The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-24
DEBATE ON A TARIFF BILL
How 1t Is Conducted in House Of
Representatives.
MINORITY In PRESENT HOUSE
LACKS FOR LEADERS.

Old Members Who Have Returned Find
Who Presides in Commit &c of the
WhoIe-General Debate on Present
Measure.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J
| Washington. March 23.-The tariff de-
bate began in the House of Representa-
tlVes on Monday without many spectacu.
lar features. The attendance was large,
and. willis Mr.. Dingley spoke there was
interest and liberal applause, although
his voice was not in very good condition
ana was heard with difficulty in the
more remote portions ofathe hall. The
work OF framing the bill has been very
great. and 1t would not be surprising ii
MI. Dingley felt the effects of it although
ne does not show it unless it be in his
voice. Mr.. Dingley spoke an hour and
flve minutes, covering the salient points
OF the bill.
He was followed by General Joseph
wheeler OF Alabama. This ia fact of
considerable significance, illustrating
the weakness of the Democratic side In
lighting material in the question. Bailey.
OF Texas, the recently elected leader of
inc minority. was put upon the Ways
and Means COMMITTEES because Of his
elevation to leadership. But he is a young
member, with very little knowledge of
the thrift. Mcmillan, of Tennessee. who
IS an older member and better informed
on the tariff, is still sour over his defeat
Dy bailey and has also been kept awav
from che House by serious illness in his
family. This left General Wheeler to
lead OFT. He is man of great industry
out 1t If a question whether or not he
asslmllates the stores OF information
whlch be gathers up. 1t can hardly be
said that he presented very noticeable
offset to Mr.. Dingley's presentation. A
| speech from the General is usually the
! signal OF good natured banter in the
limited circle to which his rather weak
| and jerky voice reaches.
/ Wheeler WAS followed on the Democra.
tic side by Bell, the Colorado Populists.
who is not member of the Ways and
Means Committee The putting of these
two men forward Is fairly Indicative OF
the condition of the Democratic minori-
ty. In its ranks are great body of new
and inexperienced men, while It's leaders
4 were new men but yesterday. Bland and
Holman and Lanham, of Texas. have re.
turned to the scene of their old promi.
nenoe to find these new men in control
and themselves relegated to the rear.
Holman's efforts to resume his old place
have so far been rather pathetic than
effective. His two years of retirement
have broken the spell of his long years
OF service; and SO far he has hardly sue.
| ceeded In making himself heard above
the disorder Of curiosity or merriment
which his participation in debate coca
sions.
All the debate on the tariff bill is tax
ing place in the committee of the whole.
On these occasions the Speaker is not in
the chair, but selects a chairman to pre-
side. Mr.. James S. Sherman, of New
York, has been selected to preside while
the bill is under debate. He Is young
4 AANAJ OdU Adb 6COu OOASluoGdUle SERVICE.
having come to the House, in the Fiftieth
Congress. He began to come to the front
In the stormy times Of the Fifty first
Congress. He was swept under in the
| tidal wave of 1890, but came up again
In 1892, and is now firmly entrenehed
in his District and in the House. He is
an excellent presiding officer, his clear
ringing voice. aiding him greatly. Mr..
Sherman is well-known in Maine, hay-
ing been on the stump there during the
last oampa ign.
There are two kinds of debate on the
tariff bill,- the general debate and the
debate by paragraphs. Under the rules
of general debate, no amendments are in
order and each member is entitled theo-
retioally to an hour. But in fact only the
members of the Ways and Means Com
mittee are sure of an hour each. The 9TH
er mem bers of the House come to an ar
rangement with the chairman, whereby
they agree to take shorter time in consid-
Grafton of being recognized at all. This
is in accordance with the system of the
House, which gives the most time to
those specially informed on the subject
under debate and shuts others out with
less time. During the day times the gem
eral debats is listened to by aood-sized
audiences both on the floor and in the
galleries; but evenings there1are rarely
more than bakers dozen on the floor.
Oonseq uently there is great disinclina-
tion to speak at evening sessions; and
the new members have to chose between
such time or no time al all. Even the
new members turn up their noses at the
idea of speaking to 26o empty benches,
while a great audience In the galleries
looks on in pity. 1t is usually absolutely
impossible to get the members to attend
an evening debate.
The general debate ends on Thursday
From that time until the last day of
March the bill will be read paragraph
for paragraph for amendments. During
this time no member is allowedEto speak
more than five minutes to any amend