The record-union., 1897-01-08
SENATE DISCUSSES TARIFF.
Democrats Refuse to Accept the Om-
nibuS Resolution.


After the Senate had been called to
| order yesterday morning and prayer
had been offered by the Chaplain, Sem
ator Smith of Kern offered resolu-
| ton.
Even the Democratic members knew
what to expect. The effort to place
them ON record as being either for or
| against the protection of California
products had been inaugurated. The
Republicans, as stated in yesterday
mornings Record Union,' had eau
cussed ON the matter and determined
their line of action. During Wednes-
days session Seawell of Mendocino, the
| recognized leader of the Democratic
| contingent, had declared that as the
motto of the incoming administration
was avowed to be a high protective
tariff, himself and colleagues would
| support any resolution for protecting
California's products which was not
discriminating. The reason the minor
ity, he said, had not voted with the Re-
publicans on the resolution adopted rel
ative to placing a tariff on fruit. was
because lit was discriminative in that
no other branches or products of labor
were included.
THE FIGHT BEGINS.
Smith stated unequivocally that the
resolution had been drafted for the pur-
pose of giving the Democratic members
a chance to place themselves squarely
on record regarding a tariff for protec-
tion, and demanded that the resolution
| be read. 1t was as follows:
Whereas The Committee of Ways
and Means of the House of Represent
atives is now engaged in revising the
tariff laws of the country for the pur-
pose of providing sufficient revenues to
meet the needs of the Government as
we'll as to afford protection to American
industries; and
Whereas, The agricultural 1horticult-
ural, pastoral, mining and manufacture
| ing industries of California are vitality
interested in receiving protection from
the composition of foreign products
! therefore be it
Resolved, BY the Senate of the State
of California, that we instruct our Sem
ators and request our Representative ves
| in Congress to use their utmost en-
deavors to secure for our various indus
| tries the full measure of protection
which they deserve, to the end that the
producers and laborers of the State
may be shielded from the ruinous COM
petition of cheap foreign labor.
Whereas, California is but one State
in this indissoluble Union of forty five
States; and
| Whereas, All laws of Congress should
be equitable and fair to all the people,
! therefore be it
Resolved, That we cheerfully request
for the laborers on the the farms and
in the mines and workshops of other
States the same measure of protection
| which we ask for those of California.
Resolved, That the Secretary of this
Senate be instructed to transmit copy
of these resolutions to each of our Sem
ators and Representative in Congress.
Smith lost no time in moving the
adoption of the resolution.
BRAUNHART AND SILVER
But the Democrats had fortified
themselves for the occasion, and Braun
hart of San Francisco offered a substi-
tute in the form of a joint resolution,
which, when read, showed that the old
question of silver had been sprung and
that no reference whatever was made
to tariff for the protection of Califor-
mia products Braunhart's substitute
was as follows:
Joint resolution, relative to the free
coinage of silver:
Whereas, We recognize the fact that
the decentralization of silver and by re-
fusal to give it equal standing in the
coinage system of the United States, the
material interest of the nation is dan
gerously impaired; and whereas, it is
recognized to be fact that the opposi-
tion to silver coinage emanates from
speculative syndicates and moneyed
classes who seek to embarrasS the peo-
pie of the nation for the advancement
of their own selfish ends; and whereas,
we entertain the firm belief that the full
measure of national prosperity will
never be restored until the coinage of
silver is resumed in accordance with the
true interest and spirit of the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, and having
lunbounded faith in the power and ability
of this nation to restore and maintain
silver in its proper position alongside of
gold: and whereas, we believe that the
issue of United States bonds for the
purpose of maintaining a single gold
standard or any standard that does not
| contemplate the free and unlimited
coinage of silver, is practice fraught
with the greatest danger to the stability
of our institutions and the maintenance
of national credit; therefore, be it
Resolved, That our Senators in Con-
gress be instructed and our Representa-
tives be requested to earnestly and ur-
gently advocate the immediate resump-
tion of the free and unlimited coinage
of silver in the ratio of 16 to 1; and
be it further
| Resolved, That our Senators be in
structed and our Representatives be re-
uuested to actively advocate the enact
ments of such laws as may be necessary
to prevent the issue of United States
bonds for the sole purpose of maintain
ing a single gold standard of money.
Resolved, That the Governor be re-
quested to Immediately transmit copy
of these resolutions to each of our Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress.
OUT OF ORDER.
| wilmington of San Diego raised the
point of order that the substitute was
not german to the original resolution,
and the President ruled the point well
taken, declaring the substitute out of
order.
| Braunhart expected just such a rul-
ing. and had still more ammunition. He
| bravely fired the second shot in the
shape of another substitute. as follows:
i RRAUNHARTS SECOND SHOT.
Resolved, That our established domes-
tic industries should not be endangered
by any radical change in the system of
taxation. On the contrary fair and
careful revision of our tax laws with due
allowance for the difference between