The morning call., 1894-02-02
A FIRST STEP.
The Tariff Bill Is
Passed.
WILSON'S TRIUMPH.
Borne on the Shoulders of
His Fellows.
LAST DAY OF THE DEBATE.
Thousands Crowd the Corridors
of the Capitol.
LAST DAY OF THE DEBATE.
TOM REED GOES DOWN FIGHTING
He Made Gallant Fight for Principle
Against Odds That Were
Overwhelming.

tloh the ayes are 203 and the noes are $40.
The ayes have il. and the bill is passed"
These were the words uttered by Speaker
Crisp today as the marble clock over his
rostrum indicated 10 minutes to s. and as
the last word fell from his lips there was
spontaneous and deafening cheer from
the Democratic side of the chamber. The
famous Wilson tariff bill had passed the
lower house of Congress. the first step
toward tariff reform. long promised by the
free traders, had been accomplished and
along with it the adoption of new sys-
tenn of taxation, one that has been much
discussed but which its most enthusiastic
supporters hardly hoped to see 80 soon
made a part of American fiscal policy.
This was the income tax. levy of per
cent upon all incomes in excess of $4,000
per annum.
Some of the eldest members Of Congress
declare that the scenes in the House to-
day have seldom, if ever. been equaled in
: interest. 1t certainly vas an inspiring
spectacle and one long to be remembered.
Upon entering the hall of Representatives
at noon to-day an observer. if he were an
American, might not have shared the feel
ing of patriotic enthusiasm that seemed to
be infectious about the Capitol had he re-
fected that the first act in a drama fraught
with serious consequences to the American
people was about TO be consummated. but
Democrats and Republicans and Popuists
for the time laid aside the partisan spirit
that was soon to be awakened by the ora
tory of Reed. Crisp and Wilson. and saw
: before them, the popular House of the
greatest parliamenta tary body in the world
the American CoDgress-the floor of the hall
Iv a1i Wi
with dignihed, distinguished Senators who
had come over to hear the closing debate.
while interspersed among them were the
wives and daughters of the legislators who
had been admitted to the floor, and their
bright attires greatly animated the scene.
Such vast concourse of people as as
sembled TO hear the final arguments had
never before been seen within the pre-
cincts of the nations capitol. For hours
before the debate began the corridors
leading to the galleries were a surging
mass of humanity, which finally became
SO great that men cried out In terror and
women tainted in fright.
1t is estimated that over 10000 people
attempted to gain admittance to the gal
leries of the House. Their seating
capacity is about 5000, and every available
seat was occupied long before the gavel
dropped. People were lined against the
walls and banked against the doors, and
so great did the crush become that men,
bers secured permission TO bring their
wives upon the floor. Men and women
struggled and fought for positions which
would lead to the galleries, and women
were frightened and cried to get out OF the
tangled mass of humanity. The elevators
carried up loads only to find an impossible
barrier at the upper doors, so that the
loads bad to be carried down. One woman
in the elevator, finding she could not get
out and that the elevator hung at the top
unable to discharge its burden, sobbed
Historically and tainted. A large man
fought desperately at the middle door of
the gallery for admission. and failing to
make headway jumped On the backs of the
crowd and scram bled over their heads,
crushing hats and smashing heads until
he landed within the walls of the chamb ber
Shortly after Il o'clock the crowds in
the immepse gallery on the north side of
the chamber became 80 great that there
was imminent danger that some of the
people would be pressed over the railing.
Those in the corridors kept crushing into
doorways, and those still further pressed
forward until the stairs and aisles of the
gallery were literally packed with a mob
of restless, impatient men.
In one of the aisles fight was precipi-
tated between two men over the color
question. One of the combatants was a
negro, demanding his full rights as an
American citizen, and the other was a
white man making the same claim. This
claim included on both sides the right to
stand on the same square foot of territory.
and as it was too small for both men race
war resulted. The belligerents were hus-
tied from the gallery as fast as the obstruc-
ting human wall would permit. and
comparative quiet was soon restored.
Ihe crowding at the doors. how
ever, continued, and Speaker Crisp,
VINO had been nervously noting the dam
gerous packing of the people, interrupted
Inc e'rollcaH long enough to say that il was
IN the interest of the safety of human life
that the doorways should be cleared. He
asked the doorkeeper Of the gallery TO
clear out some of those who stood in the
entrances. so as to make those already in.
side as comfortable as possible without
being in danger II was next to impossi.
BILE, however. at once to execute this order
as there was absolutely no room for the
ejectment of those who had found entrance
into the aisles, but the policemen kent
pressing back the people until they had
materially reduced the danger.
THE CALL correspondent stood for a
moment in the north gallery. where a
splendid view of the entire chamber was
secured. Never before, probably, has
there been on the floor of the House such a
congregation of Americans. There were
present scores of men whose fame is world
wide. men who have achieved regulations