The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-30
Down ON IT.


Dingley aptly expresses it when he
says that s'it must be borne in mind
that there is no senate bill as yet"
The senate bill so-called Is simply the
house bill reported to the senate by the
finance committee with amendments.
What it will be when the senate gets
through with it no one can tell. When
the Wilson bill was in similar pre-
dicament the problem was quickly
solved. The house was virtually told
that 1t must take the senate amend
ments, mistakes and all, or nothing.
That house of representatives, and
even the president himself, was bull
dozed. It gave way to the senate, a
the result was disastrous to the peo-
pie and to the administra ton.
It is evident that there will be no
such action in this house OF representa-
tives. The speaker is the real leader
Of the majority in the house, and his
followers are loyal to the core. Mr..
Dingley makes, ao5 agnffcent lieu
tenant. The bilr must go to a confer
ence committee This committee will
undoubtedly wrangle over it, indefinite
ly. but in the end it must come to
some agreement. OF course, 1t Is pos
sible that congress may adjourn with
out action. The knot may become
Gordian, but 1t cannot be cut by an
adjournment of congress. The presi-
dent is we'll known to be man OF
nerve and capacity. when nerve and
capacity are required. He demonstrat-
ed these characteristics in the Fifty
first congress.
If congress adtourns without action,
he will act promptly, If not sagacious-
ly. The two houses will be called to-
gether again in a second extra session
and practically forced to come to an
agreement.
There are evidently wide differences
between the two bodies. The virtual
leader in the senate Is Mr.. Aldrich, OF
Rhode Island He has had much ex-
perienee in revenue legislation, and has
decided opinions. He clings to them
with tenacity. and his hold can be
shaken only by the action OF the sen
ate ITSELF What the senate may dc
with the bill is, of course, problemati-
cal. It may rend the action of its
nance committee. It may make radf.
cal changes in the proposed amend
ments. The sugar schedule will un-
doubtedly lead to bitter fight. equal
| ing in intensity the fight over free
! hides and wool. Sectional feelings are
| already aroused, and may predominant
! 1t seems almost certain that the West
| will be arrayed against the East. Each
will look for allies, and they are te
be found only in the South
The debate in the senate has beer
| deferred once, but will hardly be agar
| deferred 1t promises to be a contest
of extraordinary interest. There will
| be flashes Of populistic lightning anc
| reverberations of Democratic thunder
| The discussion might well recall the
Ben Wade and Fessenden. There is
fully as much ability and eloquence
| In the senate today as in those
| troublous days. Sectionalism may moi
be so rampant, but it lies at the roo,
of the contention, and will undoubted-
| 1y inspire much of the discussion. Sen.
| ators Hoar and Lodge are the eQua
of Sumner and Wilson. Foraker will
| undoubtedly flourish his fiery falchior
! Allen, of Nebraska, will use Congreve
! rockets, and Vest shower the senate
wits Greek fire. You will hear the
clarion trumpet of Roger O. Mills
above the din of battle, while Haw-
ley, of Connecticut, and Frye, OF
| Maine, serve the new and improved
! Republican artillery.
| julius Caesar Burrows will undoubt-
| edly be in the front line welding the
broadsword Of Kalamazoo, while Tur.
pie, of Indiana, uses his rapier OF
sarcasm in thrust and parry with the
/ exquisite grace Of an intellectual
| maftre d'armes Tie leonine name o1
| Mason. of Illinois. is sure to be con.
| spicuous And K,nute Nelson, the vik.
! Ing of Minnesota, may possibly create
dismay among his associates by hurl-
ing anew the javSlin Of free trade
| Stewart. of Nevada. threatens to wave
| aloft the gonfalon Of free silver, add
| ing confusion to the contest, while
German, Of MARYLAND. and Daniel, ot
Virginia. with, others, will serve the
Democrats guns with precision an6
regularity The country may manifest
an interest In the debate, but 1t will
be far more Interesting in the result
It has we'll been said that what is
fun for the senates Is death to bust.
ness. g .s,l ls
| The members Of the house Of repre-
| sentatives all have an active interes
in the fate Of the bill in the senate
| They receive in every mail protest.
| from manufacturers, Importers, ant
business men generally, against the ac
| ton Of the finance committee on certain
schedules. The representatives, how
| ever. are powerless. Even when thu
bill comes back to the house they will
! probably have no opportunity to offel
amendments to it. They had no sucf
| opportunity when the Dingley bill orig