Evening star., 1897-04-14
Precipitatsd in the Senate BY Mr..
Vest.
ICrIuB on mS RESOLUTION
Sent to the Committee by One
Majority.
OTHER BUSIN ESS DONE

This being the eighty seventh birthday of
Senator Morrill, of Vermont. the opening
prayer OF the chaplain referred in eulogy
to the patriarch of the Senate, hale in
cody, alert ard vigorous in intellect, fresh
and kindly in generous sympathies, crown
ed with the fruits of an illustrious career of
more than two score years In the service
Of the nation. with the love and honor of
his green mountain state, of the Senate and
of the country at large"
Something of stir was occasioned by a
statement from Mr.. Mantle of Montana In
presenting memorial from wool growers
He said this extensive class, particularly
those of the west. felt that the proposed
rates Of the pending tariff bill did not af-
ford the necessary protection to raw WOOL
also that the wool manufacturers are given
undue protection as compared to that given
10 the wool growers. M. Mantle then
stated that he was informed the wool
manufacturers were we'll represented in
Washington. and that the secretary of the
Wool Manufacturers Association was now
acting as clerk of the Senate committee ON
finance.
Mr.. Morrill,, chairman of the finance COM
mittee, quickly interposed the statement
that the Montana senator was entirely mis-
taken. The secretary of the Wool Manu-
facturers' AS ssociation had been called here
to give information, as he had been be-
fore.
Ground for the Statement.
Mr.. Mantle said his statement was based
on a published report that Mr.. S. M. d.
North. who is secretary of the Wool Manu-
1acturers Association, is acting as secre-
tary of the finance committee of the Sem
ate. Doubtless this gentleman was an ex-
pert of wide Information, but ne also rep
resented the wool manufacturers. The last
republican platform, preceded Mr.. Man
lie. pledged the party to grant ample pro-
lection to the wool growers. On this pledge
they gave their votes to the republican
party at the last election, although many
OF them, particularly in the west favored
free silver coinage. Mr.. Mantle expressed
the hope that the present bill would not
be left open to the inequalities of the Nc
kinley bill as to wool.
Mr.. Jones Of Arkansas. one of the demo
cratic members of the finance committee
remarked that there seemed to be a MS
apprehension. The finance committee he
said, were not considering the tariff bill
certain members of that committee repub-
1can members-were understood TO be at
work on it, but the finance committee had
not taken up the bill.
Mr.. Morrill, said ii was perfectly well
understood that republican subconlmit-
tee was going over the bill. although the
finance committee as whole had not Yet
taken up The measure. He expected he
said, that the full committee would con-
What Mr.. Hoar HoDes.
MIR. Hoar responded to some of the crit
icisms of Mr.. Mantle. He said he hoped to
see the wool schedule arranged to the sat
isfaction of the wool growers. This should
be done without arraying the wool grow
ers against the wool manufacturers. Their
interests were identical. Certainly no wool
grower would desire to have a duty on
manufactured wool which did not afford
adequate protection. This whole question
must be settled by the sound and sober
Judgment of both interests. Mr.. Hoar re-
ferred to the fact that the wool growers
We're not without their watchful represen-
tatiVes when the tariff bill was before Con-
gress, and he thought the argus ewes of
Judge Lawrence would see that this in
terest did not suffer
Mr.. Gray Oel) said he desired to call
public attention to the remarkable propo-
stion coming from the other side of The
chamber. Senators had made clear that
there was compact, weH-managed organ
izatlon for the purpose of raising the taxes
TO the highest point on their respective
lines Of goods. Both of these industries
were represented. according to the state
ments made, burt the great body of Amer
| lean people. who were the consumers of
| these taxed goods. were not represented
here.
They are represented by the democratic
side" remarked Mr.. Frye.
L am glad to know that this side repre-
sehtS the great Dooy OF the people," re-
sponded Mr.. Gray. He went on to say that
| this plea in behalf of tariff beneficiaries
would be followed soon by pleas in behalf
or hides and other articles, without refer
ence 10 the people who used these articles.
MT. daWiey (ConnD expressed regret that
the Delaware senator should seek to stir
up ill feeling and to impugn the motives of
honorable men, He asserted that no undue
influence was being exerted by the wool
interests, and during many years he had
received only one letter on the subject.
Mr.. Vests Resolution.
At this point Mr. Morrill, stopped the dis
cussion by calling for the regular order
He expressed the hope that there would be
no premature debate of tariff bill not be-
fore the Senate. adding that he expected
the bill would be reported at an early day.
This terminated the brief and breezy de-
bate on this line of the tariff. but it soon
came up again on the resolution Of Mr..
Vest declaring Illegal the recent order of
the Secretary Of the Treasury to customs
officers relative to goods imported after
April 1.
Mr.. Vest declared that the duty of the
Secretary was to execute the existing laws.
And vet the order clearly anticipated the
retroactive clause of the tariff bill pending
before Congress. In effect the order nulli-
fed the existing law. He said that no in
telligart lawyer would declare the re-
| troactive clause of the Dingley bill to be
lawful exercise of authority by Congress.
1t was act of intimidation against i'm
porters
Mr.. Morrill, again expressed regret that
the tariff bill was being discussed before 1t
had been perfected and presented to the
Senate. Some of these provisions now un-
der discussion might be changed before
reaching the Senate.
Mr.. Vest answered that he had not pre-
cipitated a tariff debate. 1t was the Secre-
tary of the Treasury who precipitated the
question by his illegal order. Must the
Senate remain dumb. asked Mr.. Vest.
while this Secretary drew his sword and
directed 1t against American citizens?". 1t.
was an unjustifable- act against the i'm
porters Mr.. Vest asserted. b., ..s -...
Sent to the -CDmnaittee. e. .
Mr.. Morrill, moved to- refer the resolution
to the finance committee. This precipitated
a tariff vote. Great interest was manifest
ed in the vote and the roll call was closely
followed. The motion prevailed by a vote
of 2423, as follows:
Yea:tBaker. Burrows, Carter. Clark, Gull
lom, Davis, Foraker, Frye, Gallinger. Haw-.
ley, Hanna, Hansbrough, Hoar Mcmillan,
Mantle. Mason. Nelson. Platt Of New York,
Pritchard. Proctor. Quay. Spooner. War
rem. Wellington-A. .
Nays-Bate. Butler, Cannon, Chandler,
Chiffon, Cockrell. German. Gray. Harris Of