The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-12-12
He Is Advising Members Of the House
Who Desire Leaves of Absence to
Stay i'm Washington.
Mr.. DINGLEY'S PROGRAMME
TARIFF HEARINGS TO BEGIN WITH
HOLIDAY RECESS OF CONGRESS.
Several Schedules of the Wilson Act
to BE Retained-Ways and Means
Committee to Meet Monday.
pecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

SpeCial TO the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Dec. u.-Speaker Reed
is bent on putting the new tariff bill
through the House, and some of the very
sensitive friends Of the President-elect fig
ure that the background purpose is to en-
barrass Major McKinley's administration.
Mr.. Reed told fellow-member to-day that
he thought the House owned the duty to
itself and the country to formulate and
pass an adequate tariff bill this session,
regardless of what the Senate might do or
not do. He is quoted as saying further:
THE House must not shrk this response
bility, and am advising my friends when
they talk about taking leaves of absence
to stick right to business until the end of
the session, as / think we will be called on
TO pass a revenue measure. Several have
asked me If / thought there would be any
important party action on Cuba, and have
answered no. but that they should stay i'm
Washington TO vote on a tariff bill"
The speakers critics say that if this pur-
pose is carried out the new bill will lodge
In the Senate just as the other one has, and
that the January elections for senator's will
demonstrate that the situation there will
be the same in the Fifty-ffth Congress as
In this one, thus proving the folly of calling
special session and keeping the country
needlessly stirred up. This would make it
appear that the speakers secret desire Is
to establish in advance the inability of the
new administration to carry out its pledges
or revenue and currency reform. There is
an earnest belief that Mr.. Reed is harbor-
ing the sinister purpose suggested, and
there is no end of talk among congressman
and politicians over the outlook in conse-
Quence. Proof that he has any such idea
is entirely lacking, however. If that were
his intention a clear majority of members
or the ways and means committee would
block the game by failing to complete a
DILL and then there is Mr.. Dingley who is
once more (and this time with defniteness)
slated for secretary of the treasury who
would not be party to any hostile project.
1t is natural that Mr.. Reed should want to
make patriotic record for the House, and
he could be honest in his wish to have a re-
vised tariff bill go through the popular
branch Of Congress and still not be a mar
plot. The trouble breeders will have to go
further for a text. Mr.. Reed makes no
concealment of his dislike for Mr.. McKin-
ley, but he is not going to cut the party
throat to get at the object of his aversion.
The meeting OF the ways and means
gramme for work the tariff bill will
be held on Monday To-day Chairman
Dingley had conference with Mr.. Nc
Millin, of Tennessee, the senior Democrat
ic member of the committee and officially
stated the Republican plans. Mr.. DingIey
said that the hearings probably would be-
gin with the holiday recess and continue
through the holidays, To prevent them
from dragging along indefinitely limited
time may be assigned for testimony relat-
ing to each of the most important sched-
uies. 1t Is probable that the Democratic
ways and means members will have a con-
sultation on the tariff question within a
day or two. although. of course, any op-
position they might see ft to offer to the
tariff programme would be merely a mat
ter of form. They are not plea sed at the
suggestion that Mr.. Newlands, the inde-
pendent silver member from Nevada, who
chair at the committee table. Speaker
Reed seldom consults with the minority
about committee appointments and has not
done so In this case.
Certain features of the new tariff bill
have been practically decided on already
by the Republicans Chairman Dingley is
authority for the statement that the bill
will be framed to prevent the use of the
bonded warehouse by importers to escape
the payment of higher duties as they were
used when the Mckinley bill was passed.
10 SHSCI tHlS tneTe Will De a clause pro-
viding that goods in storage in bonded
warehouses when the law goes into effect
will pay the rate OF the law and not those
of the Wilson act in operation when they
were entered. Those schedules of the
Wilson law which have proved satisfac-
tory, IL Is said. will not be disturbed.
A member of the committee spoke of
the cotton schedule the most likely to
remain unchanged Having been guarded
by Democratic protectioniSts In the Sem
ate he said its effects had been satisfac-
tory to manufacturers and operatives and
the duties being specific were in accord
with the Republican policy The Wilson
acts al valorem features will be done
away with, it goes without saying.
The reciprocity system may be effected
by the establishment of two schedules of
articles which concessions are desired
from other countries-Ore schedule for
goods when imported from other countries
which agree to reciprocity treaties, the
other schedule for those which do not.
Several conferences Of the Republican
ways and means men expected before
the hearings begin. 1t is suggested by one
OF them that they may decide upon the
schedules of the Wilson act which they
ley act rates which will be re-establshed
and wil give hearings only on the remain
ing schedules. inviting the parties inter-
ested TO furnish the committee the infor-
nation which il wants.