The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-02-02
PLEDGES REDEEMED
THE WILSON BILL PASSED BY A
LARGE MAJORITY.
The Income Tax and Free Sugar
Amendments Were Also Adopt
ed with Large and Enthu-
siastic Majorities,

ever witnessed in the American
capital, the Wilson tariff bill passed
the House Of Representatives by a
vote of 2O4 to 40. The events lead
ing up to it were almost unparallel-
ed in our annals. At ~ o'clock, af-
ter a preliminary skirmish of an
hour over the barley skedules, the
bill was reported to the House and
the closing speeches were made.
Such a vast concourse of people as
assembled to hear these last argu-
ments upon the great economic is
sue about to be submitted for final
arbitrament to the representatives
of the American people, had never
been seen within the precincts of
the Nations legislative Capitol.
Nothing like it was ever known in
the history of the oldest inhabitant
of the capital.
For hours before the debate be-
gan the corridors leading to the
galleries we're a surging mass of
humanity which became so great
that men cried out in terror and
women tainted in fright. 1t was
estimated that over 20, 900 attempt
ed to gain admittance to the gal
leries of the House during the day.
Their seating capacity is about
5000 and every available seat was
occupied long before the gavel
dropped The people were lined
against the walls and banked aginst
the doors; so great did the rush
become that the members of the
House secured permission to bring
their wives upon the floor.
When Mr., Reed, the first speak
er, arose at last to deliver the final
plea for protection, the overhang-
ing galleries were black and dense
with the spectators who thronged
them. Every inch of space upon
the floor was taken. 1t was a brill
liant, as well as a large assembly.
Only ten of the 354 members of the
House were absent. Many grave
and reverend Senators and other
distinguished personages were on
the floor, and in the galleries were
Mrs. Cleveland, Mrs. Vice-President
Stevenson, and other ladies of emf
nence and distinction, their dresses
hecking the landscape with color
Then for three hours the oratory of
the champions of the two economic
systems followed-Reed, Crisp and
Wilson-while their partisans made
the air vocal with their shouts of
approval. The appearance of the
Speaker of the House on the floor
engaged in debate was in itself re-
markable, as well as an unusual
thing, Each of the speakers seem
ed to be in his best form, and the
speeches which they delivered will
rank among the most brilliant of
their lives. When these were finish
ed Mr. Wilson, who spoke last, was
lifted on the shoulders Of his admir-
ing colleagues and carried triumph
antly from the hall amid a scene of
unmatched enthusiasm, When it
came to voting the victory for the
measure was overwhelming, The
vote upon the income tax PROPOSE
ton (taken in connection with the
internal revenue amendment stood
1872 to 80.
Only twelve Republicans voted on
this proposition-seven for and five
against, The Democratic opposi-
ton amounted to forty-fve. The
last effort was made by those Dem
ocrats who are opposed to the
measure in whole or in part, led by
Mr.. Covert, of New York, to re-
commit the bill, but the Republi-
cans refused to join in this attempt
to scotch the measure, and it end
ed in dismal failure, But thirty
six Democrats voted for it, not even
enough to secure the ayes and nays,
record making vote. The vote
upon the final passage of the bill
was a surprise. Amid the most in
tense enthusiasm Democrat after
Democrat who had been counted
to vote against the measure, like
Blanchard, Beltzshoover Batner,
Cochran, Coombs, Dunn, English,
Geissenhainer, McAleer, Ryan and
others, recorded their votes in the
affirmative. Only seventeen Demo-
Gratis of all the boosted Democratic
opposition to the measure stood out
to the end and voted against it.
As each one cast his vote it was
greeted by applause and cheers from
the Republican side, Those who
voted against il were Bartlett