The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-17
SECRETS REVEALED BY VEST
TARIFF DECKER BETWEEN SENA-
TORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,.
Great Commercial War feared by the
to Test the Income Tax.

only HVe senator's JOiiiiliS With MI. Hill III
supporting the proposition. But the vote
was not taken until late in the day, and
up to that time there was a spirited debate
over the Hill proposition. Mr.. Vest was
the principal speaker of the day, and in
view of his service ON the tariff conference
committee there was a great interest mani
tested in some of the committee secrets
which he felt justified in disclosing. In the
course of his speech, Mr.. Vest called atten-
ton to the gravity of the tariff war which
foreign countries had begun against the
United States as a result of the one-tenth
sugar diferential. Although Mr.. Hill failed
in referring the income tax to the courts,
he secured the adoption of an important
amendment limiting the interrogatories of
the officers seeking to collect the tax. The
amendment will have the effect of COM
pelling the Treasury Department to change
it's regulations as to collecting the income
tax. Mr.. Lodges effort to have income tax
officials placed under civil service rules was
defeated. The income tax appropriation
was then agreed to and the deficiency ap-
preparation bill passed. MIR. Aldrich secured
the passage of a resolution calling on the
President for as to the nego-
tiations with Germany in regard to the tar
if and retaliation.
Senator, Pettigrew was on the floor for
the first time since he was reelected for six
years, and received the congratulations of
his fellow Senator'S.
Mr.. Butler favorably reported from the
committee on naval affairs the bill for a
comprehensive revision of the personnel of
the navy.
Bills were passed to provide for coinage
at the branch mint at Denver, Col; author
izing naval officers to administer oaths; to
exempt from duty foreign exhibits at the
no%+o, Otot1eS avNocitt0,sA a = Aflonfo. wont
ing the ella Valley. Globe & Northern rail-
road right of way through the San Carlos
military reservation, Arizona. With the
routine business disposed of, the pending
deficiency bill was taken up, and Mr.. Hill
addressed the Senate on his appeal from
the ruling OF the chair; that his amend
ment to the income tax appropriation was
out of order. $40
MIR. VESTS SPEECH.
Mr.. Vest directed attention to the state
ments of the Senator from Maryland Cor
NAM that the Senate passed more bills
than the House. Mr.. Vest declared that of
course a small body could act on routine
bills more expeditiously than a large body.
yet continued he, everyone knows that
we stand here like a lot of Muscovite brakes
bowling and STOPPING solemnly and then go
sleepily to the consideration Of routine"
Mr.. Allison interjectedi the question: did
you not pass the tariff sbfA?"
Yes" responded Mr.. Vest, I'VE passed
gusaed with the subject The Senator said
he did not shut his eyes to the disastrous
and liz oy na Ing W 1srsaf now OF w Sae pen the
promised restoration of public serenity as
a result of the Republican success. Il have
no authority to speak for the President"
said Mr.. Vest, with much earnestness, but
l most earnestly hope that If some def
the PRESIDENT viii cali an extra session as
the gavel falls at the close of this session
Mr.. Vest took up the question of raising
come under the new tariff law had not be,
gun to yield as yet. The Senator referred
in detail to the status of the sugar duty
and tax on spirits. The one-tenth differen-
tial on sugars had aroused a contention by
T Tarf axrla husTt the ae ontsntion 1o Of each for.
eign country on the sugar question. He
thought there was a good deal of .pretense
in Germany's claims against American cat
tie. "But these contentious with foreign
countries said Mr.. Vest. indicate thai
we are entering on q great commercial
He urged that it was essential that the
one-tenth differential should be taken off in
order to avert this tariff war and its dis
~astrous consequences, on our revenues.
chapters of the enactment of the sugar
schedule were disclosed. Mr.. Allen asked
what the conferees had intended TO do on
the Hawaiian treaty affecting sugar.
Mr.. Vest answered that the conferees de-
sired to do away with that treaty. But
they were told by certain Senators whose
votes were essential to the passage of the
bill that this could not be done. 1t was i'm
p ptors be s snai ede And A1uis So o. against ,iyu'h the in ndg-
ment of the Senator and the committee,
the desired action on the Hawaiian treaty
SECRET DEAL REVEALED.
Mr.. Vest proceeded to state the substance
of an agreement that had been made as to
taking up the free sugar bill. It was his
understanding that the managing commit
tee of the Democratic Senator's had agreed
with leaders in the House that if the latter
body yielded and passed the amendments
to the tariff bill the Senate would, in turn,
take up the special tariff bills, particularly
that as to sugar.
AT this point Mr.. Harris urged that there
should be no Misrepresentation. He was
aware that several Democratic Senators
had CHANGED to come together. He was one
of the half-dozen Senators. The Senator
from Kentucky ~(Blackburn) had proposed
action in line with that spoken of by Mr..
Vest. Thereupon Mr.. Blackburn had been
authorized to say to leaders In the House
that if the Senate amendments were ac-
eepted the Senator'S present at that gath
ering would do all in their power toward
securing action on the other bills. But
there was no distinct pledge, said Mr.. Har-
ris.
Mr.. Vest said that he did not mean to
say that there was a positive guaranty,
but it was a general understanding which
warranted him urging that this sugar ques-
ton should be acted on.
Mr.. Teller followed Mr.. Vest, urging that
the ~latter's criticisms on the delay of the
tariff. bill was not due to delay in the Sem
ate, but in the Democratic councils. The
House Democrats had adopted one course,
the Senate adopted another. and the Pres
ident had written a letter without parallel
in the bitterness of his arraignment of
those opposed to his views.
Mr.. Hill again addressed the Senate. an
swering objections raised to his amend
ment. This closed the debate and, for the
purpose of simplification, it was agreed to
take the first vote on sustaining the Chair
in ruling out of order the Hill amendment
referring the income tax to the courts.
The Chair was sustained on a yea and nay
vote-i0 to 6Ionly five Senators-Dubois
Davis, Mitchell of Oregon. Quay and Pet
tigrew-voting with MIR. Hill against the
decision OF the Chair. BY this vote the
Hill amendment disappeared, as the Chair
had ruled it out of order.
MIR. Quay then sought to urge an amend
ment similar to that of Mr. Hill, but 1t
was ruled out of order by the Chair on
the same point of order.
Mr.. Lodge presented an amendment to
the income tax appropriation, providing
that the tax collectors should be under
civil-service rules. The amendment was
defeated-17 to "a.
Mr.. Quay again sought to get the income
tax before the courts by proposing a new
section, but on a yea and nay vote the
section was dcfeated-19 to -.
An amendment on the deficiency bill was
adopted for the maintenance of an assay
Office at Boise City, Ida