The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-23


ment."
Sherman (R.) of Ohio here repeated
what he said the other day-that if Con
gress adjourned without making some
provision to meet the current expenditures
of the Government it would be an out
rage and a shame. The President of the
United States had no power to borrow
money except for single purpose and he
would not do it. The Senate had refused
to give him the power to borrow money. II
had refused in the most ignominious way
to provide any measure whatever to sup
ply the deficiency by substituting free
coinage of silver bill for the temporary
tariff bill sent to il by the House.
That was the act of a bankrupt, dis
graced bankrupt, because the measure
ought to be passed. The pending bill pro-
posed to repeal the only provision by which
the parity of gold and silver could be
maintained. And that was its purpose,
But there was no danger of its becoming q
law because the House OF Representatives
would not pass 1T, and therefore Senators
were only wasting tine and exposing
themselves rather badly before the people.
He thought it would be wise for the Dem
ocrats to take up the Dingley bill, which
was intended to meet the very difficulty
that was confronting the country. That
might not be good bill, but Democratic
Senator'S joining with Populists had prac-
ticaIly laid it on the table by substituting
for it coinage bill.
They could not escape that RESPONSE
bility. 1t seemed to him that the Senate
of the United States would fall below the
high standard which it had had so long in
the history of the country if it neglected
duties which Senators were sworn TO per-
form. The President would be justified
in calling them back by the LIST of July
next. He (Sherman) had no party feeling
in the matter.
Gray (D.) of Delaware said he agreed
with the Senator from Ohio in regarding
this as a crisis in the history of the coun-
try and in the history of the Senate, and
he agreed with him that for the Senate to
adjourn without some remedial legisla-
ton for the threatened evils would be an
outrage and shame.
He wanted to say TO the Senator from
Ohio that il the Finance Committee would
propose a measure for increasing the reye-
nue-with an assurance that Republican
Senators would support it-a measure in
tended only to increase the revenue. he
would find cooperation enough on the
Democratic side of the chamber to pass
that measure. And he made that offer
now.
Sherman remarked that the Democrats
were in minority in the Senate; that
there was large Republican majority in
the House; that the action OF the House
could not be disregarded, and that the
Dingley bill could not be torn in pieces in
order to take up the idea of purely reve-
nue. tariff. The great majority of the
House believed-as he did-that every tax
ought to be levied with view, If possible,
to promote American industry.
An exclamation OF amused satisfaction
escaped Gray. but he did not interrupt
Sherman, who continued to point out the
folly of expecting the House 10 abandon
its high protective policy.
~ was afraid" Gray observed, "tbat the
senator from Ohio did not thoroughly I'M
derstand himself when he made that offer
of patriotic, non-partisan action. In that
regard 1 desired to cooperate with him,
but now he modi6es his proposition and
says that we must accept the measure that
came from the House, and which is, de-
monstratedly, purely protective meas
ure, which would produce no revenue, but
would be much more likely to decrease it,
as the Mckinley act did"
'Why not take it up in the Senate, -
Sherman asked, land amend it?"
II want a revenue measure" Gray re-
piled, ION a nom rtisan basis and one
that will produce revenue, not a measure
that will compel US to pay toll to privi-
legged and interested classes"
Daniel (D.) of Virginia objected to
Gray's rendering the good offices of the
Democratic side to support Republican
measure and he suggested that the
seigniorage of silver in the treasury be
used for the deficit.
Gray denied having made a tender OF
Democratic support. He had merely said
that there would be cooperation on the
Democratic side in the direction indicated
by the Senator from OHIO.
At this point Chandler (R.) of New
Hampshire asked Hill to yield to him for
a moment, to which request Hill replied,
amid laughter, 81 yield to my good
friend from New Hampshire"
Chambers interruption, however,
amounted to nothing and the general
swing of the debate was resumed.
George (D.) of Mississippi explained his
position on the tariff question. He was
willing, he said, to vote tax on beer q
revenue tax on wool and lumber and q
fair revenue tax OF tea and coffee, and he
was willing to vote to increase the taxes
on cigars manufactured and imported and
on cigarettes and for a fair revenue duty
on agricultural products imported from
Canada.
Mitchell (R.) of Oregon asked George
what he considered a fair revenue tariff on
wool.
about 80 or 40 per cent ad valorem, II
George replied.
Twill the Senator from Mississippi II
Mitchell asked, "agree to take up the
House tariff bill and see whether the Sen.
ate cannot mend it?"
al hesitate to answer that question u