Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-01
TILE IAHIEE BILL.

As a. rule businessmen take little note
of the proceedings Of Congress, but they
should be interested in the fact that the
Dineley tariff bill passed the House Of
Representatives yesterday
1t went through in the same form.
substantially as that in which it came
from the Ways and Means Committee.
Only such amendments were adopted by
the House as were recommended by the
committee: all others failed, no matter
whether they were proposed by Repub-
leans or Democrats.
one of these amendments provides that
the bill shall 60 into effect to-day. April
Isl. though II may not bgc0me law
for several months yet! In other
words. it aims 10 be retroactive; but this
is mere buncombe and is intended only
TO brighten the importers who are en-
gagged i'm filling up their warehouses with
foreign goods in anticipation of higher
duties than prevail at present This
amendment may hold as to goods
caught in the bonded warehouses after
the law has become operative. but
that the government can follow up goods
upon which duty has been paid and that
are in private hands. we DO not believe
We, therefore. regard this provision as
a mere threat intended to intimidate i'm
porters.
AS passed, the Dingley bill embraces
20 per cent more articles than the old
Mckinley bill did. while the duties i'm
posed average per cent. higher.
The bill now goes to the Senate, where
It will be promptly referred 10 the
Finance Committee Of that body. But,
as a matter of fact, the committee has
already had the measure under conside-
ration informally. With a copy of the
House bill in hand, it has been going
over the various schedules and has been
noting the objections of members.
Republican and Democratic authorities
alike agree that the Dingey bill will be
pulled TO pieces in the Senate. In the
House the DingleyHanna influence was
all powerful. Little attention was given
TO the peoples interests; the sole aim
seems TO have been to satisfy those man
facturers who placed the Republican
party under obligations to them during
The last campaign. Thus, without re-
quest from anybody-tnat is. without any
request publicly made-the committee in
creased the rates upon numerous articles
OF foreign manufacture that come into
competition with American monopolies.
SO excessively outrageous are many of
the duties named in the House bill that
numerous New England and New York
Republican papers have solemnly warned
Mr.. Dingley that he has been making a
mistake-has been setting his coulter TOO
deep. The Mugwump press also is very
vehement in denouncing the Dingley bill.
They would have the public believe they
never expected anything like this from
the Mckinley administration. But we
must say for Mckinley that he did not
gain the Mugwumpian votes upon false
pretences. In every one Of the many
speeches that he made at Canton. he
said, I'm substance, 1.-The tariff $ the
thing" lie harped upon the tariff con-
unuaily. He Get all the world know that
a high tariff would be the CHIEF object
OF bis administration. And so the Mug
wumps have no sort Of right 10 be either
surprised or ansered at the outcome OF
tho Mckinley victory.
But in the Senate the Republican ma
sority Is 80 narrow ana 50 uncertain,
the party bosses cannot possibly push
the bill through as they have done In
the House They will be compelled to hear
argument which they would not do Ia
che House--and IL is confidently expect
ed that the bin will be completely re-
viscd there
The general opinion in Washington
seems 10 be that the Senate Will make
so many changes I'm the bin that Mr.
Dingley himself %ill scarcely recognize
II when 1t leaves the Senate. Our ex-
pSctations. however do not run quite
40 far. We take into consideration the
power % Presidential patronage. Mr..
Mckinley Is giving out appointments In
driblets only. and II is web understood
that he Is going 10 stand by the Sena-
tors who stand by him. Already he