St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-11
Discussion of Tariff Reduction
Bills Shows Democrats
United.
Republican Wishes for Dis
SenSion Have No Chance
Of Realization.
Dingley and Reed Both Bear
a Hand in Exeusing the
Last Congress.
Senator'S Accomplish Little in
the Line Of Actual Legis-
latiOn.

WASHINGTON, March 10.-The tariff
discussion was resumed in the house
this morning, but there was a striking
contrast between the pacific incidents
of today and the scenes which char
acterized the debates on the Mckinley
bill two years ago. Then it was obvious
that whatever measure should pass the
house would be concurred in without
very material change by the senate, and
be enacted into law by the signature of
the president, and therefore every
successive step in the formality of leg
islation was bitterly contested by the
Democrats.
This year the Republicans are con.
frOnted with no such probabilities.
That the Springer free wool bill, and
indeed all other measures that may be
reported by the ways and means COM
mite, will pass the house, they quite
willingly concede; but that even the
simplest of these measures will ever
receive the sanction Of the senate, they
do not consider as at all probable.
| Hence it is that the improbabi1ity OF the
tariff bills ever becoming the law of the
land naturally detracts from the deep
interest that would otherwise be man
ifeSted by the house in these economic
measures, and makes their consideration
somewhat perfunctory proceeding.
Representative Dingley. of Maine, to-
day concluded his speech begun yester-
day in opposition to the Springer bill,
and in the wide scope which the discus
sion has naturally assumed, found oc-
casIon to deny by an array of facts and
tigu res that the protection policy of the
Republican party was responsible for
driving American shipping from the
high seas.
No DisSenSiOn Possible.
Representative Turner, of Georgia, a
member of the ways and means COM
mittee. was the chief Democratic
speaker of the day, and in his opening
remarks he blasted whatever hopes
there may have been that discussions
would appear in the Democratic ranks
as to the Springer policy of sepa-
rate bills, by stating that while
he had favored general bill, he had
deferred to men for whose judgment he
had the deepest respect and would urge
with all his efforts and ability the bills
now pending before the house. This
| delicate compliment to Chairman
Springer and his colleagues from one
| who was in the past such warm adj
vOcate of the Mills tariff policy was
warmly appreciated by the Democratic
| side and the sentiment freely ap-
| plauded.
During the morning hour the house,
on motion of Mr.. Cultivate, Of Ohio,
| passed joint resolution authorizing
| the loan of ensgns, flags, etc, for the
| purpose of decorating the streets of
Washington on the occasion of the
Grand Army encampment. Imme-
diately thereafter the house resolved
itself into the committee of the whole
on
The Free Wool Bill,
and MIR. Dingley, of Maine, resumed his
argument against the measure. In
opening he denied the statement made
by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr.
McMillin) that.the last congress had APP
propriated S1,009, 100000. During the
past fiscal year appropriated for by that
congress the expenditures of the gov
eminent were but $7O0,000,00 Con-
GLIDING, Mr.. Dingley urged gentlemen
| to bear in mind the fact that this coun-
try under the policy of protection had
become the most prosperous country OIL
| the face of the earth. Let congress be
true to that policy which had carried
the nation to such height Of pros
perity. Applause.
MIR. Turner. of Georgia, the next
speaker, said that he would have been
glad to have had pending a bill which
would sweep the whole horizon, and
give to every citizen that compensation
which fair and just reform of the
tariff would give TO every consumer in
the country. His judgment in this re-
spect had been overruled by those to
whose opinion he deferred with great
respect, and it was due to those gentle
men that he should say that they sim
cerely believed that their policy would
enable the majority of the house to Sc
cure for the people some slight relief
from the burden of taxation. [Ap-
plause.
Reed Rattled.
Mr.. Turner then turned his attention
to criticism of Speaker Reeds rulings
in the last congress. denying that the
recent decision of the supreme court
had vindicated those rulings. and when
Mr.. Walker, of Massachusetts,, rose to
defend the ex-speaker catechized the
gentleman, who was willing to reply to
the manifest annoyance of Mr.. Reed,
who occupied seat some distance from
Mr.. Turner. Mr.. Reed intimated to
Mr.. Walker that he would reply to the
criticisms at the proper time, and sug-
gested that he be permitted to do SO.
Mr.. Reed, rising to reply to the crit
icism made upon him and his rulings in
the last congress, expressed the opinion
that his action at that time had been
thoroughly indicated by the decision of
the supreme court. The question was
whether he had violated his duty in
counting members present who were in
the chamber. Never before the decision
of the court had any admission been
made that it was present, and not an
acting quorum, that was demanded by
the constitution.
Mr.. Turner replied that the gentle
man from Maine occupied both sides of
the question and had been wrong on
both sides. Democratic laughter Mr..
Reed retorted that he had been correct
and consistent. Continuing, he argued
that under the constitution
A Present Quorum
was sufficient for the transaction of
business. The gentleman from Georgia
had seen fit to refer to the last election.
How often in the history of the world
had the righteous gone temporarily to
the wall? [Laughter.] Oliver Cromwell
had been the protector of Great Britain
and the flag Of Great Britain had been
protected on every sea, and the voice of
Cromwell had stayed the persecution of
Christians on every land. And yet the
people of Great Britain, with loud ac-
carnations, had welcomed back the