The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-08
Senate Proceedings.

Washington, July 2.-SenatOr Yelling
ton of Maryland rose to question of
personal privilege soon after the opening
of the senate today and in vehement
voice referred to publications concerning a
conflict said TO have taken place yester-
day before the committee on commerce in
relation to the appointment of B. W. War
ner, Jr. rs consul to Leipsic.
The senator declared that the publca-
ton was unjust and sought to embrOil
him in a conflict with the president of the
United States. Mr. Wellington said that
he understood committee meetings rea-
ting to nominations were secret and sacred,
and he could not believe that any member
of the committee gave the information,
under such circumstances, who, he said,
could have inspired the report but that
creature present in the committee room
yesterday. 1t was argued that he had at
tackled President Mckinley. This, too, he
declared WAS false. He was a free man
and he reserved it to himself to criticise
any appointment. He had done so only
in respectful manner, and should the
occasion arise he would do so again. He
had the right to expect the same consdera-
ton rs that accorded to other republican
senators.
''If the price of patronage is to be SER
vile obedience then | refuse to give it,
exclaimed Mr.. Wellington.
He spoke again of the creature re-
spOnsible for the report and closed with
an emphatic statement as to his preroga-
tives. If these prerogatives were to be
interfered WITH then he proposed to make
war" He had right to be treated as
other senators with the same senatorial
prerogatives. He could not be driven
Al. ,ff n11-C
Il will remain right here" exclaimed
Mr.. Wellington, striking his desk a re-
sounding blow. "No man ever struck me
a blow tina. did not return it with inter
est, and they will find me on deck if the
struggle is to begin -,
After the stir of this incident the tariff
bill was taken up. Mr.. White of Cali
fornia in behalf of the minority of the
finance committee. asked Mr. Allison Tor
the program on tea, beer, the antitrust
amendment and other important ques-
tons.
MIR. Allison responded that an amend
ment relating to the increase of the
revenue to be derived from the bill would
be brought in later in the day. AS to other
questions little more time was desired.
Mr.. Teller of Colorado inquired what
the committee or caucus contemplated do
ing on the question of decreasing the tax
on distilled spirits in view of the letter
written by the secretary of the treasury.
Mr.. Allison answered that the whole
question of distilled spirits had been gone
over Personally he believed lower tax
would be productive of greater revenue,
but he thought it unwise to go into the
COMPLEX questions in connection with this
tariff bill.
Mr.. Teller Sid the letter of the secre-
torv of the treasury indicated a desire for
legislation on this subject. Then the
senator added: go,
Before this bill is disposed of, l will
discuss what should be done in decreasing
the tax on spirits. l will show that the
committee is giving away S2,OOO.OOO a
month to the detTiment of consumers who
bear the burdens and to the detriment OF
the honest dealers in distilled spirits.
The consideration of the bill then pro-
ceeded.
The paragraph relating to nickel was
changed. making the rates on nickel ore 8
cents per pound on the nickel contained
therein: nickel matte, 4 cents per pound
nickel oxide, alloy. etc, cents per
pound. This brought the senate to the
retaliatory clause so called, providing
| that whenever any country pays bounty
on any article higher than the duty upon
| the importation of that article into the
lnltpu states there Sllill w ltNleu anu
placed in addition to the duties otherwise
imposed by this act an additional duty
| equal to the net amount of such bounty
or grant, however the same may be paid
or bestered."
Mr. Gray of Delaware spoke against
| the amendment, saying he regarded it as
| opening the way to a disregard of our
| treaty obligations with at least two Eu-
ropean countries. Germany and Austria
Hungary. He read the protest of Baron
Won Thielmann. the German ambassador,
and Baron Won Hangelmuller. the Aus
trian minister. against the proposed dis
criminatory duty.
Mr.. Caffery of Louisiana differed with
Mr.. Gray. arguing that no breach of in
| ternational obligations was involved. and
| that retaliation of this character was in
| the nature of self preservation. to which
any country could resort when its indus
| tries were threatened by the payment of
| foreign export bounties.
Mr. White of California argued that if
Germany had the right to give an export
duty which in effect operated against the
| United States, the United States could
adopt measures to offset this, and he
| would not even call it retaliatory.
Mr. Chandler of New Hampshire said
he would vote for the retaliatory clause
with extreme reluctance. The senator
said he did not see how the retaliatory
Il