The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-15
SENATORS TWI1 ON FACTS.
Harris and Higgins Engage in a
Verbal Encounter.
The Latter Had Depressed From His
Argument Upon the Wool Schedule to
Dissertation on the ,war-RepubIi-
cans Take Occasion to Rail at the
Whole Tariff BilI-To Establish SILK
Experiment Stations.


ng halt hour in the Senate Senate bill
was passed authorizing the Secretary OF
Agriculture to establish five silk OK.
pertinent stations, one each in different
sections Of the country, with tho Wow
of developing silk culture throughout
the United States. Such silk culture
stations shall be part Of the several
experiment stations in the States in
which they may be located.
The tariff bill was taken up at 1890
8. NJ, the hrst paragraph in tho wool
schedule being the one under considers-
ton. Lodge (Rep., Mass made an
argument against placing wool on the
free list
Mr.. Teller also opposed the placing of
wool on the free list. Mr.. Hoar de-
scribed the offer OF free wool to the
wooden manufacturers Of New England
as the apple OF Sodom held 10 their lips,
but which taey resented and scorned.
Power (Rep., Mont.) argued against
putting wool on the free list and sug-
gested that there should be division
Of the duties between the manufsc-
turers and the wool growers.
Platt made another argument against
free wool and closed his remarks by
characterizing the tariff bill as the most
indefensible and the most inexcusable
and the most vicious Legislation to the
country and to all tho people Of the
country.
Higgins, Of Delaware, took the floor
to oppose free wool. He hal been
speaking for over two hours. and had
entirely lost sight of the tariff bill and
free wool, but had discoursed upon the
Canadian question, the Hawaiian cues
ton, the steamship line between Van
couver and China, tue smuggling of
Cinnamon over the Canadian border
into the United States and various
other matters, when he incidentally re-
ferred TO the United States civil war.
Just then Harris, who had evidently
been an attentive listener, broke out
with this question: And wha. answer
did the Senator Tom Delaware give
when that issue of war was pr scented
good many Years age"
" gave the same answer that give
now" was the answer. Hoar, who had
not been listening, broke in with the
inquiry as to what the question was
The Senator from Delaware" Harris
said, was suggesting that this bill was
an issue Of war between the sections.
He had departed from the wool schedule
ana from the tariff Dill, and was dis
guessing the issues OF 1861; and was a
little curious to know what he did
then"
II did not go to Mexico" Higgins in
terjected.
IA great many Northern men at that
time" Harris wont on, ignoring the re-
mark, "shouldered their muskets and
went into the army. What did the
Senator do?"
~ shouldered my musket for little
time" said Higgins.
81 suppose it was for very little
time" Harris remarked in bitter
tone, land l hope THAI he will shoulder
it for o still shorter time in tho Senate
hereafter in reference to this tariff
question"
That answer" Higgins rctorted,
may be or may not be worthy of the
Senator from Tennessee. l was pre-
senting a serious argument on serious
question. absolutely germane to tho
bill. | was showing that the ultimate
issue of the conflict was las in 1861
whether we should have two flags and
two countries, and 1 say now that we
should not adops policy that would
create in the North the same conflict
that we had then in tho South"
Higgins then went on with his speech
and at its close the Senate ad iourned
Until tO-morroW.