Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-25
THE SENATE'S POWER.
A Heated Feeling Over the Tariff
Conference Disagreement.
House Inclined to Stand Cut-Members Sa,
will Send for Winter Clothes.

WASHINGTON. July a4.-ISpecial.] -
Despite the high heroics of the house, tho
eloquent protest of Mr.. Wilson, the almost
pathetic appeal of the president and the
fierce invcctives of such men as John De
Witt Warner, the old heads persist in their
prophecy that tho senate will finally pre-
vail on all the disputed items of the tariff
bill. They point out that the SO called
conservatives in tho senate arc united as
one man, while of the radicals in tho
house each section is willing to give way
on something. AS usual in heated con-
ditions of feeling between the two houses,
ali the procedcnts have been gone over and
construed with the usual partisan preju-
dice, and tho result shows that, while at
the beginning it was taken for granted
that the house alone had the right to
frame q tariff bill, the power, or rather
the practice, of the senate in that respect
grew rapidly. OF course nobody can draw
a line when it is once conceded that the
senate has power to amend, but in prac-
tico it is to be noted that tho more nearly
the house was divided the more power did
the senate assume The much abused tariff
of 1928 only passed the house by 107 to
1o5, and so the senate took great liberties
Tho Polk Warner tariff of 1916 really got
through tho house only by the influence
of the president, and in the senate the vote
was a tie, and SO Vice President Dallas
had the casting vote. Since then the SEN
ate has acted as if its powers were coequal
nj Of No
Looking Out Tor Votes.
Tho first statements by house leaders
after tho disagreement was reported were
savagcly firm. 1--WE may as well send for
our winter Clothes" said Mr.. Springer,
''for wc shall stay hero till March if tho
senate docs not yield good deal. F"
II can only repeat what l have said
from the start" said John Dc Witt War
ner, THAT this thing must be fought to
finish some time; that there never was and
probably never can be q better time for
the house to assert its constitutional rights
on bills for raising revenue, and that it is
our duty to stay it through" The opin-
ion of nearly all Democrats from west of
Ohio may DO summed up in the words of
Mr.. Cooper Of Indiana: Il would much
rather sweat it through here till Deem
Der comes again than to go home and try
to explain to my constituents why l
didn't stick. There is decidedly more en-
joyment hero for q western congressman
than there would be at home if the senate
bill were accepted, and, in my opinion,
every man of Us will gain moro votes by
staying" At least C score of western
Democrats sat down at once and wrote
open letters to their constituents to be
read in convention, and without an cXcep-
ton they announced their intention to stay
till the senate yielded. General Black
took somewhat more conservative view,
saying: 1t is never safe to prophesy what
the popular branch of legislative body
will do. just now it looks as if Springer
were right, and VIC might as well send for
our winter clothes, but there is n great
and increasing anxiety in tho country to
have tho mattcr settled, oven If it be but Il
temporary settlement, and that is bound
to influence the member as soon as petit
tions to that effect begin to come in"
Many others put in a caveat like this:
Personally | should insist on the house
bill or nothing, but doubt if we can hold
our members up to it." So, as aforesaid,
in spite of tho present vigorous protests,
the old heads think they see signs of yield
ing on the part of the house.
Applause Tor Wilson.
The sccno when the conferecs reported
to tho house was quite dramatic. Chair
man Wilson, his face distorted by neural
gia and almost concealed by bandagcs, en-
tered, leaning upon tho arm of Cliff Breck-
inridgc, and both received ovation. 1.-The
applause, says Champ Clark, twas about
irClf nj, iris
ter to Russia and the ether two-thirls for
the PrometEeus of the house, who is suf
fering the torments of the damned and
yet will not yield his vital principle. y
Mr. Wilson was probably not suffering
quite as much as if tho vultures were
gnawing at his vitals, but in tho midst of
his agony he was resolute as the chained
hero of the Caucasus and spoke with all
his usual ability. 1t Yves, however, re-
lief when the same confcrees were reap
pointed and the house resumed routine
business.
The next matter of interest was the
Tucker resolution for an amendment to
tho constitution directing tho election of
United States senators by q vote of the
people. 1t was ably argued, of course; but,
so far as they will express themselves, not
one member in ten thinks it will be adopt
cd for years, if ever. Several members of
the Judiciary committeeman it is worth
noting that they represent all sections Of
tho country-say bluntly that tho popular
suffrage business has been carried quite
far enough, and that the real problem now
is to restrict it within proper limits and
make it safe and honest.
Minor Matters.
If the session should be SO prolonged on
account of the tariff, some of the foreign
affairs committee think that they may
have new and entirely unexpected bust
ness, for the cholera is moving westward
through Russia, and the plague is work
ing havoc in China and threatening to
spread to other countries, while there is
war likely in Korea, another revolution in
Haiti and a sort of British complication in
Hawaii. Possibly these things had some
effect in causing the house conferees on
the naval appropriation bill to yield SO
much to the senate as they did The SEN