The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-04-08
TARIFF BILL PASSED.
THE DINGLEY MEASURE GOES
THROUGH THE HOUSE.
Receives 2O5 Votes Ont of 34S-Re-
pub1icans Present a Solid Front
Amendment Adopted to Affect All
Future Imports-Live1y Scenes.
Vote Is 2o6 Against 12o.

Washington special: Amid great enthu-
siasm on the floor and in the galleries the
House of Representatives Wednesday
passed the Dingley tariff bill, and the
duties imposed by the bill are now in
force and the Wilson law is thing of
the past if the last amendment attached
to the bill before its passage in the House
fixing April 1 as the day on which its
provisions should go into effect shall be
held to be legal by the courts. The Re-
publicans presented an unbroken front
to the opposition. All the rumors that dis
satisfaction with particular schedules of
the bill might lead some of them to break
over the party traces proved unfounded.
On the other hand, five Democrats braved
the party whip and gave the bill the ap-
proval of their votes. These five Democrats
are interested particularly in the sugar
schedule. Three came from Louisiana
and two from Texas. One Populist, Mr..
Howard, of Alabama, voted for the bill.
Twenty-one other members of what is
denominated "the opposition" consisting
of Populists, fusionists and silverites, de-
clined to record themselves either for or
against the measure. The Grosvenor
amendment which provided that the pro-
visions in the bill be Immediately enforced
was passed by a strict party vote.
The vote on the final passage of the bill
stood-yeas, 205; nays, 122; present and
not voting, p, giving the bill majority
of S3. Speaker Reed added to the climax
of this ten days struggle in the House by
directing the clerk to call his name at the
end of the roll call, recording his vote
for the BILL
AS the hour for voting arrived the ex-
citement increased. Mr.. McMillin, of
Tennessee, was recognized for five min
utes to close the debate for his side. He
briefly reviewed the ''eXtraordirary"
methods by which the bill was being
brought to a vote. He charged that
amendments were cut off because the
leaders of the majority feared that they
might be crushed by their own cohorts.
81 defy you now," he said, 'to give us
an opportunity to amend the sugar sched-
ule, which was framed to protect the big
gest trust in the country. And to-day
you crowned the infamy of the bill by
making it retroactive" Mr.. McMillin
concluded by having read at the clerks
desk the words of Speaker Reed, then in
the opposition, on the occasion of the
passage of the Wilson law. with those
words" said he, II let the bill go forth
to the just execration of a robbed and out
ragged people"
Mr. Dingley then took the floor and
closed the debate in ten-minute speech.
He spoke of the extraordinary circum-
stances which produced the exigency
which Congress had been called in extra
session to meet. The Ways and Means
Committee had labored faithfully for
months to adjust duties to present condi-
tions. There might be some little dis
satisfaction with rates. He assured his
colleagues and the country that he felt
confident the bill would accomplish the
purpose for which it was framed.
The debate being at an end, the commit
tee rose and the bill, with pending amend
ments. was reported to the House by Mr..
Sherman, the chairman of the committee
of the whole The roll call on the pass
age of the bill was then taken, and was
followed with intense interest and the
Republicans applauded vigorously when
the Speaker announced the result. The
galleries joined in the demonstration.