The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-01-19
RAILERS RAIL AT RAILS
johnson and Dlllall Engage In a Flsrc,
and Fiery Debate
OUR OLD FRIEND SlBLEY
He Would Support a Measure In
Accord With the Chicago Plat
form. but the Wilson Bill
Gives Him a Pain.

WASHINGTON, Jan. ls.-In the house.
the presidents veto OF the bill for the
relief Of purchasers Of timber and stone
lands under tho act OF June. 1873, was
read AZ the opening OF the session. After
passing the senate bill for the construction
Of the Chattanooga q Western bridge
across the Tennessee river. near ChAtta-
noocs, the consideration of the tariff bill
was resumed.
johnson. democrat. Of Ohio. offered his
amendment placing on the free list rail-
way bars made in part OF steel. rails and
girders, street rails and punched iron or
steel, and fiat rails, which in the bill are
duitabIe at 25 per cent. Mr.. johnson en-
planned his amendment. He said that a
steel rail pool existed which paid the steel
rail mills TO close their works and gave
them o monopoly Of this production. He
said il was generally admitted that no
revenue could be produced from putting q
duty Of 2j per cent. on them. The ways
and means committee did not claim il
would produce q revenue, and he asked
the house either to put steel rails oh the
free list or show good reason for not do
ing so.
Springer asked Johnson, who is himself
a steel rail producer. whether placing rais
on tho free list would drive the rail manG-
facturers out OF business, to which the
latter replied il would not. Its only effect
would be to reduce the profits OF tho mill
owners.
THAT is what you are here for, sup
pose" interrupted Bontelle, sarcastieally,
ito reduce your profits"
II am not here voting money into the
pockets of my sIockholders.h replied
johnson. emphatically, amid applause.
"Your patriotism has an element Of i'm
probability about II, retorted Boutelle.
In further reply to Springer. johnson
stated that his mill was not more favor
ably situated than others; that IL is in
about the center Of the steel rail produc-
ton. Dalzcll. republican of Pennsylvania,
proceeded 10 attack johnson. Steel rail
production. he said, was an important in
dustry In II states. Tho proposition was
TO place steel rails on the free list aud
leave billets and blooms out Of which they
were manufactured dutiabe at Is per
cent. Was that Just? The steel rail In
dustry was a most splendid monument OF
protection. -Undsr itA henedcieut opera-
tion the price OF rails has gone down from
$50 to s2j.
"If the price went down here, what
brought il down abroad" asked John
son.
"Invcntive genius, stimulat ed by the
establishment Of the industry here re-
piled Dalzell. The wages psid abroad.
continued Dalxell, are 10 per cent. lower
than here. Any argument based on the
present price of rails was fallacious be-
cause Of the depressed condition OF bus-
ness at this time. Johnson, he continued
sarcasticaliy, sought TO give strength to his
plea for free rails on the ground that he
himself was q manufacturer. He sought
to give the impression that he was In COM
petition with the mills In the alleged trust.
As u matter of fact, he was the only
manufacturer Of street railway rails and
he had monopoly Of that production
Laughter aud applausel.
"There are two other firms which mako
steel rails said Johnson.
1.-Two Others retorted Dalzell, con-
| temptuously. ''you are practically mo-
nopolist all the same.n Dalsell went on
| to say he held in his hand copies of l02
patents issued TO Moxham. president Of
the Johnson company. They gave him
the most complete and despotic form Of
protection, yet from behind that wall Of
protection he assumed tho roll of phi-
lanthropst, and wanted to take protec-
ton away from tho producers of railroad
rails who had no patents. [Republican
applause. Dalzell went on severely to
I IL k.sl l~k
sou q few days ago. The scrip
with which ho was paying his men.
Dalxell said. was at heavy
| discount. When Johnson stated the
other day on the iloor amid the plaudits
/ Of the democrats that the scrip had been
redeemed at premium. he stated what
was NOT true and he knew it. He went to
the stcuo grapher aud changed what be
said so as 10 make IL read that they were
redee med at par. The gentleman from
Ohio struck out the words but he did not
strike out the applause" which they
evoked. Laughter and applause.l At
this point the house took recess until 5
O'Clock tonight.
At the night session Sibley, democrat, OF
Pennsylvania, created something OF a
sensation by bitter speech against the
Wilson bill. he said he did not believe
tariffs made or unmade prosperity. he
would support. he declared, a revenue
tariff bill such as was demanded by the
Chicago platform. but he would never vote
for this bill, which was hybrid, half
iree-,rade and half-protection. with the
vices Of both and the virtues of neither,
Other speakers were Mekeegan, populist,
of Nebraska. De Forest, democrat, Of Con
nec,cui. and Russell, republican, Of Con-
neeticut.