The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-07
A WORD WITH THE IMPATIENT.

A stalwart Republican expressed himself
recently in words like these: why does
not Congress pass protective tariff bill
without delay? There seems to have been
time to have done so, but instead the SEN
ate delays while business and industry
wait The most that congressman appear
to be doing is to decide who shall be post
master here and who shall be postmaster
there, as if making and unmaking a few
officials is all there is for our senators and
representatives to do. We are worn out
with the dily-dalying Of Congress" There
is undoubtedly considerable of such senti-
ment and there will be more unless the
Senate takes up the tariff bill in earnest
and proceeds to pass it. Yet sensible Re-
publicans must know, when they reflect
upon it, that their party has not a majority
in the Senate. Just now the two parties
are tied, but when the Florida Legislature
shall elect, the passage of a protective tariff
bill will depend upon the votes of one or
two Independents who are silver men or
Populsts 1t is, however, generally admitted
that a tariff bill with protective and rev.
adjournment of the extra session.
If the Republicans were as strong in the
Senate as in the House a tariff bill based
upon the Republican idea would become a
law by the first of June The Republican
House took up the bill, which it's ways and
means committee had prepared discussed
and enacted it. The Democrats desired to
discuss it much longer but, fortunately
for the country, the majority in the House
can determine when enough time has been
expended upon a measure and then order
a vote. Unfortunately. as the majority of
practical people outside the Senate believe,
the rules and traditions of the Senate pre-
vent the taking of a vote so long as any
senator for the purposes of delay, desires,
by what must be regarded as figure of
speech, to debate any feature of a bill.
For these rules and traditions Republicans
in the Senate are no more responsible than
other parties. In fact, they are older than
the Republican party, but the abuse of the
freedom of debate and amendment is of re-
cent years. 1t can be said for the Repub-
leans that when a vote was taken, few
days since, upon a proposition to limit de-
bate all except a half dozen voted for it.
The Republicans of the Senate finance
committee have devoted four or five weeks
to the reconstruction of the Dingley bill
as it passed the House. There are those
who may think that such a task might be
completed in less than a week. A tariff
bill drawn in a week would neither bring
revenue nor afford protection. 1t is the
most intricate piece of legislation which
can be considered, Many of its details
must be the subject of long consultation.
Those who know anything of the subject
believe that the Republicans of the Sen
ate finance committee have labored indus
triously to prepare the bill reported to the
Senate.
Some one asks why the Republicans of
the finance committee have suggested so
many amendments to the Dingley bill.
There are several reasons. Many of the
House duties were believed to be too high,
but probably the leading reason is that
the Dingley bill had to be modified in order
to insure its passage by Senate in which
there is not an actual majority of Repub-
licans. This probably explains the change
in the duties on woods and the putting of
duty on hides in the bill of the finance
committee.
In a few days the committees bill will
come up for consideration in the Senate.
If the Republicans can have their way a
vote will be reached by the close of May,
but if the Democrats are inclined to cause
delay, it may take more than a month
longer. For all the delay after the close of
May the Democrats in the Senate must be
held responsible. Sensible and thoughtful
Republicans must see that such is the case,
and must place the responsibility where it
belongs.