The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-27
ANTI TRUST =,AMENDMENT.
EFFORTS OF THE, OPPOSITION TO
FORCE A VOTE WAS IN
VAIN.
RULED OUT ON POINT OF ORDER
Only Nine Pages of the Bill Disposed
of in Seven Hours of
Work.

under the three minute rule, in the
house today, but seven weary hours
of work only served to dispose of nine
Of the 1872 pages Of the bill. All the
amendments offered by the Democrats
amendments were adopted, and also
one to increase the duty on white lead
from 215 to cents per pound, the rate
of the act Of 1890. The present duty
in liz cents. 1t was adopted by
strict party vote. The discussion COW
cred a wide range of political topics.
and at times was both interesting and
exciting. BY far the most important
feature of the day was the attempt
of Mr.. Dockery CMo), Mr.. Cooper
(Tex.), and others, backed by the en-
tire opposition, to secure a vote on
an amendment, offered in a multitude
of forms, which provided that, in case
any article made dutiable by the bill,
was controlled by a trust or combina
ton, the duty upon such article should
be suspended. Mr.. Dingley made the
point of order that the amendment was
not germane to the dutiable list and
would not be in orderIuntil the free
list was reached. For almost three
hours this point of order was fought
over. The Democrats contended that
if the amendment was ruled out, it
would never be voted upon, as the free
list in all human proba bility would not
be reached before the final vote was
taken. The chair sustained the point
Of order. An appeal was taken, but
the chair was sustained by a strict
party vote, 15S to 104, ,c
Mr.. Lanham Oemf, Tex, as soon as
the enacting clause Of the bill was read,
moved to strike 1t OUT Mr.. Sherman
(Rep., n. y, who was in the chair,
ruled that the motion was out of or
der ! E1y
Mr.. Dockery Denl-, Mo- offered the
first amendment. 1t was to the en-
actment clause and was in the nature
of a proviso that whenever it was
shown to the satisfaction Of the pres
ident that there was a trust or COM
bine to control the price Of any article
on the dutiable list, the duty on such
article should be suspended.
Mr.. Dingley made the point of order
that the amendment was in effect to
the free list and as the house was now
considering the dutiable list it was not
in order
A long debate on the point Of order
followed. Mr.. Bailey made an extend
ed argument, appealing to the majority
to aid in putting down these combina-
tons, which proved, upon the energies
of the people
Mr.. Tawney declared the opposition
was attempting to make some cheap
political capital out of this alleged as
sault on trusts. The Republican party
was the only party that had ever enact
ed antitrust legislation in congress.
He created much amusement by read
ing a list of the prominent Democrats
in the present house who voted against
the consideration of the antitrust law
passed by the Fifty-first congress.
will you name q single conviction
under that law" asked Mr.. Richard
son.
Why" replied Mr.. Tawney,. only
last Monday the supreme court de-
cided that the great railroad trust of
the country violated that law" IRE
publican applause)
AMENDMENT RULED OUT.
Mr.. Henderson Rep., Io) and Mr.,
Bland, engaged in a lively passage-at-
aims, in which considerable temper was
displayed on both sides, Mr.. Dingley,
in closing the debate on the point of
order, contended that the amendment
was not germane to the paragraph to
which it was offered. and should be
ruled out in the interest of orderly
procedure.
The amendment he said, would be
in order when the free list was eached.
when the time arrives to- deal with
trusts he said, rest assured that we
will meet the question. We all under
stand that the purpose of the other
side is to destroy the revenues sought
to be raised by this bill"
Mr.. Sherman made an elaborate rui-
ing, holding that the amendment was
not in order.
Mr. Dockery Immediately entered an
appeal from the decision of the chair
AS a way out of the difficulty, pending
the appeal, Mr.. Richardson asked
unanimous consent that the amend
ment be admitted.
Il hope no one will object" said he.
Mr.. Dingley insisted that the appeal
should first be disposed of, and the
chair held that Mr.. DingIey's demand
was equivalent TO an objection.
The vote on the appeal was taken,
and the chair was sustained by strict
party vote, 15S to 104. The combined
OPPOSITION voted against sustaining the
chair. Similar amendments against the
trusts were offered by Mr.. McRae
Dem. Ark) and Mr.. Cooper Dem,
Tex, but were ruled out of order.
Mr.. Robinson Dem. Ind.) offered one
to put goods on the free list when the
prices in this country were the prices
charged abroad, plus the duty and 2
per cent for transportation.
Mr.. Smith Dem, Ariz.) presented one
providing that customs duties be paid
in silver bullion, 4121z grains to he
equivalent to one dollar; Mr.. Wheeler
Dem, Ala.) one directed against oil,
railroad and other trusts; and Mr. Nc
Millin one for the payment Of customs
in bimetallic certificates, but all failed
by the same ruling
A committee amendment fixing the
duty on boracic acid at cents per
pound was agreed TO-,
The Democrats offered various
amendments as the reading of the bill
proceeded, but were all rejected Com
mittee amendments, offered, however,
were in each case agreed TO. The duty
on carbonate of ammonia. was increas sci
from IA cents to ~ cents per pound
The duty on crude tartar, wine lees.
etc, testing less than :, 40 per cent OF
bitartrate Of potash, was fixed at l
cent; over 40 per cent. ~ cents. The
rate on rochelle salts, containing 80 per
per pound.
Frequently the discussions drifted off
into political questions. The paragraph
relating to sulphuric and nitrous ether
was amended SO as to make the rate
from rs cents to 40 cents, as provided
by the present law.
When the item of white lead was
reached, Mr.. Mahany (Rep., n Y.)
moved to increase the rate from 21h to
cents per pound. After some debate,
in which the lead trust figured extern
SiVelV the amendment was a6opted %