The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-07

cusSton in the Senate. In addition to this
were heard before the committee ON ways
and means of the House, and the testimony
There taken is in print and in the posses
very familiar to the American mind and
needs no further elucidation than will be
incident to full, lree debate, the country
needs acuon-action."
PROTEST FROM THE MINORITY.
The Republican members Of the Senate
finance committee, through Senator Aldrich
gave out the following statement in reply
TO that of the Democratic members:
THE minority members of the finance
committee are greatly surprised at the
character Of the statement which has been
handed them and which is said to have
or the committee in regard to their refusal
to give hearings on the tariff bill. The
Republican members of the committee, rely
Ing on the assurances given them by the
chairman during the session of the COM
mittee, had supposed that hearings would
be given, as a matter of course, and had
heard
THE matter came up in committee this
morning upon the request for a hearing,
made by one member in behalf of the farm
ers and wool growers of the United States
who are now present at Washington in large
numbers for the purpose, and upon the re-
quest OF other members in behalf Of certain
cotton operatives of Fall River and other
places. There was request the part
of the Republican members for ex-parte
hearings, nor for hearings for any special
class, any disposition nor desire to Sc
cure such results.
''The minority believe that all parties,
facturers importers and all others, wheth-
er for or against the bill, interested in the
wbb fixed Se1 by d the baRe Reu5e Ssa bill as
before the final vote in the House, should
be heard upon matters SO vitality affecting
their interests. The right TO be heard has
never before. SO far as we are aware, been
denied to the American people. by the
finance committee of rhe United States
believe that this extraordinary action on
the part of the majority in refusing to give
hearings is both unwise and unjust, and
should be resisted by all parliamentary
methods"
An Associated Press reporter says that
the Democratic members of the committee
lost no time in proceeding to work on the
tariff bill after they decided not to grant
hearings to interested parties. Senator
Jones, of Arkansas, Mills and Vest, COM
prising all the members of the subcommit-
tee on tariff, except Senator Voorhees,. met
to-day and took up the bill with the view
Of putting 1t in shape at the earliest prac-
ticablc moment for submission, first to the
Democratic members and afterwards to the
full committee. The meeting was of an ex-
ceedingly private character, and the pro-
however, that considerable progress was
made with the work, owing largely to the
fact that these gentlemen had all given
much attention TO the bill and had conferred
among themselves to a sufficient extent to
be familiar with one another'S views upon
the questions at ISSUE They have deter
mined to make a few concessions on i'm
portant articles, like coal and sugar. a duty
will be placed on these articles, but whether
it will be specific or ad valorem in charac-
ter has not been determined. If a specific
duty is decided upon 1T will, in the case Of
sugar, probably be l cent per pound, and
coal so cents or 81 per ton. No decision
has been reached on the income tax. There
are on the Democratic side of the Senate
some strong advocates of the striking out
of this part of the bill, but so many of the
Democratic members Of the committee are
favorable to this tax that it has become ev-
ident that this change will be difficult, if
not impossible, of accomplishment. Senator
Jones, of Arkansas is urgent in his advo-
cacy of an increased tax on beer, but has
not, so far, met with great encoura cement
at the hands OF other members of the COM
rnittee.