The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-17


clearly responsive to the question, and
added that he was willing to have the
Dingley bill taken UP and passed, as 1t
would provide enough revenue tenn
porarily. He commented upon the free
silver amendment put on that Dill, ana
said that it was most cowardly evasion
OF great and important duty. That Tree
silver amendment had been introduced in
order to defeat the Dingley bill. 1t had
no place in the bill and no connection
with it. 1t had been put there to prevent
action in passing the bill.
Teller (silver R.) of Colorado made
his way into the discussion, and declared
positively that it had been well known
that if every Republican Senator voted
for the Dingley bill it would have still
lacked one of a majority, and that 1t was
the merest pretense for anybody to say
that he had expected that bill to become
law. It had not been introduced to be
passed and was not a tit bill to be passed.
The Republican party, he continued. was
about to come in power. He would not
be tempted now to express an opinion as
to how it had secured that power. Some
other time he probably would do so. 1t
was coming into power with the promise
and pledge to the American people that
the distressed condition of affairs which
had existed for many years would dlsap-
pear with the coming in OF the RepuDllcan
party. If the era of confidence had struck
the country he (Teller) had failed to
observe it. The Republican party had
duty to do to the American people, and it
would not do it by talking about the
Dngley bill unless it said to the country
that that was the bill which 1T wanted.
He declared emphatically that the Dingley
bill would never become law, and that
there was not q man on the floor who did
not know it. Why, therefore. he asked,
should the Senate spend time over it?
Chandler remarked with point of sar-
begun the DISCUSSION, but that it had been
got up by the Senator from Nebraska
(Allen), VINO had tried with the Senator
from Colorado to elect Mr.. Bryan.
"And / am not sure, Teller broke in,
.'that we did not elect him." Laughter.
Teller repeated his assertion that the
Dingey bill had not been introduced to be
passed. and that it was understood that
when it was introduced it could not
be passed. 1t was introduced for politi-
cal purpose ard to gain political ad-
vantage.
Hale (R.) of Maine said that it had
never occurred to him that the Dingley
bill was not to be passed in an honest
fashion and for an honest purpose if Re-
publican Senators could do it.
Teller asserted that the Dingley bill was
a political measure 10 distract the atten-
ton of the American people from the
financial question.
German CD of Maryland agreed with
Teller and said the Dingley bill, even if it
had become a law, would not have i'm
proved the condition of the treasury and
that it was unjust and unequal. "The
Presidential election,' he added, "has
passed. The combinations OF men and in
terests made in that campaign are now
matters of history. Republican Senators
have now the power TO pass such mon
strosity as the Dingley bill. You have no
time or inclination to remodel it ard
make it Republican measure, and it is
trifiing with the business interests of the
country to hold out a hope by continuous
debate here that some action shall be
taken on the bill when every body knows
that action is impossible"
Hale expressed the hope that the Senate
and the country would take notice from
the statements made by Senators German
and Teller of the difficulties under which
the Republican party in the Senate
labored. There was no use in fighting for
bill, the passage of which was clearly
i'm possibfe. He agreed with German in
saying that it would be the business of the
Republicans at an early session of Con-
gress-and the earlier the better-to take
up the whole subject and secure a protec-
tive measure, moderate in its terms, but
sufficient to give revenue to the Govern
ment and to properly protect American in.
dustries.
Gorman-You have succeeded-I will
not say how-in having the responsl bilIty,
but you know that you cannot accomplish
anything substantial al this session of Con-
gress. Yon ought, therefore, to stop this
discussion and prevent the upturning of
the business interest is of the country.
Platt (R. of Connecticut-The Senator
from Maryland is quite right. We never
had chance TO pass the Dingley bill in
the Senate, and we have less chance now
than ever.
Sherman am inclined TO think that in
view of the statements as TO the impossi-
bility of passing the Dingley bill We ought
not to waste any more time about it. We
are not disposed to attempt impossibilitie
That was the last word of the important
discussion. and the Senate after short
executive session adjourned until to-mor-
row.