The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-22

declaring that a revenue bill which originated
in the Senate was unconstitutional. But when
the House abandoned the tariff bill, the Sen
ate, which had also taken up the tariff com
mission report, passed bill as an amendment
to the internal revenue measure and sent 1t
back to the House. which refused to concur IN
this amendment and asked for a conference.
The measure was never submitted to the
Ways and Means Committee at all. But time
was growing short.
The Fall elections of 1882 had resulted in
the choice of new House of Representatives
with large majority hostile to tho Administra-
ton, and it was necessary, provided any tariff
legislation was to be secured, to have a bill
forced through by the most expeditions meth
DDS. The result. therefore, was that the tariff
of March 3, 1888, was actually made By con-
ference committee, whose report was simply
agreed to by the two Houses, without having
considered the details of the measure at all
Although tho House had declared the Sem
ate bill to be unconstitutional, the House con-
ferees did not raise the question, because by
SO doing they would practically have declined
to enter the conference. The Senate conferees
likewise did not raise the question of coust-
tutionality because this would have been tanta-
mount to an attack upon their own body.
There was a great deal Of feeling OH the sub
ject, however. and much difficulty was cxpe-
rienced in securing a full conference committee.
For the first time in the history of the sem
ate the minority conferees refused TO serve.
Senators Morgan. of Alabama and German, of
Maryland, were appointed in the place of Beck
aud Bayard, and they also refused to act Then
Senators Davis, of West Virginia and Jonas,
of Louisiana, were appointed, and also declined;
and afterward Senator'S Butler, of South Caro-
lima, and Maxey, of Texas, were also named,
with the same result. Finally Senator'S ingalls,.
of Kansas, and Miller, of California tRepubii-
cans, were appointed in place of the rccac-
trant minority members, but they also would
not serve. At last Senator MeDill, a Repub
lican, of Iowa, who had been appointed TO fill
out the tern of Senator Kirkwood when the
latter had entered tho Garfield Cabinet, and
Malone, the Readjuster, of Virginia, were pre-
vailed upon to act
In the House also there was trouble to get a
conference together. Judge Kelley. Maj. Nc
Kinlev, and Mr.. Haskell of Kansas, were tine
Republicans named, and ex-Spcaker Randall
aud Mr.. Carlisle were the Democrats. Mr.
Randall refused to serve, as did Col. William
X. Morrison, Of Illinois, aud Randolph Tucker,
of Virginia. Finally Emory Speer, Of Georgia,
was induced to join Judge Kelley and Mr..
Haskell in signing majority report
Maj Mckinley opposed the bill because it
was not protective, and it did not conserve the
wool and other interests he represented speci-
ally.
The bill barely secured a majority Of one in
the Senate and became law by the reluctant
vote Of Senator Sherman who had declined to
approve it as conferee. Two Republicans,
Cameron, Of Pennsylvania, and Van Wyck, of
Nebraska, voted against it, but this loss was
neutralzed by the Affirmative votes of Nc
Phersou, Democrat. of New Jersey, and
Malone, of Virginia.
After the enactment of the bill of 1888 we
entered upon era of pseudo :" tariff reform "
agitation which found expression in the abor-
tive efforts known as the Morrison Horizon
tai Bill" and the Mills BILL" Both measures
failed fortunately for long suffering country.
A protection Congress was finally elected in
1883, coming in with the Harrison Admins
traton, and the result of tariff legislation was
the famous Mckinley Bill of 1890. This meas
ure was put through Congress with less diff
Guilty than the bill Of 1889. It was protective
in its design, and, furthermore, it involved
other very important features Of National
moment.
At the suggestion Of Mr. Blaine, and with The
approval Of Maj. Mckinley, Chairman of the
Committee on Ways and Means, u reciprocity
clause was inserted, giving the President of the
United States authority to remit and vary
tain duties provided by the schedules of tho
act, when applied to merchandise imported
from countries with which We might make
treaties granting US special reciprocal fayors
upon our exports TO their markets. Another
important feature was the adoption of the ex-
ample set by Germany to encourage the culti-
walton of the sugar beet.
There should be mentioned a third, and
scarcely less important feature, which was the
creation of the tin plato industry in the United
States, which. after long struggle, was finally,
by this benign measure, put upon its feet and
in spite of the hostile legislation of subse-
quent Congress, has continued to thrive.
Tho Mckinley Bill never had an opportunity
to prove what would have been its effect upon
the industries aud finances Of the country had
it been let alone. Within two months from the
time it was enacted u hostile Congress was
elected with the avowed purpose of repeating
it. The violence of the assaults upon the still
untried measure was perhaps unparalleled in
our political history. 1t was attacked by
Anglomaniacs besmeared, maligned, aud. what
1was worst of all, at last some of it's moro timid
friends began to apologize for it.
The circumstances attending the enactment
of the Wilson Tariff law are too recent to re-
quire review As a monumental fasco it was
unique. Passed to raise revenue, it has iu-
creased tho principal Of our interest-bcaring
National debt in the sum of S262, 3l5, 400. In
time of peace it brought calamity. It is
an achievement Of craftsmanship prodigal in
folly, reckless in experiment, and perhaps not
above suspicion of sinister motive The people
will step gladly to its funeral march,
THE DINGLEY BILL.
The new tariff bill which is being put
through Congress this week is an improve.
ment and necessity. 1t restores the rcci.
procity features of the Mckinley Bill of $780,
producer. 1t recognizes the claims of the agri-
cultural classes to the same protection enjoyed
by the manufacturer, and it promises to put
the Government upon solvent footing
Although the country has been flooded with
the shoddy, pauper made merchandise OF Europe