Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-10-16
How the Mckinley Bill Was Enacted.

It's only the little Sx10 country sheets
that are insisting that the Mckinley
bill Is just what the country needs and
demands. The GiOJe- Democrat has
taken occasion to denounce the
measure time and again and the fol-
lowing from last Wednesdays edition
gives some idea of how the great relig.
ious daily views the new tariff la " and
the means that were used to secure its
adoption:
Somebody once asked Tom Bowen. oil
Colorado, what kind of a body the
United States Senate was. 1.-THE Sen
ate," replied the Colorado Senator, sis
body composed of a lot of fellows who
don't care d-n what happens to the
rest OF the world so long as they don't
get hurt" This illustrates exactly the
principle upon which the tariff bill
was handled in the Senate. 1t was "a
case of every Senator for himself and
the devil take the hindmost. Bec4us-
three Senators declined to fall into line
and vote for the hill framed on this
principle they are charged with treason
To Repu blican principles.
A party of kansans were discussing
the tariff bill just before adjournment.
"What do we get out of it?'' Farm
er Funston. Chairman OF the Commit
tee Oh Agriculture, asked Senator
Plumb.
ave get the sublime privilege of be-
ing sat upon" replied the Senator.
1t is fact that the banner Repuhli-
can State of 1888, with its $4,000 ma
jority for Harrison and Morton, can
find little basis for enthusiasm i'm the
new tariff law. There is the home
market theory, to he SURE. Kansas
may, with faith, be able to see secon-
Diary benefits in the new tariff In
creased protection may mean increased
manufacturing, and that may lead to
Increased demand for agricultural pro-
ducts. Thus Kansas may be able to
accept the new law with mingled res
ignation and hope. But the fact may
as well be admitted that this revision
of the tariff has been conducted on
principles and methods which were
wrong. 1t has been a revision in which
the agricultural portion of the great
Mississippi Valley virtually had no
Representations. From beginning to
end of this recent Legislation the man
ufacturing States and the manufacture
ing interests have had things all their
own way. The result is not to be won
dered at. The only surprise is that
the new law is not worse than it is. 1t
is worth while to review briefly the
progress of this legislation.
Eight Republicans drafted the Nc
Kinley bill. Six of them from manu-
featuring districts. One is from the
Pacific Coast. Just one, John H.
Gear of Iowa is from the agricultural
l.. 6 h,,T l.
eight men listened to the statements
of manufacturers. The investigation
was necessarily ex parte. On this ev-
idence and on the natural bias of the |
six Representative from manuf4ctur- |
ing districts the tariff bill W as made up. |
1t went through the House virtually |
under the new rules.
Of the six Republican Senators on |
the Finance Committee, to which the |
bill went when it reached the Senate.
only one is from Granger State
VIM. B. Allison, of Iowa. Three of
the six are from manufacturing centers
east of the Alleghanies. One is from
the Pacific Coast.
In the Senate the bill underwent
different treatment from
that given it by the House. 1t was
amended by the Senators
Of the agricultural States standing tC-
yether upon several issues for the ben
Eft of their section. But, as has been
Already told, 1.-THE delibertive body"
allowed the grabbing of special inter
,sts to occasionally get the better of it's
judgment.
The bill went to conference upon the
differences between the two branches,
md there much which had been gain
ID in the Senate for the agricultural
interests was lost in the various COM
promises. The conferrees were chosen
rom among the manufacturing con-
ingenr. The short of it is that this
ariff legislation has been by, of and
or the manufacturing interests of the
ountry. The crop-raiser has not had
fair show at any stage CT the game.