Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-27

sustained by the chair, and on appeal
his ruling was sustained-15S to 10f.
Many other amendments having the
same object, 20 put articles controlled by
trusts CT. the free list, were offered, and
on objection by AIr. Dingley, all were
ruled out of order. Mr.. D1ngley stated
that when the time came 10 deal with
trusts, the republican majority would do
SO, and that after passing this tariff bill,
if anything remained to do for the pub
lie interest, 1t would attend to that.
In the course cf the afternoon several
changes of duty were made, among them
being an increase of half cent on the
duty on carbonate of ammonia an in
crease Of from twenty-five to forty cents
pound on the duty ON sulphurie ether,
and increasing the duty on the products
of pig lead from "a to cents a pound.
At 5:15 2. m. the house adjourned until
tomorrow at 10 O'Clock, having disposed
of nine and half pages of the 1853 pages
of the bill.
Washington, March 25.-The debate on
the general treaty of arbitration is los
ing interest among senators and much
less time than formerly is devoted to fts
consideration.
This Afternoon Mr.. Gray. of Delaware,
spoke in opposition to the Chiffon amend
ment, which for three days has been un-
der discussion.
Senator Gray favors the treaty as ne
gotiated by Mr.. Olney, but inasmuch as
the committee amendments have been
agreed to he does net think that any fur
ther alteration in the text OF the con-
vention is necessary. The committee
amendments, Mr. Gray holds, covers the
same general ground sought to be covered
by Mr.. Chiffon and the substitution OF
his modifying clauses to the effect that
nothing be submitted to arbitration, but
such matters as the senate may agree to
erbitrate, is confusing and only tends to
cucumber the treaty.
Senat tor Thurston advocated the adop-
tion of the amendments reported to the
senate during the last session and par
ticularly that made to the first article
relative to the scope of the treaty, which
eliminated all questions relating to the
foreign domestic policy OF either of the
contracting parties.
During the course of the debate it was
suggested that perhaps it would be best
after all to return to the plan suggested
by Lord Salisbury and submit to arbitra-
tion only matters involving the question
of pecuniary damages. This suggestion
was declined by Secretary Olney.
During the debate in secret session the
question of the committee vacancies came
up. 1t was caused by a criticism of Mr..
Allen, populist, of Nebraska, objecting to
the committee on. postofices and post
roads considering postoffice nominations
until the vacancies were filled. As the
committee now stands there Is not dem
ocratic senator on it, Mr.. Butler of North
Carolina, populist, being the only senator
opposed to the republicans. Mr.. Allen
said that this was not fair representa-
ton for the whole senate. Republicans
admitted that in some of the committees
they appeared to have the best of it, but
they insisted that they were unwilling to
be charged with the responsibility of leg
islation unless the senate gave them
majority Of strongest republicans in all
committees. This the democrats had
declined to do. The democrats insisted
that they should name democrats for
those whose terms had expired and that
the republicans should keep the boiling
republicans now on the committee as
part of the republican representation.
In the discussion the republican lea ders
insisted that they must be given clear
majority or that all the elements OPP
posed to the straight republicans should
com bine and take the committees them
selves. No conclusion was reached
either upon this matter or the treaty.