Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-23
STILL INTRODUCING BILLS
Among Them important Ones
Left Over
FROM THE LAST SESSION
Ruiz Correspondence Called for~-Treaty Dis
cussed Behind Closed Doors-Tariff Bill
Under Discussion in the House.

Washington March 22.-The Legislative
session of. the senate today lasted but
forty minutes the arbitration treaty be-
tween. the United States and Great Brit
ain being taken up thereafter behind
closed doors. In the short open session
nearly 200 bills were introduced and
many others were presented from COM
mfttees. Included in the latter were the
free homestead" bill and the immigra-
ton bill with the provision as to Cana
dian laborerS eliminated, both of which
were under consideration in the last con-
gress, the latter failing to become law
owing to President Cleveland's veto. The
four great appropriation bills-the eg-
ricultural the Indian, the sundry civil
and general deficiency-which also failed
for lack of Cleveland's signature, which
were reintroduced and passed last week
by the house, were referred to the com
mittee on appropria tions.
House Joint resolution was passed ex-
tending until December next the lnVesu-
cation as to the use of alcohol In the arts
by Joint commission of congress.
A resolution was agreed to calling upon
the president for the correspondence pe-
tween this government and spain ana
between the state department and Con-
sul-General Lee in regard to the arrest,
Imprisonment and death at Guanabac Goa,
Cuba, of Dr. Ruiz, and inquiring what
steps have been taken in the matter.
The resolution regarding the Ruiz case
was i'm reduced by Mr. Allen, populist, of
Nebraska. 1t grows of the belief that
Secretary Sherman will furnish the SEN
ate with the correspondence In this case,
which was refused by Mr. Oiney, when
the senate on the 23d of February last
passed a similar resolution on the motion
of Mr. Mills, of Texas. AT that time Mr.
Olney sent to the senate statement OF
alleged facts made up from the corre-
spondence, but declined 10 send the cor
respondence on the ground that it would
tend to injure the persons referred to
therein and would be incompatible with
the public interests.
AT $40 the senate adjourned until to-
morrow,
IN THE HOUSE.
The tariff debate fairly and regularly
started in the house today and will be
kept UP for the next three days, after
which time the discussion will be on
amendments that may be offered. The
reading of the bill today occupied nearly
two hours and a half, although there
was no prs.ense on the part of the clerk
that he was following the text in full.
The chair was occupied by Mr.. Sherman,
republican, of New York, as chairman of
the committee of the whole.
The opening speech was made by Mr..
Dingley, republican, of Maine, chairman
of the committee on ways and means,
and was an exhaustive explanation and
defense of the measure.
The first speech in an,agonism to 1t
was made by Mr. Wheeler, democrat, of
Alabama, member of the committee on
ways and means He asserted that the
prosperity which the people of the United
States had enjoyed had been the result, of
their industry and energy; not of the
protective system. In fact 1T had been
accomplished, he said in spite of the pro-
tective system. Even the wonderful sue
cess of the iron industry in Alabama owed
nothing to the aid of protection. BY
unanimous consent MIR. Wheeler's time
was extended until he had finished his
rernarks-which met with frequent out
bursts of applause. His speech was fol-
lowed by one in favor of the bill, made
by Mr.. Hopkins republican, of Illinois,
another member of the committee on
ways and means, and by one against it
by Mr. Bell, populist, of Colorado.
AT O'clock under the order gov
erning the consideration of the tariff
bill, the house took a recess until 6
O'Clock, the evening session to be de-
voted to a continuance of the debate.
Mr. Hopkins, republican,, of Illinois, was
designated to act as chairman at THE
evening session
THE MINORITY REPORT.
The views of the minority of the com
mittee on ways and means upon the tariff
bill were presented to the house this ev-
crat, of Texas, and leader of the democ-
yacy. The report deVotes 1000 words
to general arraignment of the protec--
tive principle and concludes with the
statement that the minority "are unable
TO offer substitute for the pending bill
because we have not been allowed a rca-
Sonable time to prepare 1t. CONGRESS
convened in extraordinary session on
Monday, the 18th day of March and this
bill was introduced the same day and
referred to the committee on ways and
means, which met the next morning and
on Thursday it was ordered to be report
ed to the house. The majority of the
committee had spent the three months
Of the last session of the last congress
iii the preparation of their bill and vet
they refused to allow the minority three
weeks in which to prepare a substitute
We are unwilling to propose measure
that has not been carefully matured, and
we must therefore content ourselves with
protesting against the passage of the
committee bill"
EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session of the house
about 100 members were in their seats,
while the galleries, as at all night ses-
sions were filled to overf1owing. Mr.. Tay-
lor, republican, of Indiana, was the first
speaker in opposition to the bill. He
devoted some time to a criticism of the
majority for rushing through the house
the four appropriation bills last week
and turning his attention to the tariff
bill, ridiculed the free list He was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Green, populist of Ne
braska, who made a general political
speech, around the question, chow are
the people to buy the products of idle
mills which are TO be started by the Ding
ley bill, when they can't buy what the
mills now open producer"
Mr.. Green has some of the arts of the
orator, and is likely to be heard from
again before the session closes.
Toward the close of his speech. Mr..
Green was asked what relief he proposed
for the farmers, in whose behalf he was
attacking the construction of the tariff
bill. 81 will tell you" was his response,
followed by derisive laughter from the
republicans Go back to the use of
the money of the constitution of which
you have deprived them" Democratic
applause) And I'll tell you another
thing you can do--you can keen YOUR