The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-26
FIVE MINUTE TALKS.
Debate on Amendments to the Tariff
Bill.
Effort to Get . Trust Rider Attached
to the Measure.

Washington, March s6.-The considera-
tion of the tariff bill began this morning
at 10 o'clock, when the bill was thrown
open for amendment under the five-min-
ute rule. Mr.. Lanham (Dem., Tex. }, as
soon as the enacting clause OF the bill was
read, moved to strike 1t out. MIR. Sher-
man (Rep., n. Y. }, who was in the chair,
ruled that the motion was out of order.
Mr.. Dockcry (Dem., Mo. J, offered the first
amendment. 1t was TO the enacting
clause and was in the nature of proviso
that whenever IL was shown TO the salts
faction Of the President that there was n
trust or combination to control the price
of any article on dutiable list the duty
on such article should be- suspended.
Mr. Dingley made the point of order
that the amendment was not in order.
Il have got respect for the parliament
tary knowledge of the gentleman from
Maine,' said Dir. Dockery, but as IL Is
probable that the free list will never be
reached, hope 1T will be held in order
now" daughter.
Mr. Cooper, Dem., Tex.,) offered a
substitute for the Dockery amendment in
substance to accomplish the same purpose,
but containing "a definition of trust and
q provision for the determination OF It's
existence by court.
"If you are so anxious to incorporate
such a provision as this in the bill, why
did you not insert 1t in the present law,
asked Mr.. Tawney (Rep., Mimi.
TRUSTS had not gone quite SO far
then," replied Mr.. Richardson (Dem.,
TENN. He challenged the other side who
ostensibly opposed the trusts to aid in the
adoption of the amendment. II have
never before" said he, ."heard such in
sincere objections TO just amendment. !"
A long debate on the point of order fol-
lowed. Mr.. Bailey made an extended
argument appealing to the majority to aid
in putting down these combinations,
which "preyed upon the energies of the
people" Mr.. Hepburn (Rep., Iowa.,
raised laugh on the Democratic side by
saying that the amendment II adopted
would defeat the purpose of the bill
Don't laugh" he shouted. Waving his
hand he went on to explain how easy 1t
would be for "a few men who really desired
free wool and free sugar TO effect COM
bination to raise the prices of sugar and
wool and thus under the amendment force
those articles TO the free list. Mr. Bailey
thanked Mr.. Hepburn for his frank ad-
mission that the destruction of the trusts
would Interfere. with the purpose of the
bill "Oh no." said Mr.. Hepburn, Il
was trying to show that under the pre-
tense of crushing trust this legislation
could be destroyed.
But could not the courts decide be-
tween small trust and a real trust?'
asked Mr. Terry (Dem., Ark.
Il suppose the courts could" replied
Mr.. Hepburn.
"But shall the revenues Of the country
be destroyed because of the existence in
violation of law of n real trustY Trusts
are illegal Their creators are criminals
shall we place the treasury revenues at
the mercy Of criminalsY'
Mr.. Simpson (Pop, kan., said he
thought the majority were very much more
concerned about the falling off of the
revenues of trusts than the falling off of
the revenues for the treasury. (Dem.
applause
Mr. Grosvenor (Rep., Ohio, declared
there never was a time when the trusts
had the government and the people by the
throat as they had had in the past four
years and now when the Democrats were
| again in the minority, they came here
and raised great fog about trusts.
1.-The gentleman says the Democracy
| has been the protector of the trusts, in
| terrupted MIR. Terry (Dem., Ark. Can
| he name "A trust in the last campaign
which was not on the side of Mckinley
Il can. "
| "Name them" shouted the Democrats.
"The trust, replied Mr.. Grosvenor,
(which controls monopoly of what God
| gave--the silver trust. ;, ,-
| The Republicans cheered this response
while tho opposition groaned. There
was some further sharp cross firing which
| rousad both sides IN enthusiasm