The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-02-17

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-The house OF
representatives has decreed that the first
investigation into the operations of the
Mckinley law shall be conducted by the
committee on agriculture. This arrange
ment has the informal sanction Of the
democrats of the ways and means COM
mittee, as this inquiry of Chairman Hatch
and his committee is to be directed par
ticuarly to the effect that the high tariff
has had upon the agricultural interests of
the country. 1t is understood that later
on the committee on manufactures will be
authorized to conduct an inquiry as to
the effect OF the same law on manu-
factures and skilled wage-workers; and
thus in the end reports will be made on
the various phases of the new law by as
many different committees.
After some formal business Mr.. Hatch
(Mo.) 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.
Mr.. Bynum demanded a second, and
the request of Mr.. Hatch, that a second
be considered as ordered, was objected to
by Mr.. Kilgore Tex
Mr.. Kigore and Mr.. Hatch were ap-
pointed tellers, and reported the vote 122
20 2. The republicans did not vote, but
no one raised the point OF mo quorum"
Mr.. Kilgore was recognized to oppose the
resolution, but declined to avail himself
of the recognition, stating that he was not
opposed to it.
Mr. Funston (Kasl vigorously opposed
the investigation. Mr.. Lewis Miss ex-
pressed the opinion that from the role
that Farmer Funston" acted in this
tragedy he was better equipped as wit
pess in court than as one to testify here
rs 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 ig-
norant OF the effect of the Mckinley bill
or he wilfully and deliberately misrepre-
eented the situation.
Mr. Livingstone ga in two minutes
speech took issue with Mr.. Funston as to
the effect of the tariff law upon the farmer.
The gentleman from Kansas seemed to be
afraid of justice. He (Liyingstone) sup
posed that the committee on agriculture
was an honest body and the imputation
that the gentleman made that it could not
be depended upon to make an honest re-
port was not justifable.
Mr. Enloe (Tenn.,) replying to the re-
mark made by Mr.. Funston that the
democrats dare not bring in bill to re-
peal the Mckinley law, stated that he
had introduced q measure for that pur-
pose.
Mr.. Simpson (Kas) spoke of the de-
preston Of the farming industry in the
Gfatn Dafn rfr,rr n ha hrrrr 81
as fuel in his state he said that by 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 Mo- made a one minute
speech in support OF the resolution and
bore testimony 10 the fairness and i'm
partiality of the committee on agriculture
in dealing with questions OF this charac-
ter. The resolution 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
investigation will show that that law has
been detrimental to the agricultural
interests, and that the committee on
agriculture will find no difficulty in OBJ
tanning voluntary witnesses to testify as
to the existing facts.
Mr.. Cultivate of Ohio, from the COM
mittee on military affairs. moved to sus-
pend the rules and pass a bill to establish
lineal promotion in the army, which was
done.
Mr.. Mansur (Mo.), from the committee
on territories, moved to suspend the
rules and pass bill extending the laws
of Missouri relativa to mines and mining
over the Indian territory. The vote
showed no quorum and the house ad-
journed.