New-York tribune., 1894-04-05
A STEP TOWARD FREE TRADE.
THE PRESENT TARIFF BILL ONLY A
TEMPORARY MAKESHIFT


THAT IT is NOT INTENDED TO BE PER
MANENT-rF THE NEXT CONGRESS
Is DEMOCRATIC MORE AGITA-
TIoN WILL FOLLOW.
rBY TELEGRAPH TRIBuSEl
Washington April 4-Senator Allison fn shedto-
day a singularly lucid and effective argument be-
gun Yesterday against the Wilson-Voorhees tariH
bill In the course OF It he punctured a number OF
fallacies which Mr.. Voorhees,, in his Introductory
remarks. had voiced on Monday, and showed by
figures and statistics that could not be gainsaid
the utter absurdity of some Of the propositions
laid down by the Trainer; Of the bill.
Mr. Harris the self-constituted dry nurse OF the
measure. was on deck again with points or oruer
and other parliamentary makeshifts to throttie
any expression of opinion hostile to the Dill.
Thus when Mr.. Quay sought to present and rean
the protest Of the Philadelphia Chamber OF COM
merce he invoked the rule Of the Senate wh'ch
demands that the substance only OF petuohs
shall be given. well knowing that MT. quay
could If he so desired. READ the petition IN iu"
at some other time In the course OF the DEBATE
This. of course Is mere childs play, but 1t seems
to be hugely enjoyed By the Senator from len
nessee who is not likely to lose any opportunity
hereafter to step the front in the de1ence OF the
tax-burdened people or MS state hsai"'' ''
robber barons Of the East.
The debate. though 1t has lasted only three Gays
60 far. has made one thing very clear VIZ: That
the Democratic leaders do not regard the present
measure. If it should pass as 1t now stands as
in any way binding upon them In othcr woruS'
they frankly confess. did Mr. voorhees, on
Monday and Mr. Mills again to-day. that II IS
at best only compromise. steppirs-S.o"e
r,eraIv I'm the direction Of Free Trade Inc
country therefore would not be spared the ago
MOS ~ further tariff tinkering II 1t should again
see fit TO entrust power 10 a Democratic Hu
ministration on the contrary, the eectio" Vi
another Democratic House next fail would mean
and no other construction can he placed upon
the words uttered by Messrs. voorhees, ana Hii"'
"A renewed assault upon the slender pr''s'"o'N' No
Of Protection left standing by the wilson o'''
and a deliberate destruction of the Work uole
at this session. -.
Mr.. Mills with the unconscious huho' 'hi VIZ
tirguishcs the transforming iahatic ~ '' 1T
roma rked to-day that in being coniroh''u VIZ
Tho Wilson hill he found himself between ~, Wy
devil and the deep sea. He ddh nhe W., We sv D,,,,
and didn't like 10 go 10 the d"Nii. anu NV, hono that
hinself compeued to put to sea In the nope @ .,'ie
eon,e favoring breeze would AT some o'her i unc
wait him ashore That favoring preeIt a'r'n -
less poetcal but equally sgnhcaht I',y.a" ,or,ct
Mr. Voorhees, make the purpose "i t',c ' 49, a.,
,sh.rs very clear. With the power Pi"''" 80
their hands they would thrust inc .oun..' ',, ana
whirlpool Of anxiety and unrrr,a"'S, ne mn mn
tinker and slash the tariff for years 10 Vo''o "
III their fell purpose was accomplished 49,,
So much has been said lately apou, w % AZ AZ
likely 20 be consumed by the senate IN II, ,n,ores,
cusson OF this bill that II may prov -, ,hro,yh
. ILL tho different legislative stages through
which other tariff bills passed. ., 60 tho
The Walker Tariff bill was repor'c,aa. 90 ~ ,as
ttdnso of Representatives April a. lSio' was
,al.en M for action June H. ana passeu l, VI.
House on July g. eighty days aiter - W. and
to the House from the C3In''tGe ,u, as U NOT even
raCerred 10 the Committee on tinahce ,,s ous 90 .,
the tcnth day after it's passage oy tnrnried.' tnr
r,as taken up for action by the uh'l'a UNI. m r,iv
was was ~. -" Shatcd Nftt-en days and passed on JuIy
Ss and the President approved IL on .uS ,yc,,so IT,
that from the day IT was rep3r,,cn , ,bo w. presdnnt
until the final act Oi applo'"' ~
the bill occupied loI days 1909 ",o r,,duc.
'' Thc history of the Mills bill of lSN5, w w. " .ho
.,xation and simplify the laws IN r'Ih'u" . -, ,he
lioc,ion Of the revenues. appears '''" W.
I, vas reported To the House from tne o Ia o,a
IT,, on Wavs and Means on April q le''' , n"a
passel the House on july -, i,'y went to the SEN
and was there referred 10 the I'ih'in'
! ON Finance from which commute u" T.,
portcl back to the senate on on1 q, che
a.. senate 1, was debated ten DAY an. -, a. ~
,oi,si,n of that time the senate ad) u'Hc" %
A. the next session In December 'ne u..' wa
| oyain taken up 10y the senate n,o',' t , t,
-. and 4 substitute passed, hdNlHH -
;;,,il,, rndcr debate in the Senate during i"r'Y-
| nne davs including several very i0hB ,h
running late into the evening. aeo ,,.,
| ,fuls lin was before Congress nearly "'V ""' :,
ant,all,, under debate nity-two days III t"r
Itonee and fortv-onc days In the senate OF Il
t1tal Of ninety-thrce days Of debate IN the Two
1,hc Mckinley bin Of 1890. "to reduce the rev
| aoun and cnualize duties on imports ana LOT
| other purposes" was reported 70 ihe iousc W
! Nj Mckinley from the ways ana means I'M ~
Tee on Anril lG 1890 passed the House on
| Nav q. after thirteen days debate reached the
| senate two days afterwaTd. was thcre rele!tct
| ~ the Committee on Finance, repor'ei from OI's
| Committee to the Senate, on June ~ ueoa'cu
fortv-four DAYS and passed the senate on
September 10 Then nearly three weeks WIZ
consumed by the committee on conference anu
| .ho rcnort OF the conference committee was nc-
t,I 49, ,,,o davs in each house after which the
! hill finally passed September 80 ana was slsieu
! bv the President and bccam" law on oct"pt,
L. 1890 having been debated ni.een @ unss go, ~, a.,
| in the House and fory-six days In me senate
| the whole time Of its passage through Congress
| having amounted to Ave and one-ha'f months OF
! l6S days .Ao
| uouee from the Committee Ways and Means
| ON December 49, 1893 passed the House on rep
| rllary l. 1894 was laid before the Senate ana re-
forred to the Committee on Finance on Frbruhry
! . and reported back to the Senate by Mr..
Voorhees, on February 20. II has already Deen
! before the Congress fifteen weeks. In short.
| the Wilson bill has been before the Congress lO1
| days. that being within two days OF the time
! II took the "unmanaclcd" Congress OF 1876 TO
| pass the Walker tariff. and within sxty-threc
days Of the time 1t took the Republicah congress
| of 1890 TO pass the Mckinley tarif law.
HE FIRES HOT SHOT INTO THE DEMOCRATIC
CAMP-MR. MILLS REPLIES.
Washington April 4-The Tariff bill was laid
before the Senate at 2 O'Clock. and Mr. Allison
Rep. Iowa. continued the speech begun yesterday
! ho