The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-06
DINGLEY'S MANGLED BILL.
Members of the Ways and Means
Committee Not Pleased.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-Members of the
House ways and means committee are in
a bad humor to-day. They have known per-
fectly well all along that their tariff bill
was being ridded and amended beyond rec
ognition, but it is nevertheless humiliating
to them to be confronted with the unpleas-
ant facts in cold type. They are especially
resentful of the open statements of the
members of the Senate finance committee
that the House bill was a prohibitory and
not revenue producing measure and claim
that it is a far better bill than the one
now before the Senate-better for the treas
ury and better for the people. Considerable
wild and heated talk is INDUCED in on the
House side and it may take some little
time for the House temper to cool off.
Threats are heard even that Congress will
take a recess without passing a tariff bill
if the Senate measure is insisted upon
leaving the settlement of the question to the
regular session. This. however is looked
upon as a gaseous display of anger The
Walker tariff bill was debated in the
Senate fifteen days. the Mills tariff bill for
ty-one days, the MCKINLEY bill forty5four
days and the Wilson bill ninety-three days
The Mckinley bill was in conference about
three weeks and the Wilson bill remained
in conference six weeks.
Western members of the House are pre-
pairing to make a strong stand for the re-
tention, of the duty on hides in the tariff
bin if that feature is adopted by the Senate
There was a strong sentiment in favor of
protection for hides in the House when the
bill was before that body, but oppor-
tunity was given the House to vote ON that
question, vote being permitted on those
amendments only which were proposed by
the ways and means committee. In the COM
mittee itself a proposition was made to
put duty on hides when the Dingley bill
was in preparation and the proposal failed
nxra mo nTif ~ fXHyn
narrow margin against the duty on hides
in the committee the Western men feel
confident that they can carry their point
if the question comes to vote in the
House, particularly they are assured of
the cooperation of some Democrats.
Hawaiians now Sojourning in this city
express surprise and regret at the action of
the Senate finance committee in striking
out the tariff bill the clause excepting
the Hawaiian imports from the operations
of the act. They express confidence and
hope that the committees action will be
negatiVed by the Senate and point to the
fact that under both the Mckinley and the
Wilson bills an attempt was made by in
direction to abrogate the reciprocity treaty
and each time 1t was voted down by the
Senate The opinion is expressed that the
discussion on this matter naturally will pre-
cipitate debate on the annexation question.
This it is pointed out. will result in the
latter not being treated on it's merits and
in manner which it's Importance demands.
1t is understood at the Treasury Depart
ment that the action of the Senate commit
tee in cutting out of the House tariff bill
the retroactive, section No. r.. providing
for the reliquidation of the duties i'm
ported goods purchased after April l. on the
basis of the rates to be fixed in the pending
bill, will not necessarily result in the revo-
cation of the departments order requiring
samples or other evidences of the character
and value of the goods to be retained pend
ing final settlement. On the contrary, 1t
is believed that the order will remain in
force until the final passage of the bill.
There is no evidence showing that the Sen
ate is not in favor of the provision. and in
asmuch as the House is likely to insist on
its retention. the treasury officials do not
feel justified in destroying its effect by fail
ing to keep proper record of the goods
imported under it.