The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-21
Democrats Criticise its Do
Nothing Policy.
DINGLEYS WEAK DEFENSE
The Last Appropriation Bill is
Disposed Of.
THE GENERAL DEFICIENCY Bill
The House Has Now Finished its lr1.
portant Work But the Senate
Has Much Business Vet to
Dispose Of.


Washington, April 20.-The House
to-day passed and sent to the Senate
the last of the regular appropriation
bills, the General Deficiency. The
House sat later than usual IN order
that the bill might be disposed OF to-
day, Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the APP
preparations committee, was the re-
cipient of many congratulations upon
his achievement. Not since the Forty
sixth Congress, sixteen years ago, have
all the appropriation bills been sent to
the Senate so early and of late years
Congress has dragged through the
summer months with some of them
still pending. The long session of the
Forty-sixth adjourned June 16, 1880.
The appropriation bills are, on the
average, advanced about three months
ahead of their usual position.
Some very breezy political talk was
INDUCED in during the debate to-day.
1t touched the general subject of APP
preparations and expenditures, the
merits of the present tariff law and
the record of this Congress. Some of
the leaders on both sides participated.
Mr.. Dockery charged that this was dis
tinctively a ''do-nothing" Congress
and said that the book of blank pages
circulated by the Republicans in the
campaign of 1892, entitled, ''What Con-
grcss Has Done," could, with equal
propriety, be circulated as the chroni-
cler of the achievements of this Con-
gress. Mr.. Dingley, the leader Of the
majority of the floor, explained that
the House alone was Republican, the
Senate was Democratic-Populist and
the President Democratic. Each was
distinct and necessary factor in legis-
lation. The House had passed bill
to relieve the Treasury. 1t could, he
said, do no more.
The only thing was to await the
result Of the appeal to the people next
fall.
I'VE did everything we could do un-
der the circumstances" said Mr. Ding
=
met here and at the other end Of the
capitol the united opposition of the
Democrats and Populists. We only
have control here. We are powcrless
to make laws. The only thing to do
is to appeal to the people and let them
say whether we shall have a President
and Senate who will block our way
or who will cooperate with us in
giving the Treasury sufficient revenue
and restore prosperity TO the country"
(Republican applause.)
'fhe gentleman says the Democrats
and Populists killed the so-called Ding
ley bill in the Senate. Was it not
pigeonholed by Republican yotcs?"
asked Mr.. Sauyers (Dem,, Texas)
THE Republicans were not in con-
troll replied Mr.. Dingley.
but were not some Of them partly
responsible?"
'tYes, partly" admitted Mr.. Dineley.
"WHl the Republicans ask the States
represented by those Senators to re-
pudiate them2"
Those States can take care Of them
selves replied Mr. Dingley.
did not the Republicans and the
Populists make a dicller by which
they obtained control of the Senate"
put in Mr.. McMillin.
.'The Democrats and Populists con
troll the Senate" replied Mr.. Dingley
rs not Tom Carter chairman OF the
Republican National committee" ask
cd Mr. McMillin.
.Do you claim that Messrs. Wolcott,
Dubois and Teller are Populists? If
YOU do, you cut off a good deal Of the
respectability of your party"
"Haye not the Democrats and the
Populists majority in the Senate?'
asked Mr.. Dingley, who became in
turn inquisitiye.
Mr. McAlillin adroitly parried this
query which Mr.. Dingley thrust at
him repeatedly by dwelling on the
-four recalcitrant Republican Sena-
tors and the swap" of the biggest
committee in the Senate for the loayes
and fishes that font about the Senate.
Mr.. McMlIin concluded by referring
to the necessity for bankruptcy bill,
a Pacific railroad funding bill, q cur
rency bin, etc, and charged the Repub-
lican side with coWaTdice in not meet
ing those questions instead Of prepar-
ing TO adjourn and run away.
Mr. Hepburn (Rep., Iowa., Mr..
Cooper (Rep., wisconsin,, Mr. Grout
(Eep. Vermont, Mr.. Terry (Dem., Ar
Kansas and Mr.. Cannon (Rep., Illi-
nios) also participated in the debate.
The bill was passed amid some APP
Plause, and Mr.. PicsTer (Rep., South
Dasota) moved to suspend the rules
and pass Il resolution setting aside to-
morrow, Wednesday and Thursday for
the consideration Of the General PEN
sion bill, reported from the Invalid
Pension committee with a provision
for vote ON Eridav The vntn ON the