The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-20

posed upon the House the duty Of preparing
a revenue bill. IL is its duty 10 say now
whether at this time the conferees shall adj
here to their position. He evoked burst
of applause when he declared that the
adoption OF the pending resolution would
be an instruction to the conferees not TO re-
cede from the position the Democrats OF
the House took when they passed the Will
bill. He referred, amid continuous evil
dences Of enthusiasm 10 the moral cour
age exhibited by the House cOnferees in
standing out against the Senate amend
ments The long service of the Southern
members in this body, he said, entitled
them. according 20 all the rules and Gus
toms here. to the places upon the commit
mind. however, he said, that we have
seen them sacrifice the private interests,
IL we can 50 call them, OF their own sec
tons TO the poor, shivering and wretched
OF the North, TO whom they gave free ore,
free coal and cheaper clothing me great
leader (AIr. Mills who began the fight In
this House. although from wool-growing
State, said that if free wool would give the
people of the country cheaper clothes, the
wool growers of Texas wo,.ld not hesitate
To see their product go on the free list.
why not give US an opportunity TO vote
separately on sugar. inquired Mr. John-
up to this time" said Mr. Cultivate. in
reply. Il judge that there Is no difference
shoulder to shoulder" loud Democratic
applause)
Outhwaite's eulogy Of the House con-
ferees' courage, asked what the courage
amounted 10 that backed down. How
long" he asked will this courage last?
Is IL TO be permanent? The gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Outhwaite) is silent. Into
the future he cannot penetrate. laugh
teri His mind is not prophetic He has
taken the first and last opportunity he will
have TO commend the courage OF the
House conferees." (Applause)
Without further ado the vote was then
taken the adoption of the special order.
and il was agreed to without division.
Chairman wilson's Speech.
Immediately after the adoption of the
rule the Speaker recognized Chairman Will
son. Rising in his place on the right of
the Chair. his bandaged head making him
look like a worn and battle-scarred vet
eran. the appearance of the chairman of
the ways and means committee was greet
ed with the most unbounded enthusiasm
on the Democratic side. enthusiasm in
which the crowded galleries joined The
bandage extended down over Mr.. Wilson's
eyes. completely binding him. but with
stoical fortitude. in clear ringing tones, he
delivered his speech in support of the posi-
ton taken by. the House conferees against
announcing and reading the report an
nouncing a disagreement, Mr.. Wilson said:
Il move that the House further insist
upon its disagreement to the Senate
amendments and ask for a further confer
ence, and upon that motion / shall submit
few explanatory remarks to the House
1t is true. as the gentleman from Maine
(Mr. Reed has just said. that there have
been but two meetings of the full confer
ence on the part of the Senate and House.
tariff bill, of recent years at least and
perhaps almost in the history of the coun-
try. has been political measure-a meas
ure proposed by one party and resisted by
the other. The present tariff legislation
does not differ from that historic char
acter- 1t was fully recognized and cordial
~ expressed by the Republican conferees
Of the Senate that It was the duty of the
their own special c0nferees. first. 10 try
If they could reconcile their differ
ences before they brought to the atten-
ton or the full conference committee their
proposed action While. therefore. there
have been but these two meetings of the
fun conference committee. there have been
daily. protracted. earnest and laborious
consultations on the part of the House con-
ferees representing the majority party in
this House: and the Senate conferees rep
resenting the majority party in that house,
as to the 6S4 amendments. in the hope that
we might reach some agreement that
could be reported to the full conference
committee when IL should be called to-
gether. 1t is because no such agreement
has been attained, II is because no such
agreement seems at present In sight that
we have felt IL our duty to bring the
whole matter back to the House and re-
ceive its Instructions
Il desire to be perfectly frank and as
complete as possible in any statement 7
may make TO the House to-day. and vet 7
recognize that here are some limita lions 70
completeness OF statement which probably
1t would be best for me to observe at this
stage in the controversy between the two
houses. But think may say. with
~ tru ~ o ana Irankness. and courtesy. that
or the majority party had been as free
and as untrammeled we ourselves were
WITH nothing 10 control our action but our
sense or duty to the people. and to our
party. and to the House. a tariff bill would
have been agreed upon in one days session
that would have been satisfactory to the
Democratic party. and that would have
gwen hope, and courage. and enthusiasm to
Democratic side) But. sir we were not
long in finding ont. greatly to our disap-
pointment, that whatever might be the per-
sonal opinions. the personal judgment. the
strong. personal wish of the Democratic
cOnfereeS Of the Senate. they came to us
somewhat fettered and somewhat limited
TO any action that they might agree
10 upOn this bill either by the supposed
moral OBLIGATIONS of rarty caucus or the
apprehension that there were forces in the
Senate. however small. yet powerful enough
10 resist successfully the passage Of any
bill which did not make concessions to
great corporations and trust interests, that
We, as representing the House. did not feel
free on part to agree to. (Applausa on
the Democratic side)
WOULD NOT BE BULLDOZED
81 do not believe. Mr. Speaker. that there
would he any great difficulty i'm coming to a
compromise or an agreement upon the vast
majority of the 634 amendments proposed
to this bill by the Senate. but there are
important amendments proposed by the
Senate which give this bill. in the main
n different character from what il had when
il went from the House, on which
amendments seem. up to this time, to
be irrecOncilabIy divided. and it is be-
cause Of these amendments and because of
the statements made to us in all kindness
and courtesy. and | might almost say in
sadness. that such was the condition of
affairs at the other end of this Capitol
that unless this House was willing to ac-
cept the Senate bill practically and sub
stantially as il passed the Senate there was
TO be no tariff legislation this session of
Congress- We did not feel. representing
the House OF Representatives, that we
could. without a sacrifice of its dignity
and its equality as a legislative chamber
respond to any such proposition as that
applause on the Democratic sdeD Least
or all did We feel that i'm the great ques-
ton of faN~ti0r roSfi0a Nv tho va~v- Poorly
OF free institutions and bv language of the
Constitution peculiar and original
trust Oh the part of the Representatives of
the people. that could for one mo-
ment entertain and agree TO such a propo-
s'fioH. tapplpuse on the Democratic side)