The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-25
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
THE TARIFF BILL A LAW.
PASSED AND SIGNED AND CONGRESS
ADJOURNs-oURRENoY MES
SAGE SENT IN.

Commission. but No Action IL Taken By the
senate-TaFiR Conference Report Adopesd.
90 to so-The Bii signed by the President
ut aiOo p. M.-Treasury Omcials Held that
It Went Into EHect at Midnight OF Friday.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-The tariff conference
report was discussed In tho Senate to-day, from
10 in the morning until 8 in the afternoon, when
It was agreed to by a majority Of 10 40 to 3Oh.
The closing scene was witnessed BY n large a.
semblage, and the announcement Of the result
was greeted with q round Of applause. Besides
the seventy Senators whose votes were recorded
for or against the conference report, there were
twelve Senators paired and seven who, not b.
ing paired, refrained from voting.
Tho bill was taken up In the Senate Just two
months ago, and its actual consideration, apart
from the time when It was In conference, ocou-
pied just seven weeks. The debate was opened
on Tuesday, May %, with q speech by Mr.. AID
rich. and was continued without interruption till
Tuesday, July z. when the bill was passed by Q
vote Of SO to 90. exactly the Same majority By
which the conference report was agreed to to-day.
1t then went to conference, and tho conferencer 70
port came up before the Senate on Tuesday,
July 90, and was debated until 8 O'Clock to-day.
when, BY unanimous consent, the vote vas
taken.
Afterward the House concurrent resolution
| vi y uuhl bQIOuEnmenG OF COnRrOBb at b o CLOCK
tonight was laid before the Senate and action
upon It was fought of for several hours by sen-
ator Morgan and other Senators, who wanted 70
secure action on tho Pacific Railroad resolution
before final adjournment. The Presidents mes
sage as to . monetary commission was made an
instrument in fighting of tho Adjournment
resolution. But finally Mr.. Morgan, realizing
the impossibility Of forcing action on the Pacific
Railroad resolution, withdrew his opposition to
a.
unanimous consent for its adoption. Consent
was given, and 80 at DIP. N. the final adjourn.
ment took place.
As far as the House is concerned. when 1t ad-
5ourned sine die at 8 o'clock tonight tho pro.
gramme for the special session of Congress had
been carried out to the fullest extent, q general
tariff bill shaving been passed. and authority
having been voted for the President to appointa
commission to investigate and report upon
the currency and banking systems. The latter
was accom- plished this last day of the session
upon the receipt OF the Presidents message
recommending that this be done, and after q
discussion Of an hour and forty minutes. IL was
eSpeditiously done in order to get it out of the
way before adjournment, and not because the
scheme approved itself to the minds OF a major
iy of the House. They knew. while voting,
that that would be the end OF the matter, as far
as Congress was concerned. There was much
ShNhueiuoHii hohiltobcu Wy mt NcpuuilChnb ONSE
the several steps taken in the House leading to
the final disposal of the Tariff bill. Speaker
Reed announced his long delayed committees,
but the reading created comparatively little In.
terest. The Committee on Appropriations will
meet during the recess and prepare for its work
before Congress reconvenes in December.
Vice-President Hobart signed the Tariff bill
at $40. and it was Immediately taken to the
White House by Chairman Dingley OF the Ways
l and Maapa Cnp, ynstfan fnr thu Dr.5;JoDt'a st-
nature. The President had arranged to come to
the Capitol to sign the bill. but changed hin
mind at the last moment. He signed the bill at
4.O6 P. NJ.
Treasury Department officials hold that the
bill went into effect at midnight last night,
and. unless they find evidence to the contrary,
Secretary Gage will so rule within the ten days
allowed for tho liquidation OF customs entries
made to-day. Mr.. Gage and his three assistant
Standardization Spaulding. Mr.. Howell, and
Mr.. Vanderlip-had a talk over the matter this
afternoon and came to the conclusion that tho
bill went into effect at the beginning of the day
OF which II became a law. The courts have gen.
orally failed to recognize fractions Of a day in
settling tariff cases, but in the case of the Tariff
law Of 1878 the Federal Supreme Court held
that it became law from the moment of its APP
proval by the President Still, the burden of tho
opinions obtained by the Treasury Department
Is that a law becomes operative at the beginning
of the day on which it is approved.
The question has a great pccuniary interest to
importers who made entries to-day. and some OF
them will probably bring it into the courts for
settlement. Secretary Gage thinks that that
will DO the outcome. Custom Houses close at
noon on Saturdays, but Instructions were issued
to all customs officers to-day to keep a sufficient
number OF deputies on hand until ! o'clock, tho
regular hour Of closing business. As the Tariff
bill was not signc! until after the close Of bust
ness. customs officers will not be notified that
the new law has become effective until Monday
morning. All dntiable goods received to-day
were assessed at the rates prescribed in tho
Wilson Tariff act, but II the Treasury Depart
ment adheres to its opinion that the new law
became operative at midnight on Friday. loyal
steps will be taken by tho Government TO collect
the difference in the duties of the old and the
new schedules in cases where the Wilson law
imposes u lower rate. Refunds will be made in
cases where the Dingley bill provides a lower
duty.
The signing of the Tariff bill by the President
was narkGm by more ceremony than Is Gnst1n,
t conference report was agreed to in the senate
eral Gary. and Secretary Wilson-went to the
White House with the Intention Of accompany
/, ing the President TO the Capitol. Mr.. Mckinley
4 had changed his mind about going there, how.
. ever, and told his official associate 'h?t, he
Representative Dinghy. Chairman OF the Com.
mit'ec on Ways and Means, and the father OF
the bill as originally introduced, stepped hriskly
up the public s~tairw1yof he n%,n,ion. He was
accompanied by Representative HaEcr OF Iowa,
r Chairman OF the House committee on Enrolled
n Bills, who will send the oricia! copy OF tbs meas
" ure 10 the State Department for filing. Score
= tary Porter escorted Mr.. D!ugley and Mr.. Hagei
TO the Presidents Office. where, in addition Ia
a the Cabinet officers named. Nnrat Hhlstrad and
-. Major Dicks OF Ohio were present. Mr.. DinRiey
q produced the engrOsscd copy of the bill, a cum
$ bersome-looking document. and laid IL upon the
n Presidents desk.
Secretary Porter handed a dozen pens to thu
a President TO select the one with which he would
attach his signature. There was a hasty diving
room and more pens were brought forth. Eacl
had brought one in the hope that the President
would use 1t u completing the principal w9rl
OF the extraordinary session. But Mr.. Dinglej
X interposed. He said his pen should be used
/, and insisted upon 1t. So the President smilingl!
took II and prepared to sign the bill. II Is
Is g0ld.tippcd pen with a mOthcr-of-p pearl handle
y the sort used by women. A few seconds late