The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-28
READY FOR ACTION.
House is Aching to Get Hold of
Tariff Bill.
Much Business to Be Done
Before Adjournment.
EACH HAS HIS BILL.
And Each Thinks 1t More Inn
portant Than Others.

WASHINGTON, June Is Special. -
All the signs indicate that the house is
clearing tho decks for action on the tariff
bill and the measures to follow it. 1t was
at first supposed that there would be quite
prolonged fight in the house proper az
to instructions before the bill could go to
the committee, but there are too many
persons anxious to have other measures
brought up. The ways and means com
mittee admits that it is in somewhat
disorganized condition and not able to act
upon the bill speedily as the house de
sires. In the first place it will be like tax
ing up entirely new measure, and the
member will have to go over it laboriOus
". The sickness and absence of Chair
man Wilson have made all proceedings
since the bill passed the house a mere
blank TO him, and owing to the pressure of
other business the other members have
not followed the details in the senate any
more closely than any general reader
would do. For these and many other rea-
sons considerable time win be taken, and
meanwhile the supporters of at least
dozen measures will be struggling for
precedence in the house
Taxation of GreenbacIs.
Mr.. Cooper of Indiana grows more
eager every day to have his bill permitting
the taxation Of greenbacks considered.
There is really no argument against it
and no particular opposition to it, and as
the evidence indicates that under cover of
RreenOdCk exemption InuC0 OJncf money
escapes taxation the bill will doubtless be-
come law if il is ever voted on. 1t
should be noted that the bill simply
valves the claim Of the federal government
to exemption, as the supreme court has
decided that congress has the power to do.
1t docs not provide for taxing the green
backs, but merely that the states may tax
them they do other money.
The western advocates of a general plan
for the reclamation of arid lands are also
eager for day in the house, but Chairman
Cooper is not disposed to give them
show, as he thinks 20 years from now will
be time enough to bring any more land
under cultivation.
Mr.. Hatch is, Of course, not satisfied
with results so far and wants great deal
more done for the benefit of the farmers.
There Is also q great brood OF labor bills
and resolutions which have been almost
forgotten in the pressure of other matters,
but Chairman McGann insists that at least
three of them must be considered at this
session. Another little bill which attracted
much attention when introduced, but has
been ignored in the subsequent struggles,
is that of Mr.. Meyer for coming the seign-
iOrage-that is, the alleged surplus silver
in the treasury. His bill was carefully
drawn to avoid the objections urged in the
presidents veto, and he does not admit
doubt that it Will pass both houses and be
signed by Mr.. Cleveland All he asks is
the opportunity to bring it to a vote. Tho
radical silver men will support it, of course,
but they are by no means disheartened as
to their own schemes and are trying to
organize for another attempt this session.
Union Pacific Railway.
The everlasting issue of what Is to be
done about the Pacific railway debts is still
up, and Mr.. Bailey has lately come to think
that something may yet be done at this
session. So far as the outsider can see
there has been no progress whatever
The committees continue to give hearings
from t1mo to time, and about twice month
it is published that an entirely new bill is
contemplated, but that is the whole of it.
In the senate the variety of judgments on
the subject is somewhat amusing. Senator
Cullom maintains his attitude of cheerful
skepticism and to all inquiries says, Don't
worry; it is fixed that nothing is to be
done" Senator Brice, chairman of the
committee, now lays the delay on the tariff
bill When pressed by a member of the
house for positive statement, he said:
The trouble now is that no one can real
lie the way in which the earnings of the
Union Pacific have been decreased and the |
destruction that is still going on. A fund
Ing bill must be made on. a basis of the |
business of the road. The desire seems to |
be to get bill that will secure the gov
eminent lien, and 1 think that is impoSsi- |
BILE I won't say that it will extend the |
time 100 years or even as years, but some
adjustment will be made LAS prom
Use, says Mr. Bailey, 'this is clear as
mud
In this multiplicity of pressing interests
and there are as many more not men |
tioncd-it is idle to say which will gain |
the right OF way and still more SO to /
guess when the whole will be disposed Of |
1t Is also to be noted that the senate has /
scarcely touched the appropriation bills as
yet, and mixed mass of personal and local Il
legislation awaits action in that body. i
All the big changes asked for by the Dis |
trict of Columbia have been but slightly |
considered in the house and barely touched |
upon in the senate. In the rush to close |
up senate work on the tariff bill the in
vestigation into the depression in business
and labor was quite overlooked for awhile,
but it seems that Coxey, Browne and a
Few others have actually had hearing, /
and senators say, with the usual smile, that i
that is about all there will be to it for some
time The committee investigating the
sugar bribery business has decided, of
course, that no senator was bribed and /
that none OF them speculated in sugar or
anything else ut a time when said specu-
latton could have seriously affected his
vote
Democratic Prospects
The expected excitement over the in
come clause in the bill did not material
lie 1t was evident that the public had
grown very tired Of the debate. for. al
though Senator Hills speech had been
much exploited in advance as a wonderful
effort, the galleries were not nearly full
The senator spoke three hours, and there
was only one demonstration. When he |
denounced the Democratic leaders for vac
there was very faint ripple of
laughter on the floor, and when he closed
q slight applause began in the galleries,
being checked at once when the chairman
raped. The speech was able, but it was
a serious drawback that all the arguments
Enc in ale 4