Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-06-08
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, June S.
SENATE.

opening of the Senate to-day the acting
chaplain, Rev. Hugh Johnson, invoked
speedy return of contentment and
prosperity and that the condition of the
poor end suffering may be ameliorated
by the great measures before Congress.
The attendance OF Senators was un-
usually large, as it was felt that the
tariff bill mad entered its most important
stages.
The consideration of the tariff bill
was resumed at 1920 p. m. Mr.. ALI
son requested that the sugar schedule
be passed over.
Mr.. Vest remarked that it was an
open secret that the majority had made
notifications in the sugar schedule and
it was important that some understand
ing be had as to when the notifications
would be presented and when the sched-
ule would be taken up.
This led to a definite statement from
| Mr.. Allison. There were no open
secrets that he knew of, he said. He
concurred with the suggestion that an
understanding should be reached and
he would now announce, he said, that
the committee proposed to modify the
sugar schedule by asking the Senate
to disagree to the committee amend
ments to the House bill. or, if in order,
to withdraw those amendments. Mr..
Allison stated that the Commit
tee was not yet prepared to pre-
sent a provision relating to sugar
imported from the Hawaiian islands.
| Under the circumstances he asked that
the consideration of the sugar schedule
be temporarily passed over and taken
up to morrow.
Mr.. Vest said this would be satisfac.
tory. He wanted the consideration OF
the sugar schedule to proceed to-mor
row as it was the most troublesome,
most scandaous and most irritating III
the whole BILL" and it ought to be got
of the way
Schedule CT, relating to agricultural
products and provisions, was then
taken up.
Mir. Jones moved to strike out the
paragraphs relating to live animals,
cattle, hogs, horses, mules and sheep
and substitute a provision covering all
live animals, at 20 per cent. ad va
loren. Rejected, % to IS.
The paragraphs relating to live ami
mails were then agreed to.
On barley Mr. Jones moved to sub
stitute 40 per cent ad valorem for the
rate in the bill, 80 cents per bushel
1--WE now enter upon a series Of enor-
nous increases in behalf of the farmer"
said Mr. Vest ironically, "and without
violating the rules OF parliamentary
+, procedure l will say it is fraud,
sham and a pretense." He declared
that the idea of protecting the farmer
on barley, wheat, oats, etc, when mil
f, lions of bushels Of these products were
being exported was palpable effort to
deceive the agricultural classes.
Mr.. Vest. revertng to the course OF
some Of his democratic associates in
supporting revenue tariff rates, said
there was a time once when he, too,
was ignorant enough AMI foolish
enough to support the idea of revenue
| duties with Incidental protection. But
he was soon disabused Of that idea, as
he had found that it turned the Con-
gress of the United States into con-
vention like that of the monkeys, who,
while pursuing their deliberations, were
suddenly thrown into wild scramble
when nuts were thrown in the
cage. Immediately that you raised
duties to high point all the bene-
fciaries joined in the grab for the nuts.
1t was the old story of avarice and
greed. The talk OF revenue
duty was merely an excuse, he
asserted. The interests involved we're
"hoary, gray, giant in power, not with
the feeble whine of infants, but with
the roar of the giant" Mr.. Vest de-
clared that he would give UP his seat
in the Senate rather than vote against
free lumber, free salt or free wool, the
three great achievements of the Wilson
bill.
The vote was then taken on Mr..
Jones's amendment and it was dis
agreed to-, II to "a.
Three democrats, McEnery, Raw
Inns and Tillman, and three populists,
Allen, Butler and Beitfeld, voted with
the republicans in the negative.
On barley malt Mr.. Vest moved to
substitute 40 per cent. ad valorem for
As cents per bushcl; disagreed to with
out division.
The various paragraphs on barley
were agreed to as reported.
Senator Bacon, of Georgia, offered an
amendment placing duty of 20 per
cent. ad valorem on raw cotton.
Mr.. Plat indicated readiness for
vote favorable to the amendment and
Mr.. Chandler added: 1--WE are just dy-
ing to support the Senator's amend
ment."
"Of course they will vote for it, "
remarked Mr.. Vest soto voce.
Mr.. Vest said the amendment would
be adopted as it was in the line of in
creased rates OF duty and would re-
ceive republican support for that
reason and because it was calculated to
cause discussions in the democratic
party. He took issue with MIR. Bacon
on the contention that the amendment
was in line with the platform adopted at
Chicago. "If," he said, 81 had thought
the platform meant what the Senator
from Georgia says it does would not
have touched it any more than l
would have touched q rsttlesnake
knowing there was no whisky within a
hundred miles. God help US if the
new evangel is to prevail.
A PECULIAR Acc1DENT.-Three men
on1 ona Woman uere more or less