The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-18
With
Folded Arms

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE sea of
oratory in the house is stilled. The
sharp raps of the gaveI by James S.
Sherman in committee Of the whole on
the state of the Union still echo in the
south wing of the capitol; but the
waves of debate are no longer white
capped with eloquence, and the roaring
Of the surf of recrimmination 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 predecessors, the Dingley storm
was mild indeed. The sky looked black
er than ever, and there was much wind
but the storm itself was by no means
as 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 lit
tie to attract public attention.
How vivid are the scenes attendant
upon the Mills bill years ago! 1t was a
storm created by a president elected by
Democrats. who desired an issue in
seeking q second term. He got the ssue
and lost the election. The gladiators in
the house then were Roger @. 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 reading
of the bill by paragraphs for amend
ments consumed twenty-eight days
more. 1t was a 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 accordance with
the wishes Of the majority Of the house.
For several nights Democratic caucuses
were held.
In these caucuses each congressman
made an appeal to his fellows for pro-
lection to the industries of his own
district. If the caucus granted what
he wanted, the amendment was tncor-
porated in the bill, and that ended it.
When he bill went to the senate, how
ever, that body, as was expected, threw
1t into its waste basket, and sent back
a clean-cut Republican measure. This
went to the ways and means commit
tee, and no further action was taken.
The issue sought was found and the
Democratic party was defeated.
Then came d second tariff storm.
The succeeding congress was Repubn-
can in both branches. A Republican
president had supplanted Grover Cleve-
land. The Introduction of the McKin-
ley bill promptly followed. The ways
and means committee, with William
Mckinley as chairman, gave hearings
for weeks to all who desired them.
The bill was not framed after the man
ner Of the Mills bill. There was no
Republican caucus to which disgruntled
members could appeal.
General discussion in the house was
limited to four days and three nights.
There was a great forensic contest, in
which Mckinley, Carlisle Reed, Mills,
Burrows and Crisp participated. The
reading of the bill for amendment oc-
cupied nearly eight days. 1t was the
first bill that was passed under