, 1892-02-16
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.


agriculture. This arrangement has the
informal sanction of the Democratic MEM
bers of the ways and means committee.
as the inquiry of Chairman Hatch and
his committee is to be directed particu-
larry as to what effect the high tariff has
had upon the agricultural interests of the
country. 1t is understood that later ON
the committee on manufactures will DO
authorized to conduct an inquiry as to the
effect of the tariff law on manufacturers
and skilled wage workers. and thus in the
end reports will be made on the various
phases of the new law by as many differ
ent committees.
McMillin presided over the house to-
day in the absence of Speaker Crisp, who
was confined to his room by a headache.
Hatch brought the tariff question to the
front by moving to suspend the rules and
adopt a resolution requesting the commit
tee on agriculture to report the effect
upon agriculture of the present tariff law.
Bynum OF Indiana demanded a second,
and the request OF Hatch that the second
should be considered ordered was objected
to by Kilgore of Texas. Kilgore and
Hatch were appointed t%ellers. and re-
ported the vote 122 to 2. The Repub-
licans did not vote, but no one raised the
point of mo quorum" and Kilgore was
recognized to oppose the resolution, but
declined to avail himself of the ~recogni-
ton, stating he was not opposed to it,
although he believed it was originally
offered as a piece of buncombe.
Funston OF Kansas, however, opposed
1t. If he believed there could be a fair
and impartial investigation of tho effects
of the present tariff law on agricultural
interests be would be in favor of it. 1t
could hardly be expected, however, that
an investigation of this character would be
made without being upon n party basis.
The fact that the house went into this
investigation was a declaration on the
part of the house of its belief the Nc
Kinley bill was injuring the farmers of
the country. This was not true. Duties
on farmers products rave been increased.
while things the farmers had to buv were
today cheaper thar before the Mckinley
bill passed. Funston was frequently in
terrupted by Livingstone and Watson of
Georgia, but declined to yield, only re-
marking they had told the farmers con-
trary because they would not have been
elected had they told the truth. He
understood the chairman of the WAYS and
means committee would report a bill to
remove the duty on wool, one OF the pro-
ducts of the farm. The only enemy the
farmer had was the Democratic party.
Why did not the committee report a bill
repeating the present tariff law? Because
it was afraid of the question. Because it
did not want to touch the subject until
after the next election. 1t contented it.
self with c%ondemniDg the Mckinley bill.
| \Nhenpuar fhprn waa a cold hast from tho
north, whenever there was ~droughts.
whenever the grass hoppers destroyed the
farmers crops, the Democrats put their
hands in their pockets and said it is the
Mckinley law.
Doiliver of Illinois hoped that if the
investigation was ordered the committee
would send for the present chief magis-
trate of Iowa, who In his annual message
said: AT no time in the history of Iowa
have her people been blessed with more
prosperity than they now enjoy"
Livingstone took issue with Funston as
to the effects of the tariff law upon the
farmer. The gentleman from Kansas
seemed to be afraid of justice. He Civ
ingstone) supposed the committee of ag-
riculture was an honest body and the i'm
p~utation of that gentleman that it could
not be depended upon to make an honest
report. waa not UNSUITABLE. Ths farmers
would be heard on this floor, if not now,
in the next congress, and the gentleman
from Kansas could take due notice.
Enloe, replying to the remark by
Funston that the Democrats dare not
bring in a bill for the repeal of the Nc
Kinley law, stated be had introduced a
measure for that purpose.
Simpson of Kansas spoke of the de-
nraSSion of tho farmInn industry in his
state. Referring to the burning of corn
as fuel, he said by the light of that corn.
fire the farmers read the history of the
Republican party and hat was the reason
the Alliance carried the state at the last
election.
Hatch made a one-minute speech in
support of the resolution and bore testi-
mony to the fairness and impartiality OF
the committee or agriculture in dealing
with questions of this character.
The resolution was then adopted with.
out a division.
Cultivate OF Ohio moved to suspend
the rules and pass the bill to establish
linesl promotion in the army. After a
short discussion the motion was agreed to
and the bill passed. The bill provides
that all promotions In the several ines of
artillery, cavalry and infantry, up to
colonel, Shall be the seniority In the next
lower grade according to the original entry
into the regular service as commissioned
officer.
Mansur moved to suspend the rules and
pass the bill extending the laws OF MIS-
souri, relative to mines and mining over
the Indian Territory. No quorum voted
and the house adjourned.
The ways and means committee will
report three tariff bills to the house during
the present week. This much was deter
mined upon at the meeting of the Demo-
cratic majority today, aud the measures
to be reported are the Springer free wool
bill, the Bryan free binding Irvine bill and
the Turner bill placing cotton ties, cotton
bagging and machinery for making the
same on the free list. The provisions OF
the Springer bill. as finally approved by
the Democratic committeeman, have been
published. Springer, in explaining his
bill. said all woods and hair and all waste
matter are put upon the free list. All
waste advanced beyond the condition OF
secured wool, shoddy and mungo are
taxed 25 per cent. Rates on woods and