The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-09
Debate in Senate on Re-
committing Bill
Senator Mantle of Montana
Makes His Maiden Speech.
TO Exempt COasting Vessels From
Compulsory Pilotage.

WASHINGTON, April 9.-The Senate
chaplain, Rev. DIR. Milburn, referred
feelingly in his prayer today to the illness
of the senior Senators from Indiana and
Alabama, Mr.. VOORHEES, aud Mr.. Morgan.
Mr.. Gallinger lRep., N. H., read a
letter from the general secretary OF the
Armenian Relief Association referring to
the extreme urgency Of the situation in
Turkey and asking that steps be taken TO
stop the most appalling sacrifices in the
history of the world. Mr.. Gallinger ad-
ded that while be would not suggest ways
and means TO the foreign relations ccm-
mitee, yet he sincerely hoped that some
method could be devised to check these
Turkish atrocitle les.
Mr.. Mantle (Rep., Mont), was then
recognized for a speech on the resolution
recommiting the tariff bill to the finance
COMMITTEES.
There was special interest in the speech
from the fact that MIR. Mantle was one of
the five Republ blican Senators who voted
against proceeding with the tariff bill. Ii
was, moreover, his maiden speech, of
formal character. He said he hesitated as
young and new member Cf the Senate
TO address the rody, but the interpreta-
tion and Misrepresentation which had
been INDUCED against the representatives
of the Western interests led him to speak.
He spoke of the recent utterancs OF Presi-
dent Cleveland before missionary gath
ering, derogatory to the West, as but
one of the assaults made of late against
the "rotten boroughs and mining camps"
of the West, as the metropolitan press
designai ed the silver states.
Mr.. Mantle declared that within a
radius OF five miles from Carnegie hall,
New York, where Mr.. Cleveland had
spoke, there was more poverty, ignor-
ance, squulor, starvation, crime and
criminals, than in all of the silver states
combined. He gave statistics comparing
the silver states with five Eastern states,
showing the former to be abreast and
ahead of their Eastern sisters In material
and moral standing.
Mr.. Mantle said that the attacks sprang
mainly from the fact that five men (Sen-
ators from the West) voted against pro-
ceeding with the tariff bill at an inoppor-
tune time. Any tariff bill, he asserted,
would be vetoed by the President The
House OF Representatives was chosen not
so much for tariff legislation, but in pro-
test against the bond Issuing policy OF
the present administration.
This Mckinley law was, said the SEN
ator, strictly high protective measure,
so high that some Republican Senators
now on the floor of the Senate doubted
its expediency and would, IL the Rpeubli-
ran party was fully restored to power,
oppose its re-enactLnent. But the Dingley
bill was not measure designed for pro-
lection or revenue. 1t was, he believed,
q political measure, and IL was framed
without consideration TO Western inter
ests.
"There are some Repu uhlicans," ex-
claimed Mr. Mantle, "wilIing to sacrifice
the princip les of the Republican party so
long as a measure affords protection to
certain interests
The five silver Republican Senator's
were denounced as TRAITORS TO their
party, for failing to vote for the tariff
bill, but he denied that the Dngley bill
was a.Repu blican measure and he quoted
the statement of MIR. Sherman that the
bill was strictly non -partizan and was
not a Republican measure. IL the Ding
ley bill was reasonable measure. as
claimed by its friends, then no manufac-
turer suffered from its failure as il was
protection, not revenue, that was vital to
this interest. In view OF these facts. Mr.
Mantle suggested that the efforts made to
read him and his silver associates out OF
the Republican party had better be re-
considered by the Eastern press and the
Senators be permitted TO remain i'm the
party. The Senator declared himself i'm
favor of protection, but not sectionaI
protection.
II was principle too great to be used
in behalf OF any special interest or any
monopoly. II must shield and uphold the
West as well as the East. While. how
ever, he favored true protection. he favor
ed equally bi-metalism, the coinage of
both gold and silver at ratio of is to /.
He believed also in bi-metalism which
did not wait for the action of foreign
countries.
In The House.
The House today resumed the debate on
the bill to exempt.sailing vessels engaged
in the coastwise trade form compulsory
pilotage laws, with the understanding
that a vote should be taken nj 2 O'Clock.
Mr.. Cooper, (Dem., Fla the member
of the committee who made the minority
report aginst the bill, made an argument
in opDositiOn.