The critic., 1891-02-26
HOUSE,.

There was scant attendance at the
opening of the House at 10 o'clock this
morning, not more than twenty-five be-
ing present.
The following bills were passed:
Senate bill for the relief of j. T. Down.
ing, teller Of the sub-Treasury at Boston.
Senate bill for railroad bridge at Little
Rock, Ark.
Senate bill for the relief of the assignees
Of the late John Roach; bill for the retire
ment Of Lieutenant Colonel j. Madison
Cuts, with the rank of captain; bill re-
lieving Orville b. Merrill of the charge of
dishonorable discharge; bill authorizing
the Secretary of War to revoke the order
dismissing Second Lieutenant E. NJ.
Nixon; bill transferring the County of
Logan from the Northern to the Southern
judicial district of Ohio.
A resolution was adopted for the print
ing OF 10000 extra copies of the testimony
taken by the Committee ON Coinage,
Weights and Measures.
The House then went into Committee of
the Whole ON the Shipping bill.
Mr.. Grosvenor Of Ohio, who held the
floor when the bill was last under con-
s,deration, concluded his plausible plea
II the 1sTSE MekSey S III Ta@ fai S and s after seeas @
controversy with Mr. McMillin as
to what caused the Republican
defeat, Mr.. Grosvenor declared that
everything which enters into the
daily life Of the people, without single
exception, was cheaper now than on Sep
tember IL, 1890, while at the same time
agricultural products brought better
Congress. Mr.. Grosvenor concluded by
declaring that Congress should take ad-
vantage OF the Mckinley bill and send
American vessels, carrying American
products, to seek far markets everywhere
in the world.
Mr.. Mills then took the floor and made
an impassioned and eloquent address in
the reciprocity policy of the present Ad-
ministration. II the United States wanted
reciprocity, why not negotiate with Eng
land, France and Germany. England
had pulled down the bars and welcomed
every barrel Of pork or bushel Of wheat
that was sent her. She was willing to
take more cotton, more wheat, more
the United States would take down
it's bars and extinguish the fire
which it had ignited on the ocean in
order to prevent commerce. Now the
Republicans wanted foreign trade; few
months ago they put up the bars against
that trade. Then they said that they did
not want to have anything to do with for
with them, and in order to do this they
wanted further to tax the peoplein order
to send ships to foreign ports, to
show the American flag and
to return in ballast. The adyo-
Gates Of the bill wanted ships. Why
not build them? They had the protec-
tion policy, which, it was claimed,
brought down the cost Of production. It
was claimed that the Mckinley bill had
cheapened the cost Of necessities. IL had
cheapened one thing. It had cheapened
the wages Of the American laborer in all
parts Of the country. Democratic ap-
plause.l II gentlemen did not like cheap
ness, why insist on cheapening the wages Of
the workingman? In concluding his re-
marks. Mr.. Mills laid down the doctrine
OF the Democratic party quoting from the
utterances of Thomas Jefferson. He af-
firmed and reafiirmed that the will of the
majority when expressed was the will of
God. But that will must be reasonable;
i must be rightful; it must, by equal
laws, protect the rights of the minority.
That was what the Democrats were con-
tending for.
Mr.. Buchanan of New Jersey then sub
mitted an argument in favor of the bill.
He said Great Britain, Germany and
France paid subsidies in three ways: LIST,
by payment outright; I'd, under guise Of
mail pay; Sd, by the payment of money
under what was called the naval reserve
plan,