The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-31
THE new TARIFF BILL.
Will Leave the House Just as 1t Came
from The Committee,
And The SENATE WILL CHANGE 1T ALL,
The Democrats Had the Best OF the Diss
cussion and Many Republicans Are
Dissatisfied with the Manner in
Which IL Was Managed.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. March So.-Spe-
ciaL-When the House adjourns to-mor-
row the Republican tariff bill, the only
measure which the genius or
that party has devised TO improve COM
n,ercial and Industrial conditions Will
have passed through the first stage Of its
parliamentary career.
1t will pass exactly as 1t has been franz
ed by the Ways and Means Commit
tees, without a change in a single scned-
ule except those suggested by the COM
mittee. No other amendments have been
considered, and all opportunity to amerd
has been cut of from both Republicans
and Democrats alike. The leaders OF
the House have succeeded In carrying out
their announced programme TO the very
letter. But in doing so they have cut
off all opportunity TO consider the blu
itself.
The Committee Of Ways and Means
have consumed all the time allowed by
the rule. in Offering their own amend
ments and while the Democrats have
found brief time in which TO criticise the
general provision Of the measure, not
even the Republicans can claim, they
have been permitted the slightest chance
to discuss the bill by sections.
A GRAVE QUESTION.
The legislation which the House offers
to the Senate is committee legislation
pure and simple.
Inasmuch as both parties in the House
are laboring for political advantages. the
wisdom Of the course pursued by the
the House leaders is open to very grave
questions.
A majority of the Republicans them
selves are dissatisfied, and while this dis
satisfaction has rot yet been expressed
except by a few OF the New England
members. who declared yesterday that
the rates Of duty are ridiculously and
outrageously high. IT Is still causing much
discord and bitterness in the Republican
| TG nks.
From a political standpoint, the leaders
| Of the House seem to have made grave
| bunder They have unquestionably
strengthened the position OF the Demo-
| Gratis and have offended the sense or
| justice Of the public. They have gained
| nothing but a few days time. which viii
| be entirely lost sight of, when the Senate
revises the whole meaiure because 1t Is
row in such crude form.
REFORMING THE SCHEDULE.
The Finance Committee OF the Senate,
il is understood, will consume thirty days
at least in reforming the schedule.
Already they have taken up the chem
| ical schedule, the first in the bill, and the
only one the House has considered IN de-
tail and have changed every item. Ihey
will do this. it is understood with ne
other schedules until II will be fortunate
If any of the work of the Ways and Means
| Committee is left.
The Senate's justification for their pro-
posed action is that the House has not
| considered the bill and the provisions
now are too crude and incomplete to be
| crystallized into legislation.
IL is probable that when the Senate
gets through with the bill it Will be no
better than at present, but the House
| leaders can blame themselves Tor the ap-
parent contempt with which the Senate
| promises to treat the work OF the House.
DEMOCRATS CAN'T COMPLAIN.
The Democrats as politicians have no
| reason to complain of the turn aifaTs
| have taken. They have had all the pest
of the argument and have forced the Re
| publicans TO assume the defensive from
| the beginning OF the debate. In instances
| i'm order to make maintain at least an
appearance Of legislating for the dement,
| of American manufacturers and American
labor they have been forced to resort 10
| a barefaced misrepresentation Oh thc Pio-
visions OF their own bill.
Chairman Dingley himself, the kepup-
Ican leader on the floor. has again and
again replied 10 the assertions Of Demo-
crafts by misstatements not OF the pur-
| nose or probable effect Of certain sche-
| dulles. but of the actual wording OF the
| hill and has escaped an exposure OF his
methods. by closing debate upon the
amendment, pending and diverting DIS
| cussion 10 some other section OF the Dill
DINGLEY IRRITABLE.
He has been harrassed and embarrassed
| 10 such an extent that he passes each day
| in a state of extreme irritability and
lily concealed anger and discontinue. The
anxiety of the authors of the bill, to aid
| the trusts and monopolists has been so
| clearly shown, that they have endeavored
| 10 escape general condemnation, merely
| by preventing discussion. The Ways and
| Means Committee have avowedly Kept
| their own amendments before the House
| to prevent the consideration OF others.
| and have themselves thrown an insur-
mountable obstacle in the way OF consd-
! ering the details Of the bill itself
| This is all the Republicans have gained
| by their effort 20 railroad the bill
| through.
| CAN'T BE DEFENDED.
| Conservative Republicans, who deDlore
| the extreme to which the leaders have
| gone. realize that If the bill can only
be defended now. by wilful misrepresen-
tation. it will be impossible 10 defend 1t
when its effects become apparent.
| For this reason many Of them viii
| welcome tho changes the Senate will
make. and will exert their influence in
| favor of more moderate duties. The fea-
ture of to-day discussion was the sue
| cessful effort on the part of the Demo-
Gratis TO show by sound-money newspa-
| pers that Mr.. Mckinley was elected 10
maintain the sound-money standard OF
| the country This is so undeniable that
| the Republicans were compelled 10 de-
| fend their course. by questioning the
| character OF the newspapers quoted.