The Portland daily press., 1897-05-25
THE SENATE AND THE TARIFF BILL

We're the Senate organized to do bust
ness we might look for rapid progress on
the tariff bill, since all other legislative
clear field. But experience has shown
that the pace of the Senate is set by its
slowest and most reluctant member. Not
how fast the majority want to go but
how fast the minority is willing they
should go determines nowadays the speed
of the upper branch of Congress. I'm,
questionably the majority of the Senate
would like to push ahead the tariff bill
as fast as is consistent with a proper
consideration of it. The most of those
who are hostile to it as well as those who
favor it, are opposed to the placing OF
unnecessary obstacles in it's pathway. But
it by no means follows from this fact
that the tariff bill is destined to have
speedy passage The absence of rules IN
the Senate and the so-called courtesy OF
the body makes it possible, yea easy, Tor
three or four men to nullify the wishes OF
an overwhelming majority and indefinite
ly postponed, if not actually defeat, any
measure that they do not want to pass.
The fate of the tariff bill, whether 1t
shall speedily be passed or shall drag It's
slow length along all summer, depends
upon whether there are three or four men
in the present Senate who can get any
advantage for themselves or their consult
uents out of holding up the bill. 1t was
admitted that the finance committee had
to modify the measure until it suited
Senator Jones of Nevada before they
could get it reported favorably to the
House. There is every likelihood that it
will have to be made satisfactory to half
dozen western silver senators before the
votes can be had to pass it through the
Senate. 1t would expedite business very
much to call these senators together ask
them what they want and give it to them
without debate. But probably that will
not be done. Instead of that we shall see
the bill occasionally sticking fast and re-
fusing to bulge an inch until the ways
are creased by concession to one of the
western silver senators. The sticking
will be frequently repeated and the greas-
ing will have to be repeated as often.
This will take lot of time, and all the
while there will be the danger that ne
body will demand something too i'm
portant and vital to concede, and that in
consequence the bill will stick indenfite
ly. One might just as well undertake to
predict today what kind of weather we
shall have on each day in July as to
prophesy concerning the progress of this
measure. To make a forecast we must
know what is in the mind of each Sena-
tor today and what caprices are going to
seize upon him in the course of the de-
bate. Morgan may be seized with the
notion later on that it would be good
thing for the Cuban rebels, of whom he is
the special champion, to have the tariff
bill held up, and there is nothing to pre-
vent his putting his notion into effect.
Teller may conclude during the progress
of the debate that something ought to be
done for silver, before the tariff bill is
passed If he does the bill will stop. IL
any one of the four score members of the
Senate suggest that courtesy to him de-
mands that the progress of the bill be
arrested, arreted it will be. Every mem
Der of the Senate is practically dictator,
and concert among them is almost as
much out of the question as concert
among the European powers. Today the
situation looks fairly we'll for a speedy
passage of the tariff bill But clouds are
liable to gather tomorrow