Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-07-21
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON. July 81.
SENATE.

The tariff conference report was
taken up in the Senate to-day after
routine bushes was disposed of, and the
formal reading of the report proceeded.
The first contest arose over the
amendment relating to printing paper.
The conference committee had added q
retaliatory clause for an added duty OF
one-tenth of one cent per pound for
each 81 of export duty paid on printing
paper by foreign country. Senator'S
Vest, Jones (Ark.) and Teller vigor'
ously protested against this amendment
saying it was new provision, not act
ed on by the Senate or House, and be-
yond the power of the conference com.
mittee. Mr.. Teller characterized such
conference as an outrage as the COM
mittee acted arbitrarily and came be-
fore the Senate saying in effect: What
are you going to do about it?
Mr.. Jones finally made direct issue
against the conference committee, max
ing point of order against the retalia-
tory clause, on the ground of its being
new matter. He said he would ask for
a ruling from the chair on the regu-
larity of the conference action.
Mr. Chandler referred to the broad
latitude given conference committees
and raised laugh by telling Mr.. Jones
that be had swallowed two tribes of
Indians" on conference report on one
OF the Indian appropriation bills.
Mr.. Aldrich one of the conferees de-
Tended the retaliatory clause. The
conference report must be accepted or
rejected as whole, and the main ques-
ton could not be diverted by appeals
for ruling from the chair.
Mr.. White referred to the secret ses-
sions of the republican conferees and
ironically read Mr.. Chandeliers remarks
on the Wilson bill, wherein the New
Hampshire Senator declared that the
bill had been brought forth in the dark
and should be blasted by legislative
lightning.
4 MIR. Chandler good naturally an
swered that while his anthema on the
Wilson bill had not brought lightning
blast against it, yet it had doubtless il
part inspired democratic President to
denounce that measure as one of"perf
DIV and dishonor." CHANGING across
the aisle where Mr.. Morgan had q
stack of books on his desk. Mr.. Chand
4 Ter said he observed that the Alabama
Senator was ready to make ''short
speech" on this point of order.
Mr. Morgan argued that the commit
tee bad exceeded its powers, and that
it could not arrogate to itself the right
to originate new amendments. The
man, he said, who would life the tariff
out of politics would be another Thomas
Jefferson as benefactor to his country
The present bill was framed on purely
partisan lines, and was designed to give
benefits to party favorites. Fhe Sena
tor reviewed the action of the republi-
cans in excluding democratic members.
Mr.. Morgan was involved in several
sharp colleagues with MIR. Gear, who
pointed out that the Wilson bill had
been considered in the same way.
Mr.. Morgan referred to the reports
that the splendid and ponderous
Speaker" OF the House OF Representa-
tives had secured q House victory on
the sugar schedule. The Senator
thought there must be some mistake
about the Speakers success, "for not
withstanding his ponderosity the hard
er be sits down on thing the higher it
rises; notwithstanding his sitting down
on the sugar schedule, up go the prices.
If be can't work the safety valve better
than that he had better retire from pol
tics"
Vice President Hobart then an
nounced his decision on the point of or
der, holding that it was not we'll taken.
1t was not, he said, for the chair to de-
termine whether the matter in confer
ence report was new, or was relevant.
All such questions were for the Senate
itself, on the question of accepting or
rejecting the report.
The reading of the report proceeded.
When the amendment relating to
hides was reached Mr.. Allen asked
why the conferees had provided q
drawback of duty on leather exported,
made from imported hides.
Mr.. Aldrich explained that the
House had insisted on the proviso, and
he felt that the drawback was payable
under the law without reference to
this provision. He thought about
100000 to $4,000 of revenue would
be obtained from the duty on hides, and
probably about half of this would be
paid in drawbacks.
HOUSE.
When the House met to-day Mr..
Evans from the committee on ways and
means reported joint resolution re-
questing the President to make such
Investigations as will elicit all the facts
| in reference to the restrictions put upon
the sale OF American tobacco in foreign
countries under what is known az the
''regie" or government contracts. 1t
also authorizes the President to enter
into negotiations with governments of
those countries with view to obtain
ing modification or removal of these
restrictions. The resolution was con-
sidered and Mr.. Clardy explained the
necessity of the resolution. He said
that great surplus of tobacco was rails.
ed in Kentucky, Tennessee and Vir-
GINA which must find foreign mar.
ket. England and Germany were the
only countries where tobacco could be
shipped; it could not be shipped to any
of the other countries except through
the governments.
Mr.. Swanson supported the resolu.
ton and pointed out the difficulties
which American tobacco growers en-
countered in selling tobacco abroad.
The resolution was then passed.