St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-16
Mr.. Hateh's Committee Will
Ascertain Its Effect on
Agriculture.
Alliance Men Insist That Re-
suits of the Insidious Tax
Are Bad.
Bills for Free Wool and Free
Binding Irvine to Be Re-
ported at Once.
Congressman Springer and
Bryan Explain the ProviS-
ions Of Each.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The house of
representatives of the Fifty-second con-
gress has decreed that the first investi-
CATION into the operations of the Mckin-
ley law shall be conducted by the COM
mittee on agriculture. This arrange
ment has the informal sanction of the
Democrats of the ways and means COM
mittee, as the inquiry of Chairman
Hatch and his committee is to be direct
ed particularly to the effect that the
high tariff has had upon the agricultural
Interests of the country.
1t is understood that later on the COM
mittee on manufactures will be author
lied to conduct an inquiry as to the eff
feet of the tariff law on the manufact-
urerS and skilled wageworkers, and
thus, in the end, reports will be make
on the various phases of the new law
by as many different committees. After
some formal business. Mr.. Hatch, of
Missouri, brought the tariff question TO
the front today by moving to suspend
the rules and adopt resolution re-
questing the committee on agriculture
TO report the
Effect on Agriculture
Of the present tariff law. Mr.. Bynum
of Indiana, demanded a second. and the
request of Mr.. Hatch that second be
considered as ordered was objected to
by Mr.. Kilgore, of Texas. Mr.. Kilgore
and Mr.. Hatch were appointed tellers,
and reported the vote as 122 to 2. The
Republicans did not vote; but no one
raised the point of mo quorum" Mr..
Funston, of Kansas, however, raised his
voice in opposition. If he believed that
there could be fair and impartial in
vestigation Of the effects of the present
tariff law Oh the agricultural interests
he would be in favor of it. 1t could
hardly be expected, however, that an
Investigation of this character could be
made without being made upon party
basis.
MIR. Funston, while commenting upon
the prosperity of the farmers, was fire.
quently interrupted by Mr.. Livingstone
and MIR. Watson, of Georgia, but he de-
clined to yie!d, only remarking that they
had told the farmers the contrary be-
cause they would not have been elected
had they told the truth. The Repub-
leans cOurted all investigation. That
party had no fear Of its record, and had
no apologies to make. But why did not
the Democrats bring in bill to repeal
she Mckinley act? They
Dared Not DO 1t.
No such bill would come from the
committee Oh ways and means. He un-
derStood that the chairman of that COM
mittee would report bill to remove the
duty on wool, one Of the products of the
farmer, and the only enemy the farmer
had was the Democratic party. When
ever there was cold blast from the
north, whenever the grasShoppers de-
strOyed the farmers crops, the Demo
Gratis put their hands in their pockets
and said: 1T is the Mckinley bill"
Mr.. DOlliYer hoped that II the inveS-
LEGATION were ordered the committee
would send for the present chief magis-
trate of Iowa, who in his annual mes
Sage said: 'At no time in the history
of Iowa have her people been blessed
with more prosperity than they now en-
JOY"
Mr. Lewis, of Mississippi, expressed
the opinion that from the role Farmer
Funston acted i'll the tragedy, he was
better equipped as a witness in court
THAI as one to testify here as to what
was for the benefit Of the great farming
interests of the country. When the
gentleman spoke of the prosperity of
the farmer he was either profoundly
ignorant OF the effect OF the Mckinley
bill or he willfully and deliberately mis-
represented the situation. Mr.. Living
stone, in a twO-Ininute speech, took
issue with Mr.. Funston as TO the effect
OF tie tariff law upon the farmer. The
gentleman from Kansas seemed to be
Afraid of EUstice
Ie(Mr. Livingstone supposed that the
committee OH agriculture was honest
body, and the imputation that it cannot
be depended upon to make an honest
report was not iustiiable. The farmers
would be heard on this floor, if not now,
IN the next congress, and the gentleman
from Kansas could take due notice.
MIR. Butler. of Iowa, expressed his de-
light at hearing his colleague (Mr. Dol
liver quote the words of the grandest
governor Iowa ever had. Mr.. Dolliver
suggested that the present governor was
once 4 Republican, and Mr.. Butler re-
torted that everybody ought to improve
as he grew older.
Mr. Simpson, of Kansas, spoke of the
depression of the farming industry in
his state. Referring to the burning of
corn as fuel in his state, he said that 10y
the light of that corn fire the farmers
read the history of the Republican
party, and that was the reason that the
Alliance had carried the state at the
last election.
Mr.. Hatch made a speech in support
of the resolution, and it was then
adopted without division. Mr.. Hatch,
who has been pressing this resolution,
says he regarded its adoption as the
first shot fired against the target of the
Mckinley bill, and believes that it will
have its effect. He thinks that an in
vestigauon will show that law has been
detrimental to the agricultural interests
and that the committee on agriculture
will find no difficulty in obtaining Vol
untary witnesses to testify as to exist
ing facts.
Army Promotions.
Mr.. Cultivate, of Ohio, from the
committee Oh military affairs, moved TO
suspend the rules and pass a rule to
establish llneal promotion in the army.
After short discussion (the opposition
being led by MIR. Breckenridge, of Ken
lucky the motion was agreed to and the
bill was passed. The bill provides that
all promotions in the several lines of
artillery. cavalry and infantry up to the
grade of colonel shall be by seniority in
the next lower grade. according to the
original entry into the regular service
as a commissioned officer.
Mr.. ManSur, of Missouri. from the
committee On territories, moved to sus-
pend the rules and pass a bill extending
the laws OF Missouri relative to mines
and mining over the Indian territory.
MIR. Culberson demanded a second, and
he and Mr.. ManSur were appointed
f6llerS lie vote progressed bnt slowly