The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-07-27


found reluctance in submitting the
proposition. but said he recognized the
right of the majority to register their
Will. The agreement was preceded by
the most heated personal colloquy that
has occurred during the consideration
of the tariff bill. Senators Foraker
and Allen joined issue over Mr.. Aliens
charges of fraud in the Ohio elections
of last year. 1t led to such epithets as
'balderdash" and to pointed refer
ences to the methods of court petit
foggers. The early part of the day
was given to speeches against the bill
by Senators Teller, White and Pettus.
Washington, July 26-The extra SEES
sion of congress wound up it's affairs
and adjourned Saturday. The tariff
bill is signed by the president and is
now law; the president seSnt to con-
gresS special message urging legisla-
ton authorizing the appointment of a
currency commission, in responses to
which the house passed the stone BILL
which was sent to the sesnate and
there referred, together with the pres
ldents message, to the finance COM
mittee; Speaker Reed appointed the
house committees, and at p. m. con-
The conference report on the tariff
bill was adopted by the senate a few
minutes after 3 o'clock The bill was
signed at once by the vice president
and the speaker of the house. and was
then dispatched to the White House
At 4:04 President Mckinley attached
his signature to the bill and it at once
became n law.
The signing of the bill was an inter-
esting event. 1t had been arranged
that the president should go to the
capitol to perform that function, but
owing to uncertainty as to the time
that the bill would be ready the plan
was abandoned. The members of the
cabinet who are in Washington were
to attend the president to the capitol
to witness the even, but were notified
of the change in the programme and
came to the White House at $3.50 and
assembled with the president in the
cabinet room. Mr.. Porter, the presi-
dents secretary, was sin constant COM
munication with the capitol by tele-
phone, so that he was able to advise
the president promptly of the starting
of the bill from the house for the
White House.
A few moments before 4 O'Clock Rep
resentative Dingley appeared, accom-
panied by Representative Hager
chairman of the house committee on
enrolled bills. Mr.. Hager by virtue of
his Office held the tariff bill closely in
hand, but not for a moment did Mr..
Dingley lose sight of the famous docu-
ment which has made his name known
in all parts of the world. They were
admitted at once into the presence Of
Mr.. Mckinley. The latter was sitting
uietlyquietly at the long cabinet table
with Secretary Gage and Attorney
General McKenna on one side and
Postmaster General Gary and Secre-
tary Wilson on the other. He rose and
greeted Mr.. Dingley and Mr.. Hager
cordially and proceeded at once to the
work of approval. Mr.. Porter turned
to the last sheet of the bill and laid
the document before the president
He had several pens at hand, the
owners of which begged might be used
to sign the tariff act. But Mr.. Dingley
unexpectedly taking a case from his
pocket produced a beautiful mother of
pearl handled pen, dainty enough for
a lady's use, and requested that it be
used for the signature. The president
recognized the right of Mr. Dingley,
the diminutive size of the pen. Dipping
it deep into the ink well he steadily
appended his signature to the bin,
asked the date, and wrote July 24th,
approved" and the bill was an act.
There was a burst of applause from
the spectators. Every one in the room
except the president was standing,
and several of the spectators were
nervous. AS the president dropped the
pen Attorney General McKenna,
glancing at the clock en- the mantel,
remarked: 1T is just four minutes
past o'clock Then a thought sud
denly occurring to him, he added:
"Gov. Dingley, we stood together in
this way at the signature of the Nc
Kinley tariff act"
."That was at the capitol, however"
replied Mr.. Dingley.
The president arose and cOngratu-
lated Mr.. Dingley on the successful
ending of his long task and the MEM
bers of the cabinet did likewise. Mr..
Dingley himself acknowledged the
kind words, and after putting his pen
holder carefully away left the room,
and the ceremony was at an end.