The record-union., 1894-05-01
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oS.
Interstate Commerce.

w WASHINGTON, "A pTll OO.-Iu0 tlill6 VI
the Senate was occupied to-day in spicy
colloquies between Hale, Teller and Al
drich on one side, and Harris and Voor-
hees on the other, upon the question why
no better progress has been made with
the tariff bill.
Harris, who is in charge of the bill. lost
patience in the way in which progress
was impeded by Hale in the morning
hour. As on several preceding days,
Hale objected to giving way for special
measures in the morning hour. Finally
Harris abruptly moved that the Senate
proceed with the consideration of the
tariff bill.
Wolcott interposed a question as to
whether the committee now intended to
report amendments which would change
the whole SEQ pc and character of the bill.
He had understood Harris to admit that
changes were to be made, and VOORHEES,
to deny it. This gentle prod, however.
did not force the hand OF the Tennessee
Senator. who said he could not say ex-
actly what the amendments that were to
be proposed were.
Aldrlch said it was due to the Senate
and country that they should know what
bill was to be considered.
House DILL 4,S64," interjected Harris,
sharply.
YES" replied Aldrich, with the
amendments, but when are they to be
submitted?"
when we get ready" said Gray, from
his seat.
Hill submitted an observation or two,
which did not seem to please his col
leagues. The Senator from Rhode Island
(Aldrich), he said, appeared to be dis
turbed about some anticipated amend
ments. 1t occurred to him. he said, that
inasmuch as the tariff bill had passed
from the jurisdiction of the Finance
Committee, and was reported from that
committee, it would not be entitled to any
more consideration than individual
amendments, and would have no more
parliamentary privilege.
Aldrich admitted that this was true,
in a parliamentary sense, but perhaps
might not be true of this committee.
Then, taking paper from his desk con-
tanning the Associated Press interview
with Secretary Carlisle, printed in the
morning papers, he said he thought it a
strange coincidence that the Executive
officers of the Government seemed al
ways in possession of abundant informa-
ton regarding the progress of tariff re-
form. President Cleveland told the coun-
try in advance what the Wilson bill was
to contain, and Secretary Carlisle comes
forward with this advance information
about the harmonizing of Democratic dis
| cord-lnformatiOn he volunteered, which
was in conflict with the recent statement
OF the Chairman of the Finance Com
mittee.
Vest raised the point of order that
newspaper interviews could not be
dragged into the Senate chamber, but
Vice-President Stevenson ruled that the
Chair was helpless under the rules to lay
| a nf N 6nh
But there was a means of stopping
matters temporarily, The debate had
been proceeding by unanimous consent
when Allen (Pop.) of Nebraska suddenly
threw Senatorial courtesy to the winds
and demanded the regular order. The
tariff bill was then laid before the Senate.
Aldrich wanted to continue his COM
mentS on the Carlisle interview.
Then came controversy as to DOlph'S
right to yield to Quay and Quay's right
to transfer the privilege to Aldrich. 1t
ended in Aldrich's having the floor and
he renewed his comments on the Carlisle
interview. In response to remark by
Vest that Aldrich had been falsely in
formed concerning the proposed amend
ments to the tariff bill, and if these state
ments were repeated it must be on his
own responsibility, Aldrich accepted the
challenge and rose with the statement on
his lips that he was informed and be-
to the bill since it had been reported to
the Senate, as he had previously stated.
| He asserted that the amendments were in
print, and said it was his understanding
that they were to be submitted to the
Senate shortly. They were, he was cer-
tain, from what he had heard, of nature
to completely change the character of the
bill. AS result of this trend of affairs,
the Senate was no nearer the final con-
siieration OF the bill than three months
ago, when the bill came from the House.
Mills followed in brief, sharp speech,
characteriZing the proceedings OF the day
as pyrotechnical on the part of the Re-
publicans. while those last Thursday
were of the nature of a midday move in
order to determine the strength OF the
Democratic forces. He said Aldrich,
when he asserted there were 300 amend
ments prepared and ready to be offered,
displayed a greater knowledge of what
was going OH in the Democratic side of
the Chamber than he (Mills) possessed,
and suggested that the Rhode Island
Senator must have underground connec-
ton with the Democratic side of the
Senate ''But suppose there are 800 or
301O,n he continued, Il know not how
many there are, but be that number as
it may. if they do not meet my approval
| shall not vote for them. Every Senator
has the same right to reject them."
Senator Voorhees,, slightly pale and
not quite steady III his movements from
his recent lllness took the floor for the
purpose of replying to the speech made
by Sherman last Saturday, ahd quoted q
long paragraph from the Ohio Senator's
speech, in which he said that the Finance
Committee had not had opportunity to
consider the pending tariff bill in the
usual way. He took especial exception
to a sentence in Sherman's speech, stat
ing that this bill has never been consid-
cred by the Finance Committee. He as
serted that the tariff bill had been re-
ported to the full Finance Committee on
March Sth and had not been reported by
the sfcommittee to the Senate unsil
March 20th.
Sherman, in reply, said the bill was
, never read in detail to permit changes.
: If it had been, and votes had been taken,
more satisfactory measure might have
been presented.
Voorhees, insisted that the record
showed that the bill had been considered
: in every detail, from end TO end, and that
the minority had ample opportunity to
offer amendments. He called particular
t attention to Mr.. Aldrieh's motion made
: in committee to strike out the income tax
, feature. II desire TO sayit will be fought
here,' he said, commenting on this mo-
3 ton. No matter what rumors may be
J floating in the air, the income tax will
stay ia this bill.''
Messrs. Allison, Teller and Hawley
/ then took part in the discussion, while
Hale returned to fha Carlisle interview. de-