The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-17
The Proceedings.

Washington, Dec. 16-Five bills
authorizing officers of the United States
to accept medals from foreign govern
ments were reported by Mr.. Sherman
(Rep), Ohio. who asked unanimous
consent to have them considered ans
passed. Objection was made by Mr..
Allen (Pop). Nebraska, and the bills
were placed on the calendar.
A bill to extend the time for the
building of a bridge across the Missouri
river at Lexington. Mo-, was passed.
Mr.. Mitchell (Rep0. Oregon. intro
duced 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 referred.
The pension appropriation bill was
then taken up and Mr.. Gallinger (RepD,
New Hampshire, chairman of the COM
mittee 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 mes
sage that that high official had not
yet disabused his mind of the idea that
pensioners were men of rascally ten
denotes, and said that in his judgment
these continued attacks of the eXecu-
tive on pensioners of the government
and the presidents continued asser-
tons that the roll of pensioners was
not "a roll of honor" should cease.
$40, 100000 FOR PENSIONS.
A few brief remarks were made by
Mr.. Hawley CRep.). Connecticut. and
then the bill was passed without
amendment. The net sum appropriated
for pensions exclusive of other ex-
penditures), is S140,000000.
Mr.. Vest (Dem., MOI called up Mr..
Aliens resolution of last week for the
consideration of the Dingley bill, and
addressed the senate. He character
lied that bill as one of the most ex-
traordinary ever introduced into con-
gress. 1t was extraordinary not only
in its provisions, but in the manner of
its birth and inception. The admins
tration, protesting that there was no
deficit in the treasury. had suggested
the necessity of some legislation look
ing to relief from financial embarrass-
ment, and the house of representatives
had proceeded to the passage of the
Dingley bill, for which there had been
no administrative demand, but which.
on the contrary. had been pronounced
entirely unnecessary. 1t had not been
asked for by the wool interest or by
the iron interest.
Mr.. Aldrich (Rep.. r. -. to whose
views and statements in regard to the
duty on tin plate Mr.. Vest had alluded.
declared that the rates now existing
under the so-called Wilson, German
bill were more protective on the whole
iron and steel schedule than they had
been under the Mckinley act, when
passed. owing to the changes in bust
ness which had since taken place
Mr.. Vest reminded Mr.. Aldrich that
the senator had insisted on a duty of
2-10 cents pound on tin plate in the
Mckinley act and opposed a reduction
of that rate by l cent a 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, o.. in which the
president-elect had accounted for the
increased production and the reduced
price by ascribing it to the use of nat
ural oil for fuel in Indiana. The fact
was however, that out of n new tin
plate factories in the United States
there were only five in Indiana. These
facts, Mr.. Vest asserted, could not be
answered except by surrender on the
part of the senator from Rhode Island
and his associates that the enormous
duties in the Mckinley act We're not
necessary TO the domestic manufac-
lures of the United States. AS to the
Dingley bill, Mr.. Vest declared that il
was clearly impossible of administra-
ton.
The HORIZONTAL bill of 1884 had beer
simplicity itself compared with it. The
Dingley bill re-enacted the Mckinley
act, and in order to determine a rate
of duty under it. it would be neces-
sary TO consult not only the new bill
but the Wilson act and the Mckinley
act and the market prices.
Mr. Vest turned his attention TO the
wool question and quoted wooden man
ufacturers as saying that even with
free raw wool and under the duties IL
the Wilson act. no Importation of for
eign wooden goods could take place
The rates were practically prohibitory
He also quoted Mr.. Lawrence. whom he
termed the shepherd king of Ohio,