New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-17
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE DINGLEY BILL DEAD.
FORMALLY ABANDONED BY THE REPUB-
LICAN MANAGERS.
A BRIEF RESURRECTION IN THE SENATE CON-
CLrsIvELY DEMONSTRATED THE FUTfILrY
OF ATTEMPTING TARIFF LEGISLATION
AT THIS SEssION-A GENERAL PO-
IITIcir. DEBATE STARTED
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNE.l
BY MIR. VEST.

IITICir. DEBATE STARTED
by MIR VEST.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNEl
Washington, Dec. 16.-The so-caed Dingley
bill was resurrected in the Senate this after
noon long enough TO serve the pretext for .
general political debate. and then, with the
consent Of the leaders of all the varied party
groups in the deliberative branch formally and
defritely consigned to legislative limbo. Mr..
Vest the intruder who to-day invaded the
tomb OF the Capules.' to borrow one Of his
own favorlte and rather shopworn quotations
But he was ably seconded In his efforts by Mr.
Allen, Of Nebraska, who had already gained
some notoriety as a resurrectionist by his motion
to push the consideration Of the dead emergency
measure week ten days ago. Mr.. Vest made
an elaborate attack on the original Dingey bill.
which met Its fate in the Senate Committee on
Finance early In the last session Of Congress-
and the general attitude OF the Republicans
In both branches toward tariff legislation. His
criticisms provoked answers from Senators Al
drch. Sherman and Frye. and running debate
was precipitated which consumed the entire
afternoon.
Mr. Allen. who got the floor In the middle OF
the controversy renewed his taunt OF last week
that the Republican side did not care to try to
pass the original HOUSE Dli anu NdS Uot sihccic
in supporting motions looking the serious
consideration Of any revenue measure at this
session. This nsinuation was further elaborated
by Senator Teller who, however. boldly con-
# ssed that the Republican party was in an abso-
Lutte minority in the Senate and could not pos
siby hope to pass any tariff legislation before
March T. The Colorado Senator declared that
the Dingley bill could not command his support
and thus inferentay disclosed the attitude OF
the boiling silver Republicans toward the origi-
nal House bill
ATTITUDE OF THE DEMOCRATS
Mr.. German. for the Democratic side. an
nounced with equal frankness that the passage
of the Dlrgley bill any similar emergency
measure at this session would be resolutely op-
posed by the Democratic leaders, and said that
In his opinion IL was only foolish and danger
Gus waste Of time 10 talk about tariff legisa-
ton I'm this Congress. The Democratic side
would not consent 20 such programme. but
would insist that the settlement OF the tariff
question be postponed until after March 4. when
the party victorious at the last election should
come n.o full power and accept full RESPONSE
bility for both legislative and administrative
action. In the next Congress no attempt to OBJ
struct tariff measure would be made; all that
the Democratic managers in the Senate would
demand would be due opportunity to consider the
new bill and discuss its details with deberation
and intelligence.
No Administration Democrat could be drawn
into expressing a view on the advisability Of
passing the Dingley bill; but the Presidents
Message had already made sufficiently clear the
purpose Of his followers to oppose during his
term Of Office the enactment of any additional
legislation for the relief OF the revenues. The
,;,,fct
Gratis the Populsts and the Republican silver
Senators having all practically gone on record
in opposition to the Dingley bill. its Republican
friends no In attempting to urge or
even favor negatively its further consideration.
and Mr.. Sherman. for the Republican side OF the
Finance Committee, announced. after consulta-
ton with Mr. Morrill, Mr.. Aldrich, Mr.. Plat
and Mr. Wolcott that the committee would ac-
cept the situation and call the bill dead for the
session beyond hope OF resurrection.
THE DEBATE IN DETAIL.
Mr. Vest Dem. Mo- called up Mr. Aliens resolu-
,ion of last week for consideration OF the Ding
ley BILL and addressed the Senate. He character
lied that bill as Of the most extraordinary ever
introduced into Congress. II extraordinary not
only i'm It's provisions but in the manner Of its birth
and inception. The Administration protesting tina:
there was no deficit in the Treasury. had suggested
the necessity Of some legislation looking to relief
from financial embarrassment. and the House OF
Representatives had proceeded TO the passage OF
the Dingey Tariff bill. for which there had been
no administrative demand but which. the
trary had been pronounced entirely unnecessary.
II had not been asked for by the wool interest or
by the iron interest.
Mr. Aldrich (Rep. L. H.. to whose Views and
statements in regard TO duty tin plate Mr.. Vest
had alluded. declared that the rates now existing
under the so-callcd Wilson-Corman bill were
protective on the whole iron and steel schedule
than they had been under the Mckinley act. when
passed owing to the changes In business which
had since taken place.
Mr. Vest reminded Mr.. Adrich that that Senator
had insisted on n duty Of 10 cents pound tin
plate in the Mckinley act and had opposed the
reduction of that rate by one cent a pound in the
Wilson bill But under that reduced rate the do
mestic production OF tin plate had increased
mousy and the price OF tin plate had fallen very
much. He had read the other day an interview at
Canton Ohio In which the President-elect had
counted for the increased production and the re-
duced prices by ascrbing It TO the use OF natural
oil for fuel In Indiana. The fact was. however.
that out OF seventy-seven new tin plate factories
I'm the United States there were only five In Indi-
ana. These facts. Mr.. Vest asserted. could not be
answered except by acknowledgment on the
part OF the Senator from Rhode Island and his as
sociates that the enormous duties in the Mckinley
act were not necessary TO the domestic manufact-
ures Of the United States.
Az TO the Dinglcy bill. Mr.. Vest declared that Il
was clearly impossible OF administration Tho
horizontal" bill Of 1894 had been simplicity itself
compared with ii. The Dingey bill re-enacted the
Mckinley act and In order determine a rate OF
duty under IT, II would be necessary to consult not
oniy the bill but the Wilson act and the Me-
Kinley act and the market prices.
Mr. Vest turned his attention TO the wool ques-
ton and quoted wool manufacturers as saying
that even with free raw wool and under the duties
IN the Wilson act TO importation OF foreign wool
len goods could take place The rates prac-
tically prohlbitory. He also quoted Mr.. Lawrence,
whom he termed the shepherd king OF Ohio" 90
saying that the enormous duty imposed raw
wool by the Mckinley act had not benefited the
wool growers OF the United States.
Referring to the late election. Mr.. Vest said that
the people had been told that II Mr.. Mckinley
were elected prosperity would shine upon the coun-
try and confidence would be restored Had proa.