Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-03

therefore attracted no particular at
tention.
1t was necessary to refer to a CON
ference committee the differences be.
tween the House and the Senate or
the tariff measure. The conference
committee labored in the interest Of
the trusts protected by the tariff bill
and shaped the tariff measure as it il
now on the statute book. Section %
was given an entirely new meaning
by the Interpolation OF certain
phrases, cor which, being the produc-
ton or manufacture of any foreign
country not contiguous to the United
States from such contiguous territory"
This was one phrase and the Attorney
General has already held that there
under goods not manufactured in Cam
ada cannot be imported into the Uni
| tea States from Canada save upon the
payment of the 10 per cent. discrim-
mating duty. This was a departure
from precedent, but it was slight COM
| pared with the effect of the further
Interpolation, NOR to such foreign
products or manufactures as shall be
imported from such contiguous coun-
tries in the usual course Of strictly re-
tail trade"
The practice has been to receive the
goods from an Atlantic port like Mon
treal or Pacific port like Vancouver
and forward them to the port of desti-
nation in the United States in consul
lar sealed cars. This insured that there
should be no break in the transporta-
ton no detention of the merchandise
for inspection and appraisement and
the collection of duties at the frontier,
but such appraisement and collection
was made at the interior port. The
Attorney General now has under con-
slderation the question whether the
goods coming forward in these consular
sealed cars, like any other importa-
lions through Canada, must be sub
ject to the discriminating duty of 10
per cent.
The purpose Of the trick is plain
enough. 1t was simply blow at the
Canadian railroads in the interest of |
railroads on this side of the border.
Speaker Reed declines to accept any
responsibility in connection with this
mysterious Interpolation. He says
that it was Slipped in" and the House
knew nothing about it, AS Reed was
the whole House he cannot escape re-
sponsibility thus easy, for had he per-
mitted proper debate on the measure
this piece of concealed iniquity would |
soon have come to light.
Senator Chandler contends that the
legislation was passed by writing it
as new matter in the conference report,
where it was adopted by both houses
of Congress without being noticed by |
more than those persnnc "engaged in
the scheuIe." Tho Senator also points
out that the conference committeeman
went beyond their powers when they
inserted so important an amendment
into a clause of the law about only
five words of which there was any dis
agreement between the House and
Senate.
Senator Chandler says that Senator
Cannon in open Senate asked whether
it was intended to do anything but
settle differences between the two
houses and that Senator Allison very
promptly and emphatically replied
that of course no further effect was
contemplated.
Having had experience with con-
ference reports which should have
warned me to read every word of this
report, l have no excuse to offer for
not doing So" alphabetically exclaims
Senator Chandler. 81 hope to be for
given" he pleads, but l shall never
forgive myself"
What a disgraceful state of affairs
is here presented of legislative rotten
ness and Republican dishonesty. There
can be no doubt, from this corrobora7
tive testimony, that the Dingley bill
was tempered with by the agents OF
railroads whose interests are to be SUBJ
served by the law as it now stands.
Either some member of the conference
committees Slipped in the objection
able clause, or some clerk of the en-
rolling force did it. In either case.
the evidence is too complete to be
denied that corrupt methods were en-
ployed in bringing about the result.
1t now remains to be seen whether
Republicans in authority will permit
this new stain to remain upon the
party's escutcheon.
The Renuh1ican exclamation Of that