Evening journal., 1894-05-10
DOWN TO WORK AT LAST
Senate Disposes Of Two of the
Tariff Amendments.
MR. MILLS DEFINES HIS POSITION.

Mr.. Coxey's Petition to the senate and
Introduces Another Resolution.
WASHINGTON, May 10-rhere was an
other turbulent day in the senate. The
"era Of business" so long predicted was at
| last entered upon after six weeks general
debate on the tariff. One amendment
that 20 levy duty on goods in bond on the
date when the bill goes into effect-was
agreed to, and Mr.. Lodges amendment to
levy commercial war on Great Britain un-
til that country should acquiesce in AN in
ternatonal agreement for the coinage of
silver was defeated. This was not very
! lively pace as something over 600 amend
ments are pending, but nevertheless it was
progress. Work on the tariff bill was pre-
coded by a two hours debate upon the Al
len resolution for the appointment Of a
special committee 90 investigate the al
legged police clubbing outrages on the steps
OF the capitol.
Allen Reads Coxey's Petition.
Mr.. Allen read at length the petition Mr..
Coxey sought to read on May and also
the Indictment upon which the common
veal leaders were tried in the police court.
The charges were insignificant, he said.
They were merely a subterfuge. There
was not "A senator or a citizen of the United
States, from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific,
from Canada to the gulf, who did not know
that the real charge was their attempt to
exercise the constitutional right to assem-
BILE and indulge in free speech on the cap
itol grounds.
The real charge was that they had the
temerity TO come with their deluded fol-
lowers TO petition congress for the redress
of what they considered their grievances.
IL the right of petition was to be denied
on the capitol grounds, if citizens were not
TO be allowed TO assemble peaceably there,
they could be prevented from assembling
anywhere in the District of Columbia,
where congress had original jurisdiction.
More than that, as congress had territorial
jurisdiction all over the country, they
could be prevented from assembling any
where
When Mr.. Allen sat down, the venerable
senior senator from Ohio (Mr Sherman)
arose to reply. He regretted, he said, that
in the midst OF the most important busi-
ness affecting the public he should be call
ed upon TO say anything in response to the
senator from Nebraska. That senator
wanted the senate of the United States to
review case that had been tried in the
police court before jury of 70 honest men
( "a case in which the defendants had had
, the benefit of the services of the distin-
guished senator from Nebraska. Should
the business of the country be suspended
to review a case that could be carried TO
, the higher courts, where, If any mistakes
were finally made, the pardonng power of
, the president could be invoked as a last
resortg
This was all n sham and pretense The
police officers had done only what they
81 had a right to do under the law. The
5 right TO petition had not been denied. Mr..
p Coxey knew that there was no intention
to abridge that right of petition. He knew
that any grievances OF which he com
- planned could be presented in the regular
Q and lawful manner. When this CoXey
. movement was first started, a prominent
a citizen of Ohio had come TO him and had
asked II he would present Mr.. Coxey's
good roads petition. He had replied that
a he would. Moreover, he had told this gen
g tleman that if CoXey desired his bills in
t troduced he would introduce them, al
though lac had not a particle of sympathy
with them. His reply had been carried e
Mr.. CoXey, and the latter had sent back
word thanking him, but saying that he
did not care to have him (Sherman) pre-
sent them.
81 regard Mr. Coxey," said Mr. Sher
% man. pausing slightly, "as a kind, good
= tempered man, but" he added, "a littl,
flighty." The senators on the floor smiled
at this, and the galleries, which meantim,
had filed up laughed audibly.
81 hope" continued Mr.. Sherman, "thai
Mr. CoNey viii now go back home ant
look after his property, his wife and his
children"
g Aidrich stirs Up Mills.
/ q
= bill was laid before the senate. The Cox
"a ey resolution went over. Mr.. Aldrich tool
{, up the second amendment in the tarif
bill, which is the words ''or withdrawn fo
3 consumption the purpose being to in
!, clude goods so withdrawn from bonde,
warehouses in the provisions applying II
, the bill to goods imported. This precipi
y tated a running discussion, in whicl
u Messrs. Jones of Arkansas Chandler o
:, New Hampshire, Vest Of Missouri, Hale o
u Maine, Harris of Tennessee and Mills o
:, Texas took part
u When Mr.. Aldrich got the floor, he, will
5, delicate finesse, succeeded in arousing Mr.
- Mills, the fiery senator from Texas. III
u began by referring TO his assertion in tn
u senate 10 days ago that over 800 amend
VI ments would be brought in. He knew
then that his statement was true Yet /
, had been met with the most tumultuou
denials from every one in authority on TIN
- other side. His statement as the amend
ments showed, had been too conservative
ia He had understated the radical characte
and the number of changes made
a Those amendments deliberately aban
y doned every principle ever advocated by
tariff reformer. They made increases o
= from 10 20 800 per cent and with gran,
- sweep changed the duties from ad valoren
"a TO specific.
w. He read extracts from the speeches o
Senators Voorhees, and Mills, made at tn
opening and closing of the general debate
r. denouncing in the most severe terms tn
h system of specific duties To swallow tina
IA bill as now modified would mean a sur
render of the principles Of lifetime. Aft
= er this he said that he did not think ther
was a single senator on the other side VIII
would have the temerity TO avow his al
legiance TO the Chicago platform. The
could do nothing now but remain silent
Ns.f af ehafsa "a