The Indianapolis journal., 1894-03-13
WILL NOT BE HURRIED
Programme of the Senate Minor
ity Outlined by Mr.. Allison.
Republicans VIII Insist on Ample Time
to Discuss the Tariff Bill and
Offer Amendments.
A COMPARATIVE STATEMENT
How the Revenues Would Be Af-
fected by the Amended Bill.
Increase in Internal Taxes Estimated at
S63, observation-disclosures Will
Not Be Granted Hearings.
speciaI 10 the IndianapoIIs Journal

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 1--WE do not
intend to factiously oppose progress upon
the Wilson tariff bill when that measure
comes before the Senate for disposition"
says Senator Allison, of Iowa, leading Re-
publican member of the finance committee,
but you can depend upon it that the meas
ure will not finally be disposed of under
some months. OF course, the Republicans
will be charged with offering amendments
and making speeches simply for delay. We
fully anticipate that construction upon what
we shall do, but 1t will not deter the Repub-
licans in the least. My idea is, and L think
1t meets the approval of other Republicans
in the Senate, that the minority, clearly
outside of partisan politics, owe it to them
selves who passed the Mckinley tariff law,
and to that measure itself. to offer amend
ments and to push them vigorously and
show their advantage over similar pro-
visions in the Wilson bill. / presume our
amendments to features of the Wilson bill
will be features of the present tariff law.
You will remember that the Republicans in
the House offered the existing law as an
amendment to each Paragraph of the Wilson
bill when it was up for consideration. They
simply said by their action that the present
law was good enough for them, and that it
could not be improved upon; and it is my
opinion that we will follow pretty much the
same programme"
most surprising fact in connection with
the tariff debate in the House and the pro-
gramme for the debate upon the Wilson
bill in the Senate is that the Populists ap-
pear to have no policy, no suggestion, no
set programme Of their own. They simply
follow the lead of the majority. True, they
may submit some minor amendments and
and see them voted down by the Democrats
and the Republicans, but if they would go
together and map out systematic order OF
business, which would include the framing
of a series of amendments, and stand to-
gether and appeal TO the Republicans for
support there is little doubt that they could
succeed in securing some amendments which
would materially protect farming interests.
They seem, however, TO be completely pros
trated in the face of action. They do not
exert whatever little power they might
WELD. Besides being tinid and showing a
willingness to blindy follow the Democratic
free-tTaders they seem to acknowledge that
they have possible ingenuity or influence
1t is said that most OF the Popuilsts IN tne
Senate are willing to support this tarln Dill
for the South, which proposes to destroy the
farming industry of the country, simply
because 1t provides income taxes. he Pop
ulists believe that all who have incomes
above a few hundred dollars should bear
the burdens of the government.
Chairman Voorhees, continues TO announce
that it is his purpose to push the tariff
bill to vote" 1t will be recalled that he
was making similar declarations for two
months while the silver repeal bill was ur-
der his care. He finally did succeed IN
wearing out the twelve or fifteen free-silver
men in the Senate who held on and made
speeches against time but he Will ma the
tariff q vastly larger field for debate and
the use Of parliamentary tactics. There was
but one subject in the silver repeal biii
There is in every line of the great tariff bill,
which occupis about 25O pages or printed
matter, fresh subject. Each one of these
subjects is as broad and varied In its way
as was the proposition To repeal the silver
purchase act. There are hundreds and nun
dreds of items in the tariff bill which can
be debated from many points OF view. Inc
rules in the Senate make debate unlimited,
and there is no way to cut off a speaker II
he wants TO continue on his feet and talk
until he is tired and then turn the subject
over to another man, who will talk his I'LL
and then pass IL around to others.
There is scarcely man In the Senate
representing a state Wnieh IS mo-, not dlrectly
tariff bill. One-fourth OF the items named
are of local interest to each Senator, and he
has been written TO and petitioned by many
of his constituents with respect to it, so
that when he begins to talk he can draw
forth many arguments from his con-
not so with the silver repeal bill. It was
a general subject in hand then and few con-
stitutentS had communicated with their
Senators upon Ihe suoJSCt anu WHEN the!
did communicate it was in a general way
1t is safe TO say that every Senator north
of the Ohio river has received at least
wheel-barrow load of letters and petitions
from his constituents relative to features of
the tariff bill. 1t has been settled, so Chair
man Blackburn, of the committee on rules,
says that the rules of the Senate will not
be changed so as to provide cloture. 1t
looks as though the debate would run along
almost indefinitely, or until the Republicans
have satisfied themselves with their eX-
posure of Democratic pricipleS and have
given full warning to the country of the
disastrous effects of each item in the bill.