The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-04-13
In CONGRESS-.
First Weeks Debate on Tariff Bill.
NOT ENCOURAGING TO SPEEDY ACTION.
Republicans Usual Fillibustering.
,m our Regular Correspondent.

bill in the Senate is not encouraging
to those who wish for speedy action on
the bill, and Senators Hill, Murphy,
Brice and Irby, who, Intentionally or
unintentionally, aided the Republicans
in their efforts to delay the debate,
have been sharply criticised by Dem
ocrats. Senator Hills speech to day
has also brought additional Democra-
tic criticism upon his head. 1t was,
of course, expected that the Republi-
cans would resort to dllibustering when
the Democrats began to take steps to
bring the debate to a close, but to the
surprise of everybody they began fill
clustering for delay almost at the very
beginning of the debate, and it is clear
that they intend to keep it up to the
end. Senator Harris, who has charge
of the bill, proposes to force show
of hands this week, by asking that the
sittings of the Senate be prolonged
two hours a day and that the tariff
bill be taken up earlier each day. He
intends to put the Senators on record
in order that the country may see who
are in favor of pushing the debate to
a conclusion and who are the obstruc-
tors, and he doesn't believe that when
the issue is squarely raised any Dem
ocrats will be found in the latter class.
Hon. Patrick Walsh, the new Sena-
tor from Georgia, met with a cordial
reception from his future colleagues,
most of whom have long been his per
sonal friends.
Senator McLaurin doesn't fancy the
idea of being confounded with Repre-
sentative McLaurin, of South Caro-
lima, who has been talking of leaving
the Democratic party to form silver
party in the south and west. The
Senator is opposed to any such move
ment To use his own words: 81 am
a silver man, but believe in the mis-
sion and success Of the Democratic
party, and l think that we can settle
disputed questions within our party
organization That's about the way
most of the silver Democrats feel
dDout IL, wv.
The largest number of Democratic
signatures ever attached to request
for call to be issued for a caucus
were on that addressed to Mr.. Hol-
man, chairman of the caucus asking
that caucus be held Tuesday of this
week to decide what should be the
policy of the party in the House to.
wards that plank of the National plat
form which declared that the tax on
state bank currency should be repeal
ed. Representative Swanson, of Vir-
ginia, circulated the request tor eau
Gus, as a result of his making per-
sonal poll of the Democrats in the
House on the question of the repeal
of the tax. He found that nine-tenths
of the Democrats favored repeal, but
all except I2o of them insist that it
shall be accompanied with more or
less Federal control over the currency
to be issued by the state banks. The
House committee on Banking and
Currency pigeon holed the question
some time ago because Of failure to
agree on bill The whole matter
will be talked over at the caucus and
will, it is hoped, be definitely settled
one way or the other, although the
present understanding is that the eau
Gus is not to take action that will be
considered binding upon those who at,
tend it.
Somebody, probably from pure vic
iousness, started story a few days
ago that Senators Hill and Murphy,
would antagonize the nomination of
Mr.. Benedict to be Public Printer.
They will do nothing of the sort
Senator Hill said week ago that he
was glad SO good Democrat as Mr.
Benedict had been selected for the
place and that he expected him to be
confirmed without opposition. Sena'
tor Murphy has also expressed kim'
self as pleased with the nomination.
Mr.. Benedict arrived in Washington
to-day and he expects to be confirmed,
submit his bond and be sworn In as
Public Printer before the 18th OF the
month.
Elk Speaker Reed capped the climax
for absurd and needless fillibusterine
on Saturday, when he prevented the
carrying out of a special order setting
apart that day for eulogies on the late
Senator Gibson, of Louisiana, by
forcing an adjournment by raising the
point Of no quorum on a motion to
discharge the warrant issued by the
Sergeant at Arms to arrest absenteeE
during the time the contested election
cases, settled last week, were pending
All the blame for this state of affair:
does not, however, belong to Reeo
and the Republicans. There are aIS
Democrats in the House, and If rs
of them would remain constantly II
their seats Reed and his obedlen
gang would be powerless to stop the