The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-05-02
Congressional Proceedings.


WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25.-In the senate, the
weary debate on the tariff bill was enliv-
ened by a tilt between Mr.. Aldrich of Rhode
Island and Mr. Vest. The former declared
that negotiations were going on between
the finance committee and democratic sem
atOrs who had interests involved, to modify
the bill to suit their particular cases. Mr..
| Vest denied emphatically that there were
any negotiations going on, and Mr. Aldrich
asserted with equal postiveness that there
were. Who could tell, he asked, whether
the income tax would be in it; or whether
! the duty on sugar would be in it? He asked
Mr.. Vest whether important amendments
were not to be made to the bill by the
! finance committee before the senate acted
upon it. Mr.. Vest replied that he knew of
none, and again Mr.. Aldrch asserted that
| he did not know of it, and declared that
| the business men OF the country ought to
have at least six months within which to
arrange their affairs to meet the radical
changes of the bill Mr.. Platt of Connecti-
cut declared that if the bill should go into
effect June 80 next, the penalties to the
merchants of the country would amount to
a thousand million dollars. 80 The house
went into committee of the whole for the
consideration of the diplomatic and consu.
lar appropriation bill. On motion of Mr..
Warner of New York, the grade of the Off
Ger of Spain was raised to consul general.
$4,000 the salaries of the consul at Annoy,
| Canton and Tentsin, China, Mr.. Hermann
of Oregon made an attack upon the pending
Chinese treaty. Under that treaty, he said,
the business of the consuls at the points
| named would naturally fall off and reduce
ton of salary should naturally follow. Mr.
| Wilson of Washington said that while the
representatives of the people in congress
were enacting into law the sentiments of
the country upon the Chinese immigration
question, President Cleveland, Secretary
Gresham and the Chinese minister were
secretly negotiating the present treaty, by
which, if it be ratified, all the legislation
on the subject by congress would be
rendered nugatory and void.
THURsDAY.-The resolution introduced in
| the senate by Mr.. Allen of Nebraska, giving
Coxey and his followers the right to visit
| the capitol and there assemble and petition
for redress of grievances, was strongly
condemned by both democrats and republic
cans. Mr.. Vest of Missouri said If the
resolution was meant to include men who
had trampled on the laws and had seized
private property and had undertaken to Sc
cure transportation to Washington by force
of arms, he dissented from any such propo-
sition. Those who had violated the law
must abide the consequences; and the issue
should be met right here and now. Mr.
Allen defended his resolution, and expressed
surprise at the opposition 1T had aroused.
lie spoke OF the movement as - SpOnJdnt-
GUS uprising of oppressed and wronged
American citizens" The resolution went
over without action. Mr.. Higgins of Della
ware then spoke in opposition to the tariff
measure. - The time of the house was
taken up in discussing whether members
should be allowed to draw their salary
without accounting for absence without
permission. The matter went over without
| final action.
FRIDAY.-The proposition of Senator AL
drieh that the senate should vote that day
on the tariff BILL either as it came from the
house. or as reported to the senate from the
| finance committee, was startling surprise
| to the democrats. After much elaboration
they accepted the challenge to vote that day
on the bill as it came from the house. That
| includes the full income tax section, free
sugar, free wool and free coal, and all of
| the provisions to which the conservative
democrats so strenuously object. The mo-
ton was finally amended and some day
| this week was substituted for the taking OF
| the vote. - Only routine business was
transacted in the house.
SArURDAY.-A call OF the senate was
necessary to secure the attendance of a
quorum. The tariff bill was discussed by
Senators Hale of Maine, Vest of Missouri
Sherman of Ohio, Stewart OF Nevada, and
Dolph of Oregon. Eulogies were then de-
| livered on the late Representative Lilley of
| Pennsylvania. - The house went into
committee OF the whole on the army appro-
| priation bill the discussion on which was
still in progress at the hour of adjournment
MoNDAY.-The senate was again enliv-
| ened by discussion between Mr.. Teller Of
| Colorado and Mr.. Harris of Tennessee as
to whether the tariff bill now before the
senate was really the bill to be acted upon.
Mr., Harris repeated virtually what he had
| said last Saturday, that he was ready to
compromise conflicting opinions, and was
willing to make notifications where there
| was an absolute necessity. He could not
| tell, and no senator could tell what form
amendments would take. MIR. Teller iIl-
sisted that amendments of radical chaTac-
ter, of which the public knew nothing, were
to be sprung on the senate, which drew a
wrathy reply from Mr.. Harris. The entire
| day was spent in wrangling over the mat
ter. - The house went into committee
of the whole ON the army appropriation bill,
The section providing for ministers at
posts where there is no chaplain was stricken
out, as were also the proviso as TO COM
mutation for army officers detailed TO state
educational institutions, and tho proviso
that recruits should be selected as far as
practicable from the states near the post to
which they are to be assigned. The pro-
viso reducing the number OF surgeons in
the army was vigorously opposed by Mr..
Reed Of Maine. He did not believe at this
time in crppling the army, which at pres
ent seemed to be the only tiourishing indus
try, public or private. After debate the
provso was rejected. The agricultural APP
preparation bill ia next on the docket