The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-05-17

"The chaplain ought to be the Speaker of
this house. He can't see so-well."
ut makes indifference TO me-" retorted
Wise. 'Nobody will see me here much
longer"
Wise was right His seat was SO clearly
tainted with fraud that even the members of
his own party in the election committee re-
ported in favor of neither Wise nor the con-
testant elected. This Wise, whose name is
George d., should not be confounded with
the other Wise, of Virginia, who is Repub-
| lican leader.
The debate on the tariff bill this week has
been more interesting than the general de-
bate of last week. With the rule that no
member shall speak more than five minutes
the debate is sharper and generally more to
the point than where a member is allowed to
wander at will over broad fields. Under the
nve-mlnute rule they generally talk more Ia
the question and less to their constituents.
The method of considering tariff bill un-
der the fiveminute rule is as follows: The
clerk reads the bill, any member stopping
the reading at any point where he may wish
to offer amendment. In general there has
been little amendment offered except by the
Democrats for the purpose of getting up de-
bate and of embarrassing the Republicans
Every item is scrutInized, and a flaw is
picked If possible. This is the great test of
Mckinley. Bayne, Payne, Dingley, and the
other Republican members of the ways and
means committee. They must be ready with
the knowledge of the details of the condi-
tion OF the great industries of the country
perfectly at hand: TO the spectator the
tariff discussion is appalling, if he has any
ambition to understand the question.
member of the ways and means commit
tee must be a student if he wishes to sue
ceed; and many of the charmen of the ways
and means committee have been great schol-
ars. The late Judge Kelley of Pennsylvania,
who long held the first place of his party, on
this committee. enjoyed the fame of being
one of the greatest-perhaps the greatest
student of the tariff in the county. His
knowledge was the result of the study and
practical experience of lifetime. Mr.. Nc
Kinley was his pupil and is now his success
sor: In this Congress he has devoted to his
tariff bill the most painstaking study. If he
is not yet the equal of his predecessors in the
extent of his information, he is certainly
equal to successful conflict with any DEM
ocratic opponent.
Breckenridge of Kentucky, Mills of Texas,
and McMillin of Tennessee have been bear
ing the most conspicuous part on the Dem
ocratic side, Mr.. Carlisle's attention to his
senatorial prospects in Kentucky having
kept him from skirmishes which do not seem
to be to his liking.
Occasionally Springer of Illinois would
take hand, but he is one Of those who take
hand in almost everything, and conse-
quently knows no subject so thoroughly as
to be very dangerous. Mr.. Springer pitched
into the Portland cement clause denOuncing
1t as for the benefit of manufacturers down
in Maine."
When he was told that not barrel of Port
land cement was made in Maine he was so
provoked that he waited his time and pitched
into the lime clause of the bill with more
than his usual windy vigor.
About the time the Speaker was counting
quorums some of the western papers told a
story of this kind: One day a door was
opened and high wind swept through the
Hall of the House, whereupon the Speaker,
without looking up ordered the clerk to
record Springer as present. OF course the
Speaker never said any such thing; but
there Is hardly another member beside Mr..
Springer whom the papers would make the
butt of such story.
Although they started out pretty vigorous
ly, the Democratic side of the House have
"petered ont" as the fight has progressed.
nf hA,, Al.
mustered more than fifty votes in the diyi-
sions on amendments to the paragraphs of
the bill.
The retarding tactics of the Democrats
availed nothing. Thursday morning the
committee on rules, which, in the absence of
Mr. Carlisle, consists of the Speaker and
Messrs. Mckinley. Cannon and Blount of
Georgia, met and adopted resolution that
all that part of the tariff bill not yet consid-
cred under the five minute rule should be
read over by the clerk; then that members
should offer amendments to any part of it;
and finally that the vote should be taken on
Wednesday, May 81. This is one day later
than the Republican caucus planned. This
resolution was happy way out of the diff
Bland and other mischievous Democrats. 1t
put them in a position where they would
have to spite themselves if they wasted any
more time; and yet gave them no opportun-
lty to complain either that the bill had not
been read through or that opportunity had
not been afforded to amend any part of it.
Twelve days would be time enough to 60
over bill like the Mckinley bill with suffi-
cient thoroughness if members would not in
dulge in so much rhetoric and buncombe.
The Southern members ale great fellows for
rhetoric. There is General Hooker of Mis-
sissippi, who lost an arm in the defense of
Vicksburg, and who wears linen cuff of
immaculate whiteness in the empty sleeve
which is always pinned up on his breast
he is one of the most striking figures on the
Democratic side; and his manner is always
In accordance with the stately Southern
code OF ante 6eltun1 days. While the pr osaic
members from the North were disputing
oyer per cents and advalOrems in the plate
glass schedule, General Hooker suddenly
pEoke Ia with the reminder that the farmer
snH1ulu snHu pc considered, and launched forth the
following:
A., you TAX about your commerce; you talk about
,a;1d nnE aisoIs OF gold and silver dug from your
specimen nSt Of be you may take the most splendid
drop ~ INTO the soil; it lies there un-
grain, drop it into the IS1iie soil oe,1dr end
obeying the law impressed upon it by the' Grand
Master OF the universe, il perishes and from ire
corruption there springs forth a germinal facuitv
which has defied the research of the Scientist ~
tell whence it comes After while you see the
delicate spear OF grass appearing above the earth
shower, you see the beautiful silk come forth
Yet little later on you see the golden tasses:
and soon amid the abundant leaves the autumn
winds bring TO the husbandman's ear music more
delightful than that which fell from the Hoian
harp OF old when inseDsate stones and trees
1t little further, ana you find the grain gathered
to your granaries and barns. 1t is taken to the
crushing machine and it comes back in the shape