St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-21
TALKED ON TARIFF
THE HOUSE DEVOTED THE DAY
LARGELY 10 "A POLITICAL
TILT.
Mr.. DINGLEY Z STIRRED UP.
HE DEFENDED THE REPUBLICAN
MAJORITY AS BEST HE
GOULD
DoCKERY CHARGED CowARDICE
The Republicans. He Said. Were
Afraid to Attempt Any Impor-
tant Legislation.

| WASHINGTON, April 20.-The house de-
voted large part of the day to a political
discussion, which came up during the con-
sideration of the general deficiency bill. The
debate took wide range, but the most inter-
esting portion of it was the tilt between Mr..
Dockery and Mr.. Dingley, chairman Of the
ways and means committee. Mr.. Dockery
accused the Republicans Of being afraid to
undertake any important legislation, and set
down the determination for an early ad-
journment to cowardice. Mr. Dingley warm
ly defended the house majority and laid all
the blame at the doors of the Democrats and
the Populists. Before the house adjourned, the
deficiency bill, the last of the regular ap-
preparation bills, was passed.
For the first time this session, Speaker
Reed this morning was late in arriving at
the capitol. Clerk of the House Mcdowell
cailed the house to order and announced that,
IN the absence Of the speaker. speaker pro
tenn. would be elected. Mr. Hull, Of Iowa
was unanimously elected and took the chair.
He had been seated but few moments when
Mr.. Reed appeared, and, amid much laughter
and applause, said: 1.-THE house will be In
order.'
Atnough this was suspension day under
the rules, Mr.. Cannon. chairman Of the COM
mittee on appropriations, insisted on proceed
Ing with the general deficiency bill, and on
his motion the house went into committee of
the whole for its consideration.
During the discussion of the general de-
fciency bill prolonged discussion Of appro-
priations and expenditures was precipitated
| by Mr.. Hopkins, who asserted that it cost
$7S4,OOO more to collect S169, O00, 900 from GUS
toms last year than it did to collect s197 OOO.-
| OO0 from customs In the last year of the
Harrison administration. A deficiency of
$S5o,000 for the collection of customs was re-
ported in the pending bill. Mr.. Hopkins
thought that the change of system from
specific to ad valorem duties, made by the
repeal of the Mckinley law, and the enact
ment OF the Wilson bill, might be responsible
for the great increase in the cost of collect
| ing the customs.
would you prefer the Mckinley law with
its 100000 900 sugar bounty?" asked Mr.. Say
ers Dem., Tex.).
'As against the present law, yes, one
thousand times" replied Mr.. Hopkins amid
| Republican applause.
| Mr.. Dockery Dem, Mo- asked the Repub-
lican side what effort they had made with
| l50 majority to repeal the so-called Wilson,
| German bill, which they denounced. He
taunted them with having done nothing. He
recalled the campaign book of blank pages
circulated by the Republicans in 1894, en-
| titled: What Congress Had Done with the
| DO Nothing" record of this congress. He
suggested that the Democrats could effective
ly circulate a similar book in the coming
| campaign.
What has this congress done7" he asked
| haC 10 hid
| between inadequate revenues and increasing
| expenditures Where is the Dingley bill?
| Pigeonholed by the votes Of five Republi-
| cans"
'How many Democrats voted to put 1t
there2" asked Mr.. Brumm Rep., Pa).
| "All Of them, Of course" responded Mr.
Dockery. Democrats are opposed to increas-
| ing taxation
| Proceeding, Mr.. Dockery ridiculed the ma
jortty for making no effort at currency legis-
lation which the business interests of the
country demanded. The policy of this con-
| gress, he said, was one of delay, That policy
was declared by the speaker at the opening
of this session when he announced himself
against "crude and hasty'' legislation.
| Mr.. Dingley, chairman Of the ways and
! means committee was stung by Mr. Dockery
into reply. The chargethat nothing had been
| done, he said, must be looked at in the light
| OF the situation. The house, senate and pres
| 1dent together made legislation. Unless they
| concurred no legislation was possible. The
| house, as one of these three factors in legis-
lation, was under Republican control. In the
house the Republicans were responsible
| They were not responsible for a Democratic
and Populist senate and the influence of a
Democratic executive =
I'VE did everything we could do under the
circumstances said Mr.. Dingley, with great
| earnestness, "and We met here and at the
| other end of the capitol the united opposi-
| ton of the Democrats and Populists. The
| only thing to do Is to appeal to the people
and let them say whether we shall have q
| 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 ap-
| plause.)
| The gentleman says the Democrats and
| Populists killed the so-called Dingley bill
| in the senate. Was It not pigeonholed by
Republican votes2 asked Mr.. Savers Dem.,
| Texas.
| "The Republicans were not in control" re-
piled Mr.. Dingley.
"But were not some Of them partly re-
sponsible?"
Eyes, partly" admitted Mr.. Dingley.
''Will the Republicans ask the states rep
resented by these senators to repudiate
! tbem?"
''Those states can take care of themselves"
replied Mr.. Dingley.
Ibid not the Republicans and the Populists
| make decker by which they obtained con-
troll of the senator" put in Mr. McMillin.
1.-THE Democrats and Populists control the
senate" replied Mr.. Dingley.
SIS Tom Carter chairman Of the Republican
committee?" asked Mr.. McMillin.
''Do you claim that Messrs. Wolcott, Du-
bois and Teller are Populists? If you do,
you cut off good deal Of the responsibility
of your party"
'Have not the Democrats and the Populists
a majority in the senator" asked Mr.. Ding
ley, who now became In turn inquisitor.
Mr. McMillin adr6itlyD parted this query
which Mr.. Dingley thrust at him repeatedly
by dwelling on the '.four recalcitrant Re-
publican senator's and "the swap" Of the
biggest committee DIN the senate for the
loaves and fishes that feat above the senate
waters.
Mr.. McMillin concluded; by referring to the
necessity for a bankrupt bill. Pacific re-
funding bill, currency bill, etc., and
charged the Republican side with cowardice
In not meeting these questions instead OF
preparing to adjourn and run away.
Mr.. Hepburn Rep., Io.), Mr.. Cooper Rep.,
Wis.,, Mr.. Grout Rep1, vt.}. Mr.. Terry
Oem., Ark, and Mr.. Cannon Rep., Ill.)
also participated in the debate
Mr.. Lewis (Rep., ,Ky.) offered an amend
ment to pay Taylor county $4,000 and Mead
county 81, 600 for the use Of the court house
during the war as barracks. Mr.. Lewis
declared that refusal to pay this money to
those counties would be an act of dishonesty
and shameful reputation. The amendment
was voted down.
Mr.. Evans Oep., Ky.) offered an amend
ment to pay the state of Kentucky $4,000
for the cost of raising troops during the re-
bellion. The amendment went over on