The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-10
MOTION CARRIED BY 35 TO 21
POLITICAL TRICK THAT CAUSED A
SHARP, Personal DEBATE,
But Ended in No Particular Advan-
tage to Either Side-Dozen Minor
Bills Passed by the House.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

gineered the nomination of Bryan at the
Populist convention, caused a little furore
in the Senate to-day by stealing a march
on the Republicans and forcing the Dingley
revenue emergency bill TO the front. Yes
terday the Republican caucus referred the
measure to the steering committee, with
instructions to sound senators as to the
advisability of attempting its passage. The
consensus of opinion, however, was the
outlook for the bill was poor. To-day,
when the calendar was taken up, Mr.. Allen
asked unanimous consent that the Dingley
| bill, with its pending free-silver substitute,
| be considered, and, on Mr.. Aldrich's OBJ
| lection, Mr.. Allen moved to take up the
| bill. This was intended for trap, but the
| Republicans refused to fall into 1t. With
two exceptions the Republicans voted in
| favor of the proposition and they are on
| record as having tried to get action on
| the measure The bill stands just where
| 1t did before the demonstration was made,
| having made no progress from a parlia-
| mentary standpoint. If it is brought up
| again it will have to go through substan-
| TALLY the same form-that is, be lifted from
| the ground up. There is no chance what
| ever of the passage of the bill this session,
| but there may be dozen repetitions of
| to-0ay's scene in the Senate this session.
| Whenever the Populists or Democrats
want to have fun with the Republicans
| they will jump out from ambush with a
| proposition to pass the Dingley bill. The
Republicans will respond, they did to-
| day, there will be q furry and a hurrah
and nothing will come of it, except play
| that will amuse the galleries and consume
space in the newspapers. There are now
| five parties in the Senate-free-silver and
| sound-money Democrats, sound-money and
| independent Republicans and Populists.
| A majority in favor of any sort of political
| currency or tariff legislation this session is
an absolute impossibility and it will be well
for the people to bear this in mind when
| something occurs in ne daily proceedings
| to cause fiurrying variations in the routine.
One result of the caucus on Tuesday is
| the marked change in the attitude of the
| regular Republicans toward the erring
| brethren until recently characterized as
| boilers. 1t is recognized that there is re-
| mote chance of tariff legislation without
| free silver Republican votes and concila-
| ton is now the watchword. The mountain
| state group, quick to appreciate their adj
vantage, Us preparing to present solid
| front and yield only when every local in
| terest west of the Missouri secures recogni-
/
| formed behind the bulwark of free silver
| and believe they hold the key to the tariff
| legislative situation They do. if they have
| the nerve to stick together, and they seem
| to be remarkable in their demands. They
will not get free coinage, but they will get
| everything else they ask for in the way Of
| protection, if they play their cards right.
| 1t is a pretty game of legislative diplomacy.
| iDtr In have
| and they appear to fully understand the
| advantageous position they occupy
| Republican leaders are expressing fears
| that a tariff bill may fail of passage at
| the special session, but there is small dan
| ger of that if local far Western interests
| are conserved and the sensitive feelings of
the naughty mountain senators not
| needlessiy outraged in patronage matters.
Apropos of the Dingley bill, the following
| story is told tonight concerning Senator
| Aldrich and delegation Of Philadelphia
| manufacturers who came down to pass the
| bill. They called on Mr.. Aldrich, who lis
tened patiently to their arguments, and
| then said Gentlemen, two trifling mat
| ters suggest themselves to me reasons
why the Dingley bill cannot pass this ses-
| sion Remove them and the way is clear"
The Quaker City delegation smiled at
| the thought of how easy it was going to be
to secure the coveted legislation and asked
| for specifications.
| IAN you have do" replied the senator,
'is to change the rules of the Senate and
furnish us seven more Republican sena-
tors. That's ALL"
The delegation took late train for home.
| Senate Proceedings in Detail.
| Arsociated Press Dispatch.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.--The Senate to-
| day by decisive vote of 80 to q
| adopted a motion to take up the Dingley
| tariff bill. Unexpected and surprising as
| this action was, it did not have the signifi-
canoe which the vote itself appears to con-
vey. Immediately following it Mr.. Aldrich,
| of Rhode Island, one of the Republican
members of the finance committee. moved
to recommit the bill to that committee, and
| this motion was pending when, at o'clock,
| the morning hour expired and the entire
| matter lapsed as though no vote had been
| taken. Neither the bill nor the motion TO
recommit enjoy any privileges or preced-
! ence as result of the action to-day. 1t
served, however, for some lively parla-
mentary fencing between Mr.. Allen, the
| Nebraska Populist and author of the mo-
| ton. and Messrs. Chandler Hale and AL
| drich, as well for exhibition OF the
| uncertain and shifting elements within the
| Senate when vote is precipitated on an
| important public question. The debate was
| at times sharp and personal. Mr.. Allen is
| very fluent in his expressions and he
| taunted the Republicans for shrinking from
| the Dingley bill after conducting a tariff
| campaign. 1T has gone out from the
| powers that be in the Republican party
| said Mr.. Allen that with the incoming
| administration We are to have an extraor-
| binary session of Congress for the purpose
| OF restoring the tariff laws" Thus Mr.. AL
| len went on. touching many points that
| have hitherto been reserved for caucus con-
| sideration. Mr.. Chandler reminded Mr.. Al
| len that not only had tariff won, but free
| silver had lost in the recent election. and
| he urged Mr. Allen to aid in a genuine
effort to execute the will OF the people. Mr.
| Hale took occasion to state with frank
| ness that the Republican senators expected
| an actual majority in the next Senate
| which would make tariff taxation more
| easy of accomplishment than IL Is now.
Mr.. Aidrich,s nrst move was TO ask to
| have the bill referred back to the finance
| committee, with instructions to strike out
| the silver amendment, but later he ac-
| cepted the suggestion Of Mr.. Harris TO omit
the instructions. 1t was In this form that