Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-16
ITS EFFECT ON FARMERS
To Be Ascertained by the House
Committee on Agriculture.
THE SENATE TACKLES TYPHUS.
An Immediate Investigation to Be Made
Of Its Importation.
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS ARE UNDER WAY


vestigation into the operations of the Nc
Kinley law should be conducted by the
Committee on Agriculture. This arrange
ment has the formal sanction of the Demo-
Gratis of the Ways and Means Committee, as
the inquiry of Chairman Hatch and his
committee is to be directed particularly
to the effect that the high tariff has had
upon the agricultural interests of the coun-
try. 1t is understood that later on the
Committee on Manufactures will be author
lied to conduct an inquiry as to the effect of
the same law on the 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 different commit
tees
Representative McMillin, of Tennessee,
presided over the House to-day in the
absence of Speaker Crisp, who was confined
to his rooms by headache. After some
formal business, Mr.. Hatch, of Missouri,
brought the tariff question to the front by
moving to suspend the rules and adopt a
resolution requesting the Committee on
Agriculture to report the effect upon agrl-
culture of the present tariff law.
Mr. Bynum, of Indiana, demanded a
scCOuu, anu buc ICQuCo5 VI hoeOi 'iAoO a
second be considered as ordered was objected
to by Mr.. Kilgore, of Texas
Texan Considers 1t Buncombe.
Mr.. Kilgore and Mr.. Hatch were ap-
pointed tellers, and reported the vote as 122
to-. The Republicans did not vote, but no
one raised the point of mo quorum" and
Mr.. Kilgore was recognized to oppose'th
resolution, but declined to avail himself of
the recognition, stating that he was not op
posed to it, although he believed it was
originally offered as piece of buncombe.
Mr. Funston, of Kansas, however, raised
his voice in opposition. If he believed that
there could be a fair and impartial investi-
CATION of the effects of the present tariff law
on the agricultural interests he would be in
favor of ii. 1t could hardly be expected,
however. that an investigation of
this character could be made without
being made upon party basis.
The fact that the House went into this in
vestigation was a declaration on the part of
the House that it believed that the McKin-
lev bill was injuring the farmers of the
country. This was not true. The duties on
the farmers products had been increased,
while the things the farmers had to buy
were to-day cheaper than before the Nc
kinley bill was passed.
Mr.. Funston, while commenting upon the
interrupted by Mr.. Livingstone and Mr..
Watson, of Georgia, but he declined to
yield, only remarking that they had told
the farmers the contrary because they would
not have been elected had they told the
truth. He had no objection to an investi-
cation if it were fair one. The Republi-
cans courted an investigation.
Not Afraid of Its Record.
The Republican party, said MI. Funston,
had no fear of its record. 1t had no apollo
gies to make. But why this investigation?
Why did not the Democrats bring in bill
to repeal the Mckinley act. They dared
not do it. No such bill would come from
the Committee on Ways and Means. He
understood that the Chairman Of that COM
mittee would report bill to remove the
duty on wool, one of the products of the
farm. The only enemy the farmer had was
the Democratic party. Why did not the
committee report a bill repeating the pres
ent tariff law? Because it was afraid of
the question; because it did not wish to
touch the question until after the next cleo
tion. 1t contented itself with condemnlng
the Mckinley bill Whenever there was a
cold blast from the north, whenever there
was drought, whenever the grasshoppers
destroyed the farmers crops, the Demo-
Gratis put their hands in their pockets and
sdlUs IL Is tile IhChlultl Dlll- Lie III
vestigstion could do no good, as the COM
mittee had no power to summon witnesses
or to send for papers and persons.
Mr.. Dolliver, of Iowa, hoped that if the
investigation were ordered the committee
would send for the present chief magistrate
of Iowa, who, in his annual message, said:
''At no time in the history of Iowa have
her people been blessed with more prosper
ity than they now enjoy"
Hot Words From a Southerner.
Mr.. Lewis, of Mississippi, expressed the
opinion that from the role Farmer Funston
acted in this tragedy he was better equipped
as a witness in court than 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 ignor-
ant of the effect of the Mckinley bill or he
wilfully and deliberately misrepresented
the situation.
Mr.. Livingstone, of Georgia, in a two
minute speech took issue with Mr. Funston
as to the effect of the tariff law upon the
fsrmeI. The gentleman from Kansas, he
said, seemed to be afraid of Justice He
(Mr. Liyingstone) supposed that the Com
mittee on Agriculture was an honest body,
and the imputation that the gentleman made
that it could not be depended upon to make
an honest report was not justifable. The
farmers of the country would be heard on
this floor, if not now, in the next Congress;
and the gentleman from Kansas could take
due notice
Mr. Butler, of Iowa, expressed his de-
light at hearing his colleague (Mr. Dolli-
ver) quote the words of the grandest Gov
ernor Iowa ever had.
Mr. Enloe, of Tennessee. replying to the
remark made by Mr.. Funston, that the
Democrats dare not bring in bill to repeal
the Mckinley law, stated that he had in
troduced a measure for that purpose.
Mr.. Simpson, of Kansas, spoke of the de-
preston of the farming industry in his
State. Referring to the burning of corn as
fnel in his State, he said 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.
First Attack the Mckinley Bill.
Mr.. Hatch, of Missouri, made one-min- |
ute speech in support of the resolution, and |
bore testimony to the fairness and impartial |
ity of the Committee on Agriculture in deal |
ing with questions of this character. The |
resolution was then adopted without |
division.
Mr.. Hatch, who has been pressing this |
resolution, says he regarded its adoption as |
the first shot fred against the Mckinley /
bill, and believes that it will have its effect |
He thinks that an investigation will show |
that the law has been detrimental to agri- |
cultural interests, and that the Committee |
on Agriculture will find no difficulty in OBJ |
tanning, voluntarily, witnesses to testify as
TO the existing facts.
Mr.. Cultivate, of Ohio, from the Com 1