Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-08-17
TARIFF BILL PASSED.
HOUSE BACKS DOWN FROM ITS POSI-.
TON AND ACCEPTS SENATE BILL.
Passes Separate Measures, One After An
other, for Free Sugar, Iron. Coal
and Barbed Wire.

ferrees from further consideration of the
bill, recede from its opposition To the ga
senate amendments and agree TO the
same. IL was u complete victory for the
senate. The house made an absolute
surrender
The result grew directly out OF the
sensational course of events in the senate
end of the capitol precipitated by Sem
ator Hill on Friday. Up to that time
the house conferrees had stood firm
against the senate amendments, espe-
cially on the three disputed schedules of
coal, iron ore and sugar, and the temper
and voice Of the house was for war-war
TO the end. But the indications that the
democrats of the senate might be unable
to longer hold a majority Of the votes in
line for even the senate bill, and that the
bill was in desperate jeopardy, forced
the house democrats to immediate ac-
tioA The democratic conferrees Of the
house at last admitted that they were
beaten and that another vote could not
be risked in the senate. Unjust be either
the senate bill or no bill.
The whole question was precipitated
at the caucus held just before the house
convened Monday, at which, after a
thorough review Of the situation and
speeches in favor of receding by Speaker
Crisp, Chairman Wilson and others, It
was decided TO take the senate bill and
Immediately afterward pass separate
bills, placing coal, iron ore, sugar and
barbed wire on the free list, and by so do
ing place the house on record and at
least partially overcome the humiliation
involved in its defeat. The programme
arranged in the caucus was carried out
to the letter in the house after an iron
clad special order.
The scenes in the chamber throughout
the day and evening were exciting and
at times sensational. The galleries were
packed and the members applauded and
cheered their respective leaders TO the
echo. Under the terms of the order but
two hours were allowed for debate on the
main proposition TO recede and agree TO
the senate amendments TO the tariff bill.
parliamentary skirmish preceded the
pitched battle, but points of order raised
by the republicans were swept aside.
The speaker ruled the house with an
iron hand.
The principal speeches for and against
the main proposition were made by
Chairman Wilson and Speaker Crisp on
the one hand and ex-Speaker Reed and
Mr.. Burrows on the other. There was
no time for preparation and all the
speeches were hot from the forge Of the
brain and were greeted with round after
round Of cheers and applause. Bourke
Cochran On. y and Mr.. Tarsney (Mo),
both democratic members Of the ways
and means committee, delivered scathing
and sensational speeches denouncing the
surrender of the house as cowardly and
indefensibe. The speaker replied to Mr..
Cochran. whose effort was a brilliant
one, with such temper that the latter
took it as personal affront, although
the speaker disclaimed such intention,
and made a vicious lunge at Speaker
Crisp.
There was no attempt on the part OF
the democratic leaders 10 claim a VIC
tory. They all admitted that they were
accepting the inevitable. jus tifyng their
action on the ground that the senate bill
was infinitely better than the Mckinley
law
The most startling feature of the day,
perhaps. was Mr. Cockran's eloquent APP
peal TO Chairman Wilson to name the
democrats in the senate who threatened
the defeat Of all tariff legislation if the
attempt to adjust the differences between
the two houses was persisted in, but Mr.
Wilson made no response.
When the vote came to be taken at 9
o'clock thirteen democrats Messrs Bart
lett, Cochran, Hendrix, Dunphy, Warner
and Covert OF New York; Davey, Myer
and Price Of louisiana; Everett, Massa-
chusetts; German, Michigan; Johnson,
Ohio,and Tarsney Of Missouri voted with
the republicans against the resolution.
The democrats then put through, one
after another. what the republicans de-
rided as "pop-gun" bills, placing coal,
iron ore, barbed wire and sugar on the
free list, and which, in the brief debate
on each Of the bills, they maintained
would be passed only TO go TO their death
in the senate.
Before the Fight Ended.
Sunday was anything but day Of rest
for the tariff leaders They were on the
go from early morning until late at
night. 1t was day Of conferences at
the white house, at the private residences
OF the conferrees and at the hotels Sec
rotary Carlisle was with President Cleve-
land throughout the afternoon. The
senate and house conferrees made no eff
fort to get together, and they remain as
wide apart as when their meeting broke
up on Friday night.
At the outset the house conferrees at
their meeting Sunday satisfied them
selves Of the parliamentary situation Of
the bill They had done this with the
greatest care toward securing an accu-
rate and authoritative decision. Speaker
Crisp has been asked TO examine with
care the precedents bearing on the case
and IL was understood that he had In
turn consulted with Secretary Carlisle,
who, as ex-speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives, is regarded as one Of the best
authorities on parliamentary procedure.
From the examinations which had been
made the conferrees were fully satisfied
that the house of representatives. had
the right to pass the senate bill now or
at any time.
This determination went much further
than has heretofore been understood. IL
was that the house, having the actual
physical possession Of the tariff bill, could
pass IL with the senate amendments be-
fore the Hill resolution passed or after
the Hill resolution was defeated.
Entertaining these views tho house