The Indianapolis journal., 1896-12-05
OPINIONS OF CONGRESSMEN
ON SCOPE OF THE WORK TO BE AT
TEMPTED THIS SESSION.
Indiana Members Generally in Favor
of Letting the Tariff and Cur
rency Questions Alone.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.

a week or more. and Messrs. Henry and
Hatch for a day two. The entire delega-
ton is expected to answer to Mondays roll
call. Almost without exception the In
diana members give expression TO the be-
lief that little will be accomplished this
winter in the way of legislation beyond
the passage of appropriation bills and
other routine measures there being SUBJ
stantial agreement on the now generally
accepted proposition that tariff and cur
rency bills will be passed up to the spe-
cial session of Congress;
The bolting free-silver Republicans have
commenced trumpeting their intentions to
fight tariff and currency legislation at the
short session. and threat tening to carry on
successful obstructive tactics in the Fifty
fifth Congress. The fact that the Repub-
lican leaders and the men who reflect the
views of President-elect Mckinley are lin
ing up in opposition to any attempt to
force such legislation takes the wind out
of the free-siverite sails. however. The de-
termination to defer the tariff and cur
rency questions for special session discus
sion and settlement is the cap-sheaf of
their disappointment. They will have Moth
ing to fight and next year their battle will
| be Intellectual. There has been some specu-
| lation as to whether those boiling Repub-
| licans would attend future Republican
| caucuses. One Of them, who was ques-
| toned by an Associated Press reporter,
| said there would be time for him to decide
when he was invited to a caucus, and
| called attention to the fact that notices al
ways are served on Republican senators
| that caucus is to be held. The burden
of determining our standing in the party
rests with those who call the caucus" he
said. IF we are asked to participate we
| will then decide what to do Another
| senator said he would not attend any eau
| Gus at present, and would await develop
| ments. Senator Teller of Colorado, and
Senator Mantle, of Montana, have not yet
arrived, and ii is quite probable there will
be no concerted action. on the part of the
silver men until the arrival of the former.
| The general impression of the silver SEN
| ators is that no important legislation can
( be passed at this session. There is also an
impression that the Republicans and the
silver men would prefer that nothing be
brought to an issue until after the various
senatorial elections in the Western States
| when the complexion of the silver and in
dependent forces in the next Senate will be
| more definitely aScertalnable.
| Senator Pettigrew, in an interview, said
| he did not consider the prospects for tariff
| legislation at the approaching session very
coed, but added that he was a protection
| ist and opposed to obstruction Il should
like to see the Republicans given all the
protection they want" he said, lin order
that the country might discover that it is
| not the want of protection which is at fault
in the present condition of affahs."
Senator Shoup, of Idaho, expressed the
| opinion that the passage of the Dingley
revenue bill at the short session of Con-
gress was improbable. believing the condi-
tions in the Senate to be the same as when
the motion was made to take up the bill
for consideration. The senator thinks,
therefore, that an extra session is likely
although that will have TO be determined
by the Republican leaders when they get
| together in conference.
Senator Baker, of Kansas. also thinks the
| prospect for the passage of the Dingley
bill very meager. and is strongly opposed
to it. He expressed tthe opinion that the
question of an extra session of Congress
next spring would depend largely on the
| result of senatorial elections this winter
IF it becomes clear, as the result of these
| elections" he said, 1.-The Republicans would
have majority in the Senate favorable
| to the passage of protective bill, it would
be worth while to call a special session.
| but otherwise it appears to me that it
would be useless experiment.
Senator PETER to-day denied the report
telegraphed from Topeka that he had en-
tered into an agreement in regard to the
tariff in connection with his campaign for
reelection The dispatch is wholly un-
true,' he said. and continued: II have no
managers anywhere, nor have / made or
promised any agreements relating to re-
election. Next weeks edition of the To-
peka Advocate will contain an article Civ
ing my tariff views. They are in brief
these: / never favored high duties on any
4 articles 1 long
advocated free sugar. salt. lumber and
coal. l would levy high duties on all ar
ticles used exclusively by the rich and fas-
tidious and this not for protection, but
revenue. AS to articles in universal use
among the poorer classes, they ought to
be admitted free of duty. What our farm
ers sell is sold at prices regulated in for
eign markets and our working people are
in open competition on their own ground
with the foreign laborer. If we have to
work and sell in competition with foreign
labor and foreign products. let us buy at
foreign prices. We can raiSv our revenues
easily and far more justly than we are
now doing through graduated tax on
large landed estates and incomes l would
reduce rather than increase present tariff
rates. An additional tax OF dollar a bar
rel on beer will give US all the revenue we
need and its collection will not add a farth-
ing 10 the national expenses. Besides that,
nobody would feel 1t. Changing conditions
have wrought corresponding changes i'm my
tariff views, and II are TO permanent
ly maintain a single gold standard, | shall
favor absolute free trade except as to ar
ticles used only by the wealthy and the
profiigate.
Representative Hepburn. of Iowa, chair
man of the House committee on interstate
commerce. and Congressman Broderick, OF
Kansas. both OF whom arrived to-day. are
!. in favor of an extra session and the i'm
mediate passage OF a Republican tariff bill
Mr.. Hepburn favors a moderate protective
measure. Mr.. Broderick believes that nc
silver or financial legisla ion will be
enacted either by this the succeeding
Congress. The House he said. will block
! legislation favorable 10 silver and the Sen
ate legislation in opposition to IL. The only
hope. he says, Is an international agree.
ment. He believes the Repub. leans viii
carry out the spirit of the St. Louis plat.
| form declaration in favor of an interna.
tional agreement and take an aggressive
stand IN behalf OF "a commission TO accom-.
plish such an agreement.
Representative Thomas. OF Michigan. say.
the sentiment In Michigan is decidedly IL
favcr OF the immediate passage of a meas
ure to raise additional revenue. The Ding
ley bill. with some notifications. he says