The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-07
POSITION OF THE "kICkERS."
Why MIR. Sperry and other Democrats
Are EiIihusfPriuu

WASHlNGTON, Jan. 6.-Representative
Sperry who represents the Democratic
objeCtors to tie Wilson bill tried
unsucceSsfully il the House through
out the day To secure recognition in order
To mOYe TO recommit the tariff bill with
instructions To prepare and submit the in
ternal revenue feature before asking for a
special rule closing debate Mr. Sperry
tried to bring the resolution IN as a matter
of privilege, but Speaker Crisp perslstenuy
refused to recognize him
Mr.. Sperry states the position Of the
Democratic opposition is az follows: The
parliamentary situation in the House at
the present time is this: The ways and
means committee has reported d tariff bill
which shows 900 deficiency, as COM
pared with the receipts under the present
law. They are also expected to report an
internal revenue bill, and as q part Of
that bill the Democratic end of the ways
and means committee has agreed 10y a
majority OF one, on an income tax. The
made and every one is informed on its de-
tails and IS able 10 act intelgently. But
the internal revenue bill has not been re-
ported and no one knows. not even the
members Of the committee, what
provisions that bill will contain
when it is finally reported. 1t
has been the settled policy Of the ways and
means committee that the tariff and internal
u
separately presented ana separately voted
on. Within the last week intimations have
been made by members of the ways and
means committee that the internal reVe-
nue. bill viii toe attached to the tariff bill
as an amendment And yet 10 internal
revenue bill has been prepared and Moth
ing il known as TO the amount of revenue
it would yield To the government. With
these conditions confronting the House. the
ways and means committee has sought the
aid of the rules committee and has brought
in rule by which they propose 10 limit
debate ulon the SUBJECT matter OF leglSla-
ton which Is NOT Yet IN form ana of which
no member of Congress has authentic in
formation. In other words, the committee
on rules proposed to adopt Il clOture rule
limiting debate and fixing time for a vote
and then to offer the bill for consideration.
1t does not. perhaps. make SO much
the revenue bill considered
separately or together but it seems to me
that every Congressman il entitled To have
the intended legislation put into print with
the majority and minority reports of the
committee, with estimates of the results
of the legislation if enacted, and is enti-
tied To that before he is expected to vote
on a Cloture on n bill that is not in exist
encc. don't think there * any diSpO-
sition To prevent consideration OF tariff
DllI or OF an internal revenue blll. ana the
objections are due to the fact that the
ways and means committee have not Yet
fully formulated legislation and have not
put the bill in shape. except I'm part. and
have not decided whether an internal
enue bill shall or shall not be introduced
separately or as part of the tariff bill.
Jnul the ways and means committee de-
eide what they intend to 90 they can hard
~ object if We delay further proceedings
in the House until that committee shall de-
eide what course of action they propose 10
pursue"
Representative Geary. Of California. who.
a few days ago, said that the Wilson bin
would Toe taken into caucus. amended and
passed. said to-day that ne Is opposed
To the bin and refused to vote IN explain
alton Of his course he said: Il shall con
tinue 10 refuse To vote. The bill was not
taken into caucus: II has not been amended
70 suit the Democrats and il will not pass.
/ think the entire California Democratic
delegation viii be with me in opposing the
bill. The rates ou wines and fruits are
foreign wines, and California Will not he
able 10 place gallon of wine i'm the East
ern market. We Will protest until this is
changed "