Evening star., 1897-03-26
Exciting Debate Over Tariff Amend
ments in the House.
some SHARP PASSAGES OF WORDS
None but Committee Amendments
Accepted.
MATTERS IN THE SENATE

| mere were lively times IN the House to-
Gay during the consideration of the tariff
| BILL The fun began at 10 o'clock. and for
two or three hours the proceedings were
| Very interesting. 1t was what Mr.. Hender-
son of Iowa called n skirmish fire of DEM
agoguism. to which observation NJ Bland
| retorted in kind alleging that the DEM
| asoguism was upon the other side.
| So warm was the attack of the opposition,
| upon the tariff bill by the free trade SHARP
| shooters that the dignified chairman of IN.
| ways and means committee found i: neces-
! sary to take his lunch while sitting at his
! Gesk in the House, alternating his time be
| tween bites of pie swigs at tail glass OF
! milk and repeliing the assaults of the
| eremy. Mr.. Dingley was on hand early,
| and was in personal command OF the de-
| tense of the bill. When noon;ime came the
| skirmish was SO lively that he could no;
| leave his place to get bit of refreshment,
| so casting ceremony to the winds he
brought forth his lunch and sent down 10
! the restaurant for a big glass of milk
! The House commenced today the con-
| sideration of the bin by sections. giving
| opportunity for amendments. The first
| move iii the proceedings made ny MI.
| Dockery. who offered an amendment pro-
v:ding that all articles the manufacture OF
|
try shall be placed on the free list. Chair
| man Dngley promptly made the point of
| order tfat it not in order TO offer the
| amendment at this time. This led to a long
| discussion of partisan nature ranging
| over the several subjects of tariff, free
| coinage of silver and trusts.
| Mr. Tawney of Minnesota created ii-
| version in favor of the republicans. Hs
| sprung the Record upon the democrats.
| showing that when the antitrust bill
was up for consideration before the
| House in a previous Congress. Mr.. Dock
1 cry. Mr.. Richardson, Mr.. Bland. Mr.. Hol-
| man and the other prominent democrats
| upon that side of the chamber voted
| against taking up the bill and considering
| il. This called forth a round of applause
and cries of derision from the republican
! side
| Mr.. Richardson came back at him. how
| ever, with the claim that they voted
| against the bill because a motion was
| pending 10 take up The free silver bill. and
| that was the measure the democrats
| wanted considered. He said that upon tho
| final passage of the antitrust bill thera
were no democratic votes against it. MIR.
| Tawney contended that the democrats had
| attempted TO dodge, and that only one in-
| ference could be drawn from their Nois
| against the bill.
| Then Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio took a shos
| at the opposition, and said that the great.
/
| supported the free silver campaign lass
| fail-the trust of the silver mine owners.
| After this there was a spirited and somc-
| what heate discussion between Mr. Hen,
| derson of Iowa and Mr.. Bland of Missouri
| upon the subject of demagogucry and tho
| applause which they received from their
| respective sides of the chamber indicated
| that their friends thought that they split
| even.
The chair finally overruled Mr. Dockerv'a
| amendment, and the House then proceeded
| TO take up the bill by sections and receive
| amendments to it.
The Proceedings.
The real consideration of the tariff biz
| began this morning at 10 O'clock when
| the bill was thrown open for amendment
under the five-minute rule. The leaders on
| both sides We're in their places but there
were hardly more than seventy members
| on the floor Mr.. Lanham CTexD. as soon
as the enacting clause of the hill read,
moved to strike ii out.
Mr.. Sherman On. W, who was in thu
chair, ruled that the motion was out Il
order.
The First Amendment.
Mr.. Dockery CMo) offered the first
amendment. 1t was to the enacting clause
and was in the nature of a proviso tha.
whenever it was shown to the satisfaction
OF the President that there a trust cr
combination to control the price of any
| article the dutiable list the duty on
| such article should be suspended.
Mr.. Dingley made the point of order
| that the amendment in effect was TO the
free list, and as the House was now con-
sidering the dutiable list it was not in
order.
Il have great respect for the par,iamen-
tary knowledge of the gentleman from
Maine" said Mr.. Dockery. but it is
pbal 10 hal ha q b.s
reached l hope it will De held in order
now" Iaughter.)
Mr.. Cooper CTexas) offered substitute
for the Dockery amendment, in substan c ID
accomplish the same purpose, but contain
ing definition of a trust and provision for
the determination of its existence by a
court.
IF you are SO anxious to incorpora - SUCH
a provision as this In the bill why diG yoa
not insert it in the present law" asked
Mr.. Tawney (Minn.).
TRUSTS had not gone quite so far then"
replied Mr.. Richardson CTenn-), amid laugh-
ter. He challenged the other side who
ostensibly opposed trusts, to aid In tie
adoption of the amendment. Il have never
before" said he. heard such insincere OBJ
jectioTs to just amendment.
Point of Order Debated.
A long debate on the point of order fol-
lowed. Mr.. Bailey made an extended argu-
nent appealing to the majority to aid in
putting down these combinations, which
'rreyed upon the energies of the people,
Mr.. Hepburn Qowa) raised laugh on the
democratic 1ide by saying that this amend
ment. IL adopted, would defeat the purpose
of the bill. Don't laugh" he Shouted.
waving his hands. He went on to explain
how easily it would be for few men who
really desired free wool and free sugar to-
effect combination to raise the prices OF
sugar and wool and thus, under the amend
n.ent force those articles TO the free list;
Mr.. Bailey thanked Mr. Hepburn for his
frank admission that the destruction of
trusts would interfere with the purpose OF
the bill ''Oh, no." said Mr.. Hepburn. II
was trying to show that under the pretense
OF creating trust this legislation could be
destroyed"
but could not the courts decide between
a sham trust and real trust?" asked Mr.
Terry Ark-).
II suppose the courts could" replied Mr..
Hepburn. "But shall the revenues of The
country be destroyed because OF the exist
ence In violation OF law of a real trust.
Trusts are illegal. Their creators are GRIM
inals. Shall we place the treasury's rev. :
enues at the mercy OF criminals:'
Mr.. Simpson (Kan) said he thought the
majority were very much more concerned
about the falling of of the revenues of