The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-17
SENAT TORS ENGAGE
IN WARM DEBATE
A Spicy Colloquy Over
the Dingley Tariff
Bill.
Allen. Vest, Chandler, Sherman,
German and Teller Take
a Hand.
The Missouri Senator Calls Up Aliens
Resolution am Precipitates
the Battle.

to take up the Dingley bill for considera-
ton in the Senate was started to-day by
Vest CD of Missouri, and was partici-
pated in by Allen, Chandler and Gal
linger (R.) of New Hampshire, Frye and
Hale (R.) of Name, Aldrich (R.) of Rhode
Island, Sherman (R.) of Ohio. Teller
Is. RI of Colorado and German CD OF
Maryland.
In the course of the debate more than
one aliusion was made to frauds and cor
ruption in the late Presidential election,
and Teller remarked pointedly that ne was
not certain that his candidate Bryan had
been defeated.
Allen questioned whether any difference
could be pointed out between the political
principles OF the Repu blican party and of
Mr.. Cleveland, and said jocularly that the
President and the Republicans would have
to be tagged in order to enable person to
distinguish one from the other.
The upshot of the debate was a com
plete acquiescence on both sides of the
chamb Der in the fact that the Dingley Dilr
could not possibly be passed at the present
session and that the enactment of a new
tariff bill would have to go over to a new
session of Congress, to be convened as
early as possible.
Five bills authorizing officers of the
United States to accept medals from
foreign Governments were reported by
Sherman (R.) OF Ohio. who asked unanl-
nous consent to have them considered
and passed. Objection was made by Allen
(Pop.) of Nebraska and the bills were
placed on the calendar.
a bill to extend the time for the build
ing of a bridge across the Missouri
River at Lexington, No., was passed.
Mitchell (R.) of Oregon introduced a
bill to amend the law which gives
preference in civil appointments to men
who served in the War of the Rebellion
by extending its provisions to men who
served in any Indian war. He explained
the purpose of the bill and had it re-
ferred.
The pension bill was then taken up, ard
Gallinger (R.) of New Hampshire, chair
man Of the Committee on Pensions, said
he desired to make some observations
touching the matter OF pension frauds
He had been very much surprised in
listening to the reading of the Presidents
message that that high official had not
yet disabused his mind of the idea that
pensioners were men of rescally tenden-
cies, and said that in his judgment these
continued attacks on pensioners and the
Presidents continued assertions that the
roll OF pensioners was not roll of
honor" should cease.
A few brief remarks we're made by Haw-
ley Or. } OF Connecticut, and then the bill
was passed without amendment. The net
sum appropriated for pensions exclusive
of other expenditures) is S140 100000.
Vest CD of Missouri called mp Aliens
resolution of last week for the consilera-
ton of the Dlngley bill and addressed the
Senate. He characterized that bill as one
OF the most extraordinary ever intro
duced into Congress. 1t was extraoIdi-
nary, not only in its provisions, but in the
manner of its birth and inception. The
ad administration, protesting that there was
no deficit in the treasury, had suggested
the necessity OF some legislation looking
TO relief from financial EN- barrassment,
and the House of Representatives had pro-
ceeded to the passage of the Dingley bill,
for which there had been no administra-
tive demand, but which, on the contrary,
had been pronounced entirely unneces-
sary.' 1t had not been asked for by the
wool interest or by the iron interest.
Aldrich (R.) of Rhode Island, to whose
views and statements in regard to the
duty on tin plate Vest had alluded, de-
clared that the rates now existing under
the so-ealled Wilson-Gorman bill were
more protective on the whole iron and
steel schedule than they had been
under the Mckinney act when passed,
owing to the changes in business which
had since taken place.
Vestreminded Aldrich that that Senator
had insisted on duty OF 2-10 cents a
pound on tin plate. in the Mckinley act
and opposed reduction of that rate by l
cent pound in the Wilson bill, but under
that reduced rate the domestic production
of tin plate had increased enormously 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 accounted for the increased pro-
auction and the reduced price by ascribing
it to the use of natural oil for fuel in In
diana. The fact, was, however, that out
of seventy-seyen new tin plate factories in
the United Sta ties, there were only five in
Indiana.
The facts, Vest asserted, could not be
answered except by surrender on the
part OF the Senator from Rhode Island and
his associates that the enormous uties in
the Mckinley act were not necessary to
the domestic manufactures of the United
States.
AS to the Dingley bill, Vest declared
that it was clearly impossible OF admins
tratlon. The HORIZONTAL" bill of 1884 had
been simplicity itself compared with it.
The Dingley bill re-enacted the Mckinley
act, and i'll order to determine rate of
duty under it it would be necessary 10
consult not only the new bill, but the
Wilson act and the Mckinley act and the
market prices.
Vest turned his attention to the wool
question and quoted wooden manufacture
ers as saying that even with free raw wool
and under the duties in the Wilson act no
importation of foreign wooden goods could
take place. The rates were practically
prohibitory. He also quoted Lawrence,
whom he termed the shepherd king of
Ohio" as saying that the enormous uty
imposed on raw wool by the Mckinley
act had not benefited the wool growers of
t United States.
Referring to the late election Vest said
that the people had been told that if Nc
Kinley was elected prosperity would shine
upon the country and confidence would be
restored. Had prosperity come? he asked.
Had confidence been restored? 1t had not
been restored, and what was the result?
The people were buying neither domestic
nor foreign goods. Did Senators expect
that by increasing tariff rates more money
would be put into the pockets of the peo-
pie? Did Senators expect that they would
give to the people greater ability to buy
by increasing their taxes2