The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-18
SEA OF oRAToRY STILLED.
DINGLEY STORM MILD COMPARED
TO SOME TARIFF TEMPESTs.

| Present Tariff Dill Before the Sem
ate.
! Washington. April 16-The sea Of ora
tory in the House is stiled. The sharp
raps OF the gavel BY James S. Sherman in
committee of the whole on the state of
the union stnl echo in the south wing of
the capital; but the waves of debate are
no longer white-capped with eloquence,
and the roaring Of the surf of recrimina-
ton has ceased. Even the froth along the
shore has evaporated. The tariff bill has
been sent TO the Senate, and the House,
with folded arms. basks upon the broad
bosom Of Speaker Reed. placidly await
ing its action.
These tariff tempests are periodical. In
ten years service have been caught in
! four of them. AS compared with its pre-
| decessors. the Dingley storm was mild in
! deed. The sky looked blacker than ever,
and there was much wind, but the storm
| itself was by no means so severe as those
that preceded it. To be sure, the waves
! banked high, and the surf was rampant,
noisy and frothy but beyond this and the
lumber and wooden schedules there was
very NIUE 70 attract PUBIC dtlSntlOn.
How vivid are the scenes attendant upon
the Mills bill years ago! 1t was storm
created by a President elected by demo-
Gratis, who desired an issue in seeking a
second term. He got the issue and lost
the election. The gladiators in the House
then were Roger Q Mills, pitted against
William Mckinley, and Judge Turner Of
Georgia as antagonist of Thomas B. Reed.
General debate lasted twenty-three days,
including eight evening sessions. The read
ing of the bill by paragraphs for amend
ments consumed twenty-eight days more.
1t was fruitless discussion. The Senate
was republican. There was no chance
whatever for the passage of the bill in
both houses of congress. A political issue
was sought, and the bill was framed to
meet it. 1t was framed, however, in ac-
cordance with the wishes of the majority
of the House. For several nights demo-
cratic caucuses were held.
In these caucuses each congressman
made an appeal to his fellows for protec-
ton to the industries of his own district,
If the caucus granted what he wanted,
the amendment was incorporated in the
bill, and that ended it. When the bill
went to the Senate, however, that body,
as was expected, threw it into its waste
basket, and sent back a clean-cut repub-
lican measure. This went to the ways
and means committee, and no further ac-
ton was taken. The issue sought was
found and the democratic party was de-
feated
Then came a second tariff storm. The
succeeding congress was republican in
both branches A republican President
had supplanted Grover Cleveland. The
introduction of the Mckinley bill promptly
followed. The ways and means commit
tee, with William Mckinley as chairman.
gave hearings for weeks to all who de-
sired them. The bill was not framed aft.
er the manner of the Mills bill. There
was republican caucus to which dis
gruntled members could appeal.
General discussion in the House was lin
tied to four days and three nights. There
was a great forensic contest, in which Nc
Kinley, Carlisle, Reed Mills, Burrows and
Crisp participated. The reading of the
bill for amendment occupied nearly eight
days. 1t was the first bill that was pass
ed under a special order from the COM
mittee on rules. The vote was taken at
the specified hour The special order was
so imperative that 1t shut out over 200
amendments authorized by the ways and |
means committee. The Senate afterward
incorporated many of these amendments
in the bill, and it became a law. The bill
afterward became a political issue, and
issue
Four years elapsed, and Grover Cleveland
was again President of the United States.
His election brought before the House a
new tariff bill, known as the Wilson bill.
1t did not embody the recommendations
made by the national democratic conven-
ton.
1t was woven deftly and with few hear
ings. No bill was ever surrounded with
more mystery. NJ caucuses were held,
and the advice of democratic members as
to the industrial interests in their dis
tricts was neither sought nor desired. No
one aside from the ways and means COM
mittee was allowed to offer an amendment
while the bill was before the House. Like
it's predecessor, the Mckinley bill, it came
before the House under a special order
from the committee on rules. General de-
bate was limited to three days including
night sessions. It's consideration by par
agraphs lasted twenty days. The closing
scenes were dramatic and memorable
Reed and Wilson wound up the debate in |
speeches remarkable for power and mten- !
sity Seventeen democrats in the House
voted against the measure some because
an income tax was saddled upon it and
others because they had had no opportuni-
ty TO offer amendments. The Senate re-
modelled the bill until 1t was utterly mis-
shapen.
When II was returned to the House Il
il as it was. blunders and all, because the |
appointment of a conference committee !
would have certainly resulted in failure |
to pass any bill whatever.
Like the Mckinley bill, the Wilson bill |
became a political ISSUE 1t was not a |
bill for revenue only and II did not pro- |
vide sufficient revenue to run the govern |
ment. II led the democratic party anew |
10 defeat. The people expressed their |
opinion concerning it when they elected |
William Mckinley, the author Of the bill |
passed four years before, to the presdon- /
cy. With his Inauguration and an extra |
session the Dngley bill has gestated in |
the House and has been sent TO the Sen |
ate. It. like the Mckinley and the Wilson |
bills, came before the House under a |
special order from the committee on rules |
Limited hearings were gwen. but no |
caucuses were held. No amendments. |
aside from those offered by Mr.. Dingley's |
committee. were considered. General de. |
bate was limited 20 four days. with even |
ing sessions. Five days were allowed for |
the consideration OF the bin by para
graphs. IL was business.
ttNNhaf MO NJ Mr GnaaEar nd NIB -