The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-16

The bill was thereupon read in full,
with the free silver substitute reported
foS it last session from the finance
cofmmittee.
/After the reading Mr.. Aldrich with.
Pdrew his objection to take up the bill
and the objection was renewed by Mr..
Palmer, DEM, of Illinois.
Mr.. Allen desired to nae a brief
statement, b ..ection was made and
the Senate proceeded to vote by yeas
and nays on the motion to take up the
bill. The motion was adopted by a
vote of IS to 81.
The bill having been taken up, Mr.,
-4fdrich moved that the bill be recon-
mitted to the finance committee with
instruction to report it back without
amendment.
Mr.. Harris declared his opposition
to the instructions and after some dis
cussion Mr.. Aldrich withdrew that
part of his motion.
Mr.. Chandler. Rep, of New Hamp-
shire reminded Mr.. Allen that the peo-
pie had decided in the recent election
that they would not have the free
coinage of silver alone, and that if the
free silver substitute were voted down
the Senate could 90 on and act on the
Dingley bill proper. He asked wheth-
or Mr.. Allen would give his vote for
the bill without the free silver amend
ment. Would he help to remove the
obstruction to ths passage of the bills
MIR. Allen denied having said that
he would help to remove any obstruc-
ton to the passage of the Dingley bill.
He had said that so far as he was con.
cerned no obstruction should be placed
in its way. He did not regard the
question of free silver as having been
settled at the last election. It was a
very important question and had had
5000, 900 votes in its favor. He did
not believe that the country could re-
ceive relief from any kind of tariff
act. Prosperity could not be brought
to the country by increasing the bur-
dens of taxation on articles which the
psople consumed. He was so thor
oughly convinced of that fact that he
wanted to see his Republican friends
get into the saddle as soon as possible.
But he did not believe that they want
ed to revise the tariff.
'Then why not co-opelat with us, :"
Mr.. Chandler asked, ''and get free
silver off this bill9"
II will cooperate with the senator
and his party" Mr.. Allen rejoined,
'in my own way. 1t is not necessary
for me to bow my head and wear a
Republican yoke and follow the die
tation of the Republican party, and l
will not do it. will say, however,
that no obstruction in the nature of
dilatory tactics, so far as I am con-
cerned, will be put in the way of TAX
ing up and considering tariff meas
ure at an early day."
1--WE can pass this bill in Is min
utes," said Mr.. Aldrich, ''if the sena-
tor and his friends will allow us to do
it."
will you present to the Senate and
the country" Mr.. Allen asked, "a
tariff bill that you will consent to be
bound by for the next four years-at
this session of congresss"
This inquiry elected laughter among
Republican senators and shouts of
mo"
my question:" Mr.. Allen resumed,
"provokes almost universal laughter
on that side of the chamber. You said
to the country this fall, that you
would, at the first moment, take up
the tariff question and settle it, and
now you laugh when your attention
is called to it. What is there in the
tariff question that would require con-
gress to spend six or seven months in
an extraordinary session to consider
it7 Why not introduce the Mckinley
bill, the panacea for all evils, and have
it reported here within the next 10
days and passed within the next 60
days2 Do you want to threaten the
country with an extraordinary session
OF congressa Do you want to sit here
80 days practically idle, and let the
country suffer when you have it with
in your power to put a tariff bill on
its passage and have it discussed intel
igentlyW
'Let me ask the senator" Mr.. Al
>drich broke in, whether he Eill vote
for this bill as it came from the house
of representatives or for the Mckinley
or for any other bill that may be pre-
sented by the Republicans, now, or
at any other time2"
NO." said MIR. Allen, II will not
vote for this bill in its present shape.
You can, however, put it in such
shape that I can vote for ii, and that
other senators can vote for it who are
not members of your party"
"Does the senator see," said Mr..
Hale, Rep, of Maine, now breaking
into the colloquy, 'that it is an en-.
tirely different thing to ask the Repub-
lican party, which is in minority
here-as it clearly is-to take up and
consider and perfect a general bill,
when the conditions are expected to
be entirely changed in congress? The
Republican party expects to have an
absolute majority in the senate Their. :"
Where will you get your majority
froms" Mr.. Allen queried.
II say" repeated Mr.. Hale, "that
the Republican party expects to have
a Republican majority in the senate
next congress"
"Expects!" Mr.. Allen echoed with a
sneer.
'Then," Mr.. Hale went on, 1--WE can
take up general tariff bill land have
nlsubA that we will. All that we ask
Apassage of the Dipgley bill,
pporary measure, meas
ptended to endow De.
e. istratiun with enough