The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-26
NO PROGRESS.
Senators Consider the Tariff
Bill Section by Section.

Bv The associated Press.
wAsHING1oN, April 20 In the morn
Ing hour Senator PETER introduced bill
In the senate to give work TO the unem-
ployed peopls in the District Of Columbia,
and Sena,or Allen introduced resolution
affirming the right of Coxey's army or
any one else to come 10 Washington and
peaceably assemble in the Capitol build
ing. Is went over until today. Mr.. Harris
sought to arrive at some arrangement by
which the tariff bill should be considered
each day from to o'clock. but no vote
was taken. and IL, too. will come up again
In the form of motion.
Five hours were spent considering the
tariff bill by sections. but no progress
was made. The question under debate
was the date when the bill should take
effect, and the entire afternoon was de-
voted to the debate of this question with
out reaching anything like n conclusion.
The discussion was quite animated, some
times personal. but always good-natured.
The only speeches made which were not
In the order OF a running debate were
by Senators Aldrich and Platt, both
OF whom pleaded for more time for the
manufacturers to prepare for the changes.
Senator Palmer urged the speedy passage
Of the bill, and Senator Allison offered an
amendment striking out the date on
which the bill should take effect. and
leaving the date blank. All these amend
ments were unacted upon when the senate
adjourned.
A Fine Point
A lively discussion was started by Mr..
Gray, who made the point that Mr. Dolph
was out of order in reading from re-
cent speech in the house Of representa-
tives.
The vice president read from Jefferson's
manual the rule declaring it breach of
order 70 nstioe in one house n speech
made In the other in the same congress
and on the same subject, In order that
the action Of the members of the two
houses might be independents
The vice president accordingly ruled as
follows: Under this authority the chair
will hold that it will not be in order for a
senator to read q speech made in the
house of representatives" Afterwards he
made the ruling more specific by adding:
'On the same question and in the same
congress-"
Mr.. Dolph appealed from the decision
of the chair, and Mr.. Harris moved to lay
the appeal on the table-carried.
The latter part Of the day was occupied
with bantering on both sides of the cham
Der, and by a silver speech by Mr..
Stewart, and at 9 o'clock the senate ad-
journed.
The Populist senator's were in caucus
last night to reach an understanding as
10 the Populist attitude toward the on
coming Coxey army. While there was
no endorsement of the movement the
speakers urged that IL was the legitimate
and natural outcome of national leQisla-
tion.
No Compromise Yet Reached.
Senator Jones of the finance commit
tee. when asked about the current report
that . compromise had been reached on
the tariff bill. said that no agreement had
been made. He admitted that there had
been numerous conferences among Demo-
cratic senators with q view of adjusting
great differences supposed to exist, but
said there could be no agreement until
all the persons interested in the changes
on both sides of the question had given
their assent. He said that 10 would be
impossible to do so at this time as il had
not been agreed 20 by those who had the
matter in hand. The senator expressed
himself as very. hopeful that the party
would soon be united on the bill
slow Progress.
The house devoted the day to the con-
sideration of the consular and diplomatic
appropriation bill, but progress was slow.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois was viQilant
and aggressive In criticising every change
made in the bill, insisting on an explana-
tion in cases of increased salaries, and Of
fering amendments to reduce appropria-
tions wherever opportunity afforded.
None of his amendments prevailed, how
ever. n
The feature of the day was the attempt,
through an amendment offered by Mr..
Hepburn (Rep, Ia.), to cut off all un-
official fees of consuls Of the first second
and third classes A very spirited de-
bate was precipitated, charges of whole
sale abuses in the consular service were
made and some partisan rancor was de-
Veloped.
1t was generally admitted on both sides
of the house that there should be some
reform in the fee system which is obtained
in the consular service, but the Demo-
Gratis contended that to cut off these fees
without due consideration, by placing a
rider on an appropriation bill, would be
blow in the dark, and might do more
harm than good. The amendment was
lost by practically strict party vote