The Portland daily press., 1897-08-17


Used them.
The Passage of the Tariff Bill.
| Speaker Reed in the Illustrated Ameri-
CAM
Notwithstanding the exasperating de-
lays and the five months, mostly wasted,
spent on piece of public business which
every practical man will say might have
been finished, under proper conditions,
in two months with all the additions to
the sum of human knowledge which we
now have, the country has yet great
reason to congratulate itself upon what
has been been, upon the whole, a happy
| and unexpected deliverance.
| The president, because the urgency was
great. Immediately upon assuming
office summoned both houses of congress
to meet in extraordinary session.
The purpose and the sole purpose Of
the summons was to enable the legislative
branch of the government to pronounce
it's judgment upon revenue bill which,
from the nature of the case, had to be
considered.
All citizens, without distinction of
party, desired action.a They desired also
prompt action because the question had
to be settled before anything else could
be settled, and every moment of time
spent in settling it was costly to every
citizen of the republic, and very costly
to the country as whole.
The object of the bill to be considered
was twofold. There was to be protection
to American industry and revenue was
to be raised adequate to our needs. A
deficient revenue had wrought sad havoc
among all our people. 1t had shaken
the credit Of the treasury and the con-
fidence of the world.
When the Republicans came into power
in the house in the last congress they had
promptly and without delay, at the re-
quest of President Cleveland, sent to the
senate bill which, had it become law,
would have met and conquered the
deficit and relieved the country, much
sooner than it will get relief now even
after a more satisfactory bill has been
enacted
But such a result turned out to be
impossible. Had the democracy in the
senate risen above party, course always
recommended by those who desire help,
but never followed when their turn to
help comes, they could have rendered the
condition Of the country much more toler-
able than it has been. But such action
was not to be expected, however much.
the sanguine might hope for it. Such is
the nature of man, and that manifesto
ton of it which is called government by
party, that 1t takes very loud demand
from the country to break down the in
clination to place party success above
national welfare.
1t is true that the Republican party.
during Mr.. C1eveland's administration
had set an example on the repeal of the
silver purchase clause which might well
have been followed; but it is equally true
that the strong public sentiment of that
time rendered the task easy--a sentiment
which did not exist in full strength in
favor of the revenue bill of 1896; for on
that subject the business world was
singularly apathetic.
This failure on the part of the senate
to act left us without adequate resources
to carry on the government and rendered
it possible that we should be again called
upon to borrow money In time of peace.
Hence there was nothing to do but TO
call an extra session of the congress Of
the United States and take the chances Of
the result. The outlook was certainly NOT
propitious. This country is governed nv
parties, and our parties are decidedly
antagonistic. Neither of the parties was
in full control of the government. While
the Republicans had control of the exec
utiye and of the house of representatives
neither party had full control of the sem
ate.
While it is true that the majority of
the senate members, or nearly majority.
had united on one candidate for the presi-
dency, and in the late CAMPAIGN had
fought side by side, it remained a fact
that on other party questions they were
discordant and belligerent. This was n
misfortune, because a party is much more
sensitive to general popular opinion than
are individual members who arc respon.
sive to merely local opinion
TO pass bill Though he house OF rep
rescnratives was very ,jpl le. The Aa
iority thro M.e si,4a ansi.t!y!t, q ~
accorlnnte witu- iit II, in ia, o.
house. Il bill Wa vety cA.N41!ns atu5,
ny ii Nays am; uio,s.- .s,-1-, fiat q +.
cOaiiptt ni, and II Is ilUA tr, Iiti,,4s 90 .,l
that The plit thts 'irnTn and thus l..->ef'
expressed more nearly the sent iueuts q;
hu1 tto