schemes were not touched npon IN
any way the pending report but the hint was lost
on the ponderous statesman from Texas, who con-
timed repeating the long wnded arguments on the
irrigation problem with which he has often tired
both houses of Congress. He will probably repeat
them all again when the reservoir project comes up
later In the session for final action.
The Tariff bill having at last been reached NJ
Butler consumed tho rest Of the afternoon in speech
upon the amendment TO the cotton tie" paragraph,
left PENDING Yesterday. The Finance Committee has
recommended increase OF duty on cotton tes TO
make the rate on this sort of iron hoops ana bands
correspond with that on other sorts. treasury
decision made time ago destroyed TINS equahy'
All the Southern naturally resist the change
which will raise the price of imported ties" Under
the duty it is thought that cotton tics' can be
made i'm this country in sufficient quantity to supply
the home market. No vote on the amendment Was
reached before adjournment
The conference report the Fertilization bill
was taken up for consideration shortly after inc
Senate met and after discussion. was agreed TO-
The conference report the sundry Civil Appropra-
ton bill was then taken up and the action OF the
Conference Committee on the subject of the bridge
and vaduct at Rock Island declining to require the
municipality to share the expense and ownership
was criticised and condemned by Mr.. Edmunds, who
cOntrasted the liberality Of the committee IN that
particular with its mcanncss and parsmony in re-
fusing to the widow of dead Chlei JusiID u'o
balance of his years salary.
Mr. German, one Of the cOnfcrees. said that there
were q number of items in the report which did Vot
meet with his approval; but that there was no way
by which q conclusion could be reached except Dy
each house slnrenderng something. He called at.
tcntOn particularly TO feature OF the report whch
(he thoughU the Senate ought not to agree to- Ihat
was in regard to the three or four items for payment
OF arrears Of pay and bounty TO and three years
volunteers.
The BILL as IL came from the House, had left the
appropriations indefinite using the words MS much as
may be necessary The senate had inserted definite
amounts as estimated for. Thus ii had inserted
1850 900 for the first item and for all the items
s7o5 600 The Conference Committee had stricken
out the definite appropriations. leaving the amount
entirely indefinite and he IL as his opinion that
the aggregate expenditure would be- not a72o,OOO, but
perhaps 100000. The only apparent object OF thc
House in insisting on that point was. he said, that
on the face Of the bill the total amount appropriated
might appear much less. lie thought that ~ that
account the conference report should he relccted.
lie said tis not matter of party. but as matter
of sound and orderly cOrduct.
Mr. sherman expressed his regret at The striking
ont Of the Items for the families Of dead members
and Of ChiefJuStice Waite. lie would himself vote
for a law general in its Character giving 10 the family
of every officer OF the Government who died in
harness. the balance of his pay during the calendar
year As to the item for the bridge and viaduct AZ
Rock Island he thought that, the whole the action
of the conferccs was 1ght to the indefinite appIO
| prlatons spoken of by Mr.. German, he agreed with
what that senator had said. Sill, as these Items
were not likely TO be swollen unnecessarily. there was
| no particular objection 20 be made In tie matter
| Mr. Plumb expressed his satisfaction that the
item as TO Mr.. Waite had been stricken out Of the
| bill He hoped that the action Of the Conference
Committee would be regarded settling that whole
matter until general law should be passed on tie
| subject.
Mr. Vest addressed himself to the question OF tho
| Washington postoffce building, and expressed MS
doubt as TO the propriety Of the requirements t'N
the building should not be less than eight stories hgh'
Private buildings would be he settlers oaOhs III coni'
| parison with It,
Mr. Hale mentioned the fact that, In other Cities
there were buildings eight and ten and twelve stories
| high and even in New-York and Chicago, fourteen
| and fifteen stories high
| Mr. Vest said that he could understand how
| comparatively narrow building might be eight or
ten stories high, without being blot upon city
street But an eightstory building covering space
of 10000 feet Of ground, would be, In his opinion,
the most enormous pile of brick imaginable.
| The discussion continued by MeSsrs. Cal'
| McPhersOn German and Reagan.
| Mr. Cockrell criticized tile making OF indefinite
appropriations and the cutting down Of the appro-
pratohs for the expense Of the United states courts.
the support OF prisoners etc, leaving the necessary
outlay II be provided for in deficiency bill next
| session. lie predicted that the largest deficiency
bill ever before Congress wonld have to be pa'scd
| next session. Nobody, he said. was deceived by
such miserable subtcrfuges lie would therefore vote
against the conference report 1t placed the Senate
in the false position Of yielding on the items as to
sick nav and bounty $724 900, when II did not yield
| a dollar And next November members OF tho
House would be exclaiming: Look at the eAtIava-
CANT Senate. Look at the American House OF Lords
Look at the millionaire club OF the country-a body
| that has no sympathy with the poor downtrodden
| taxpayers - That was the way that the business
| branch of Congress" did its business.
| The discussion then turned upon the items In
relation to the irrigation survey and to public lands,
| and 1t was carried on ut much length
Finally at O'Clock, the conference report came to
| n vote and was agreed to-yeas 90. nays 1S.
further conference ordered the irrigation Items
which had been postponed, and Messrs. Allison, Hale
and German were reappointed corfcrees on the part
! of the senate.
| The Tariff bill was then taken up the pending
paragraph being No 1874, to hoop. band scroll. or
other iron or STEEL to which Mr.. Butler had Offered
Yesterday an amendment (n place Of Mr.. Cokes),
providing that such hoops used for balIng cotton shall
no taxed at the rate Of 35 per ad valorem the
| present rate).
Mr. Mcpherson discussed the question of the labor
cos, in a ton of steel rails In Europe and the United
| States taking as text for his remarks the paper
| presented yesterday by Mr.. Edmunds from the As
| sistant Commissioner of Labor and he undertook 10
| proye from Carroll ID. Wrght's report. thai the
/ nnlv ccnis In