The herald., 1894-01-16
AMENDING THE WILSON BILL
Debate Under the Five-Minute
Rule Begun.
A Hot Fight Over Portions of the
Tobacco Schedule.
BouteIle vainly Tries to Bring Up His
Hawaiian Rssolution-A Tilt BE-
tween Tom Reed and
Bourke Cochran.

WASHINGTON, jan. Decentralization
of the tariff bill under the five minute
rule was begun today. Only the amend
menth were disposed of. none of mater
ial moment. An attempt was made by
De Forest and Sperry, Democrats of
Connecticut, to secure the adoption OF
an amendment increasing the duty on
Sumstrs cigar wrappers to the present
rates, The debate concluded with a
brilliant tilt between Cochran and Reed.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-In the house
today, on motion of Grain of Texas, the
senate bill relieving the Aransas Pass
Harbor company Of Texas from the time
limitation of the act of 1890, as to the
Improvements of Arkansas pass, was
passed.
Before the house resolved itself into q
committee of the whole for considera-
of the tariff bill Boutelle made another
fruitless attempt to bring forward his
Hawaiian resolution. He made an inn
passioned protest against the refusal of
the house to consider the matter, say
ing: Congress should have the right
to repudiate the odium under which it
rests. The Democratic majority should
have the right to unload from congress
and the Democratic party this burden
of outrage and Disgrace" Republican
applause.
"There must be some limit" de-
clared the speaker sharply, Ito the right
of the gentleman to violate the privilege
of the house. There must be some
power in the majority to protect itself
against these violations. The gentle
man will resume his seat and the house,
under the special order adopted. will
resolve itself into a committee of the
whole for further consideration Of the
tariff BILL"
Boutelle retired to the erear of the hall,
Richardson took the chair and the read
ing of the tariff bill began.
The reading of the tariff bill con-
sumed over two hours. At its conclu-
sion row took place over the question
of procedure. Wilson wants the sched-
ules taken up in the order in which
they occur for three days. Reed
pointed out the impracticability of such
a plan and wanted the time limitation
removed from the debate.
At this point Bynum called for the
regular order. and the chair recognized
Wilson, who offered the first committee
amendment by striking out in the
tobacco schedule the words CONNER
cially known" in the description of
wrapper tobacco. He explained that
the amendment was desirable to pre-
vent an incorrect Interpretation at the
custom house. The amendment precip-
itated fierce discussion.
Payne. (Rep.) of New York offered an
amendment to increase the duty ON
cigar wrappers from 81 to So, and sup
ported it in 5-minute speech.
DeForest supported Payne's amend
ment. He declared high duty would
not only protect the tobacco farmers
of Connecticut, but was consistent with
the revenue plank of the Chicago plat
form.
Marsh (Rep.) of Illinois wanted to
know why the constituents OF DeForest,
who elected him to congress on the
Democratic platform, did not take the
medicine they voted for. Marsh de-
clared the Democratic party did not
have the courage to incorporate in the
tariff bill the redemption of the plat
form pledges. Ii the Con-
necticut Democrats wanted pro-
lection for their tobacco far
mers, why did they not come out and
help him protect the farmers of the
west?
Bynum declared the cigar manufac-
turers and operators to the number of
45, 600 had signed petitions for this re-
duction. They were deserving of more
consideration than the tobacco farmers
Of three or four counties in Connec-
ticut.
Sperry said that if Sumatra leaf came
under the present duty it would yield
$5, 600, 900 more than the proposed sched-
ule of the bill.
Painter (Dem.) of Kentucky proposed
to reduce the duty of 81 to 80 or 35
cents.
Marsh offered an amendment to sub
stitute to reduce the duty to % cents,
as he said. to test the good faith of the
Democratic side. He scorsd the DEM
ocrats for cowardice and was literally
applauded by the Republicans.
A vote was then taken on Payne's
amendment to place the duty at the
present rate. Lost.
Wilson's amendment was then agreed
to and vote was taken ON Marsh's
amendment to Painters substitute.
This precipitated general discussion
as to what members had a right to pre-
cedence in the matter of Offering amend
ments. Richardson, chairman OF the
committee of the whole, eventually de-
cided in favor of Wilson, who proposed
an amendment to eliminate cables and
cardage from the operations of the 10
per cent duty on twlne and coriage (ex-
cept binding twine), so they too could
come in free.
Morse (Rep.) OF Massachusetts offer
ed an amendment to Wilson's amend
ment which sought to take binding
swine from the free list and put it back
on the dutiable list.
Both the amendment and the Painter
substitute were disagreed to.
The Republicans under Burrows then
made fight for the privilege of Offering
an amendment. The Morse amend
ment was voted down and Wilson's
agreed to.
Wilson's next amendment was as IN
the cotton schedule to include cotton
dueking provisions. Alter some debate
this was agreed to, and Wilson Their
offered an amendment to add to the free
lIst sweat leather, binding ribbons, cut
telt, etc, for hat trimmings, the present
duty being 80 per cent.
Coombs, (Dem.) of New York statad
that this class OF material was not
manufactured in this country.
Pavne stated that this was nrohahlv