Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-23
A SENATE SENSATION
Mr.. Teller's Motion to Lay the Tariff
Bill on the Table
DEFEATED BY A STRICT PARTY Vote
Many Replies Made to Senator
Gormsn's Speech.
CIVIL SERVICE IN THE HOUSE

The prospect OF a speech today from Sena-
tor German, the political tactician Of the
democratic side Of the chamber. was the
subject Of a good deal of gossip when the
Senate met at 10 o'clock. After the
reading OF the journal, Mr.. Kyle IN. d.
offered resolution declaring II to be the
sense of the Senate that the government Of
the United States should not aid in attempt
to restore Queen Liliuokalani to the Ha-
waiian throne. and that interference with
the political affairs OF the Hawaiian Islands
by any nation would be regarded as an act
unfriendly to the United States.
At MIR. kyle's request the resolution went
he would submit some remarks upon II.
Duty ON Railway Bars.
At 1880 the tar1n bill was taken up. The
pending paragraph QlO related to the duty
on railway bars. T rails. &c. The House
rate was ~ per cent. The Senate finance
committee amendment increasedthis to 20 l-2
per cent. The Jones amendment changed
this latter rate to a specific duty of seven
twentieths OF one cent per pound In reply
to questions from Mr.. Hoar, Mr.. Jones ex-
planned that the change to a specific duty
was made upon the suggestion that q spe-
cific rate was necessary to prevent under
valuation The present rate was six-tenths
of one cent. so that the amendment pro-
posed reduction of about 50 per cent.
Seven-twentieths of a cent per pound was
equivalent to S7S4 per ton. Quite an ex-
terded discussion followed.
Mr.. Platt Comm, called attention to the
decline in the price of rails under the opera
tions of the Mckinley law from 81 to S24.
He had known specific instances. he said,
where rails this year had sold under SO.
What was true of steel rails was true OF
other articles, and in view Of these reduc-
l.. ~
see how the other side could longer main
tain the theory that high tariff rates were
preserved at the expense Of the consumer.
The duty proposed by Mr.. Jones. in view of
said. as much a prohibitive rate as the Nc
Kinley duty.
Interest in Mr. German.
At IL o'clock Senator German, who had
entered the chamber during the debate on
T rails, arose at mis- place near the center
of the democratic side. His recent illness
had told upon him, and he looked pale. He
spoke In low voice. but his tones were
clear aid penetrating The Senators In the
chamber wheeled their chairs around snd
faced the Maryland Senator. Those who
ried In The galleries, owing to the early
hour. were but thinly occupied. Every one
within the sound of his voice followed him
with intense interest throughout the deliv-
cry Of his speech.
During the delivery OF Mr.. GormanS
speech the drop of a pin could almost have
been heard so deep was the hush upon the
champer. me dennition OF the position Of
tie democrats and the arraignment Of
their political adversaries were given in
impressive words and when Mr.. GorD.an
closed. at II o'clock. after having spoken
exactly an hour, with q warning that oppo-
sition on the other side could not obstruct
the progress of tariff reform, the galleries
burst into whirl Of applause, and quite a
| number OF democratic Senators. first among
whom was Mr.. Brice. hurried forward to
congratulate the Maryland Senator.
Vice President Stevenson quelled the con-
fusion with his gavel. and warned the
galleries that demonstrations of approval or
disapproval would not be tolerated.
MIR. Aldrich's Reply.
sensational incident grew out Of Mr.
Germans speech. AS quiet was restored
| Mr.. Aldrich, the tactical leader Of the re-
publican side, got on his feet. He replied
briefly. howeve.. The Maryland Senator
| Mr.. Aldrich began, occupied a unique posi-
| ton in the counsels of his party Like
Henry Clay he believed in compromise to
| save his party from defeat.
Like his distinguished prototype in a
crisis he believed in forgetting and aban-
doning his party declarations and in con-
| structing new platform to meet the exi-
gencies of the occasion. 1t was true, he
| said, that the compromises fathered by the
| Senator from Maryland had not been al
ways successful but that had been due to
lack of zeal on his part. 1t was not
through lack Of zeal that Mr.. German had
| failed to nominate a compromise candidate
at Chicago in place of Mr.. Cleveland nor
that his silver compromise had been de-
fea ted during the extra session Of Congress
last summer. II the skill of the distinguish
ed democratic leader should now succeed in
transferring the allegiance of his party to
the makeshift tariff bill prepared by him.
self and the Senator from Ohio, the teach
ings of the great democrats of the past
must be forgotten and their utterances ex-
plunged from the records. He had had oc-
casion in times past to admire the disci-
pline of the democratic party, and II the
democratic party could be wheeled into line
in support of this measure that admIra tion
would be immeasuraby increased
He was curious to see, he declared in con-
clusion. whether this compromise would
succeed. If it did. it would be the first time
In the history Of the country when a com
been successful.
Mr.. Teller. Motion.
Mr.. Teller (Colo) followed Mr.. Aldrich.
He spoke like one with his hand on the
| spring OF trap door, He was interested
to learn from Mr.. German that a majority
of the Senate would support the compro-
mise bill He was also interested in learn
ing that the democratic party was stand
| ing not on the Chicago platform. but upon
MI SleVeidHu He had known
| that the party had abandoned the Chicago
| platform, as far as silver was concerned
at Mr.. Cleveland's dictation, but he learn
! ed for the first time today that Mr. Claye-
| lands utterances took precedence over the
! plank of the party platform on the tarifr.
! Still. even after what Mr.. German had
| said, he was in doubt as to the condition
| of the other side.
! The Maryland Senators had not said
| that all the democrats would support the
| bill. He said that majority of the Senate
would support it. How many populists
were counted on by Mr.. German to make
| up majority of the Senate? Were there
| any backsliders among the democrats them
| selves? These were all interesting ques-
| tons. and in order to make every Senator
show his colors he would move to Law the
| tariff bill on the table.
Mr.. Teller's motion was like a bombshell.
1t created CONSERVATION on both sides
The bells rang and pages were sent scurry-
ing through the corridors to drum I'D every
available Senator in order that the full
| strength might be polled on the vote.
The Motion Defeated,
Mr.. Butler Is. c., who was In the BARRIERS
chair when a messenger found him, came
in with one side Of his face shaved The
roll call was watched with intense interest
| curiosity being particularly manifested as
to how Messrs. Hill. Irby and PETER would
vote. All three voted against the motion
The democratic line did not show a single
gap, and the three avowed populists Allen
Kyle and PETER. voted with them. The mo,
4 q