The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-12-31
THE DIGNIFIED SENATE
Had Quite A Breezy Session Yester.
day.
SENATOR TELLER'S REMARKS GRE.
ATE A SENSATION.

He Declares That if the Democrats Had
Given the Extra Finance Peace to a
Gold Man, There Would Have Been No
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Talks to German.
Washington. December 3O.-The tariff
bill passed by the House promises to be
wedge that will open wide the doors of
debate in the Senate. Already there are
mutterlngs among senators whose consti-
tuents have been neglected in the House
and 1t will be wonder il the whole tar
III question is not opened up in the SEN
ate. The amendments already offered by
Senators Burrows and Quay show that
those tariff experts believe the scheme of
the House too narrow. Mr.. Mitchell
OF Oregon IL ready to offer another
amendment providing for the re-enact-
ment of the Mckinley wool schedule in
toto. Mr.. Thurston of Nebraska, mind
full of thu Interest Of the beet suger grow
ers Of his state will offer an amendment
intended to revive the sugar bounty,
proposition upon which the Republicans
themselves are divided, and to which the
Democrats have declared their undying
hatred. A prominent Senator from one
OF the Middle States has a scheme In con-
temptation, however, that will bring at
once to the front the whole subject of
the revision Of the tariff along Republi
can lines
The argument has been made that
the Mckinley rates were too high, many
Republicans agreeing that this argument
was sound. The amendment that may
possibly be- offered today or within few
days thereafter will strike out all after
the enaoting clauseaof the bill and read
the Mckinley law entire with the excep-
tion of the sugar schedule. but with the
modification to wit: "That the rates
lieved shall be 75 per cent of the duties
named in the Mckinley set.'' Such an
amendment takes from the free list to
the dutiable list everything transferred
from ad valorem to specific, and would
have the effect Of re-enacting the reoipro-
city section of the old law. The only
schedule left untouched would be that
relating to sugar. This scheme meets the
objection to the high rates in some cases
the Mckinley act, and would, its author
thinks, obivate the necessity for an ex-
tended debate. There would be for the
same reason, no need of hearings, for the
whole ground has been gone over. The
author of this proposed amendment has
been quietly Investigating the matter,
and finds he will have a very consider
able number of Republicans from the
start. He takes the position that as
mucn Is known now as there was in 1890
on the tariff question and debate would
be unnecessary unless INDUCED in by
those who sat to fiibuster. His PROPOSE
tion, he believes, can be passed through
the Senate as speedily as could the bill
that came from the House. At all events
the Senate will be confronted with this
amendment.
Senator Chandler has introduced bill
in the Senate to enlarge the scope Of the
Interstate commeore commission by pro-
viding for one member from each state
in the Union. These members are to
elect an executive committee of five, the
present number of the commission. This
executive committee will receive the same
the new members will receive only q per
diem and expenses, their meetings being
limited to four each year.
The House bill as to bonds was laid be
fore the Senate, read twice and referred
to the finance committee.
The resolution heretofore offered by
Mr.. Quay calling on tn Secretary of the
Navy for information as to whether it
would be advantageous to the naval SER
Woe to contract now for six battleships
instaed of two, was taken up and agreed
to. =. &c
MI. Allen, Populist of Nebraska, gave
notice of an amendment to the House
bond bill which directs the secretary of
the treasury to issue fifty million more
treasury certificates of the act of July
IA, 1890, to coin all the silver bullion in
the treasury at the rate of not 1ess than
So, 600. 900 per month such coinage to be
reserve fund for the redemption of an
additional issue authorized. and all the
treasury notes heretofore issued. When
they are redeemed. they are to be re-is-
sued and kept in circulation The is
suance of any interest bearing bonds for
any purpose whatever, without further
authority of Congress is prohibited
a Mr.. German demanded the yeas and
nays on the adoption of the resolution
fixing the membership of committees.
The resolution was agreed to yeas 80, nays
49, Five Of the six Populists reserved
their votes, namely: Allen, of Nebras-
ak, Jones and Stewart Of Nevada, But
ler of North Carolina, PETER of Kansas.
Senator Kyle of South Dakota, voted
no. MI. Allen, Populist, said the Popu-