The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-12
Mr.. Breckenridge Asks the House to Deprive
the President Of Power to Impose Retail
atory Duties, as Provided in the Act.
Senator Stewart Makes Another Move in
Behalf of White.Metal Producers.
Wants an International Bimetallic Conference
Called for the Purpose of Fixing Common
Ratio Between Gold and Silver.
BLOW AT RECIPROCITY.
Democrats Want the Third Section OF the
Mckinley Act Repealed.

Mckinley act, and practiced by the present
administration. is assailed for the first
time by the Democrats this session in
resolution which Representative Breckin-
ridge. of Kentucky, asked unanimous con-
sent to offer in the House to-day. This
resolution, which is the subject of great
discussion tonight, and the introduction
of which was objected to Dy Mr.. Burrows.
of the Republican side, recites the letters
written by the Secretary of State. by
direction of the President, to the diplo-
matte representatives of Venezuela. Mica
ragua, Colombia. Honduras and other
nations. calling attention TO the rec
iprocity section of the Mckinley
act, and stating that the President deems
the duties imposed by these countries to be
reciprocally unequal and unreasonable.
and that unless on or before March Is next
some satisfactory commercial arrangement
is entered into, the President will issue
proclamation suspending the provision of
the section, and further recltes that such
action by the President would be uncOn-
stitutlonal, onerOus and unjust, and in
structs the committee on ways and means
to report before Feb. % q bill repeating the
third section of the Mckinley act. The
further legislation, to declare the ports OF
the United States free and open to all the
products OF any nation OF the American
hemisphere upon which no export duties
are imposed. SO long as such nation shall
admit to it's ports free of all national.
municipal and other taxes. -four. oorn-meal
and other breadstutfs. preserved meats,
fish, vegetables and fruits, cotton-seed OIL
rice, lumb ber, agricultural implements, etc.,
or such other products as may be agreed
upon: :,
reporter that the third section of the
Mckinley act IS unconstitutional in con-
ferrlng upon the President the power to
impose taxes without congressional action.
/ also believe that the retaliation allowed
in that act is not only unwise as regards
our relations but is really burdensome to
our citizens, for it imposes duties which
they have to pay: and where this retalia-
tory measure is adopted only as to certain
nations it makes an unjust discrimination
which may also not only be arbitrary, but
may be not free from corruption. i, there
Mckinley act repealed; and while it may
not be possible to do it. l desired to call the
attention of the country TO this measure
and thought IL might be done by Connect.
letter which Mr.. Blaine had written, and
which had been published all over the
country.
WANTS FREE TRADE.
"And YETI continued Mr., Breckenridge,
"being in favor of the freest possible trade
consistent with the raising of the needed
revenues of the government. 1 append
to the resolution instructing the CON-
mittee on ways and means 80 report bill
repeating the third section Of the Mckinley
act. an instruction to report in lieu of it q
true reciprocity provision by which the
-. 81 -.
doubtedly is constitutional. TO open the
ports of America to the products of such
countries as do make true reciprocal ar
rangements with us. l do not entirely
agree with some of the leading Democratic
statesmen as to reciprocity treaties and
arrangements. There are grave objections
to them, but think them better than pro-
hibitOry tariffs. And if we cannot enact
such revenue laws as i wish, desire that
reciprocal arrangements be made as far as
they can be with any or all nations be-
lieving that every movement In favor of
freer trade will serve as an educational
process, accustoming the country to better
views and practices in our commercial re-
latiOns.
Il was further led to offer this resolution
Just at this particular moment because the
committee on ways and means has not yet
had time to become entirely organized and
get to work on the various propositions
which have been submitted to it. and by
selecting at this particular juncture this
particular provision of the Mckinley act
might concentrate the attention of the
country upon it. separated from the other
provisions OF that act. selected as the
reciprocity provision to be reported by the
ways and means committee one that had
received the sanction of a large number.
If not. indeed. of all the Democratic Sena-
tors in the Fifty-fi Congress. And while
there may be difference of opinion in our
party as to the extent to which it is wise to
go, there Is no difference among US that the
provision adopted in the Mckinley bill
ought to be repealed, and that some liberal
measure could be we'll enacted in lieu of 1T"
Mr.. Breckinridge's resolution appears to
be well received by the majority of the
ways and means committee. II think very
favorably of the proposition of Mr.. Breck-
course cannot say what the committee
may decide to do in the matter. L am in
favor of reciprocity, but whether / would
be willing to go to the extent provided in
the article mentioned in the resolution
cannot say. That question. however is q
mere matter of detail and does not affect
the vital principle embodied in Mr.. Breck-
inridge's resolutions"
When Mr.. Breckinridge asked unan-
nous consent to offer the resolution above
described. Mr.. Burrows of Michigan object
ed. Mr.. Breckenridge then asked that il
be referred to the committee OH ways and
means and Mr.. Burrows repeated his objec-
tion.
OTHER MEASURES IN THE HOUSE.
Representative Taylor of Ohio to-day re-
introduced in the House his bill of the last
Congress granting service and disability
PENSIONS to officers. soldiers. and sailors
and marines In the army and navy of the
United States of the late war. their widows
and orphans and for other purposes.
Representative Mckay of Maryland IN
troduced bill increasing the pensions of
persons who became totally deaf on ac-
count of wounds or exposure while in line
of duty to $50 per month.
Representative Grain of Texas introduced
q bill appropriatIng $4,000 for the erec-
tion of q monument and statue of General
Grant In Washington. He also introduced
the Union Pacific refunding bill, reported
from the select Senate committee on
Pacific railroads last session.
a resolution was introduced by Mr.. Me-
| Kinney of New Hampshire instructing the
| House committee on agriculture to report
| to the House the effect upon agriculture oi
| the present law for the collection of reve-
| nue. by means of duties upon imports.
A resolution iDstructing the committed
on labor to investigate and report the effect
| upon labor of the collection of revenue
from imports was introduced by Mr.. Lap
| ham of Rhode Island.
Mr.. Wheeler of Alabama reintroduced hil
bill OF the last Congress providing for The