The Red Cloud chief., 1897-03-26
WASHINGTON NOTES.

The senators 10 not propose to wait
until the house passes the new tariff
bill, upon which the debate was open
ed today TO last until the 3lst inst,
when IL will he voted upon and passed.
The senate committee on finance has
decided to take the bill up at once and
70 "perfact" it. That may mean an al.
most entirely new bill by the time the
senators get through their perfeeiing
process The finance committee has
two vacancies caused by the retire
mept Of Sherman and Voorhees,, which
are not likely to be filled at the present
session. Assuming that Senator Jones,
Of Nevada, will vote with them, he
has said that he lwould-the commit
tee will be controlled by pr~otectionists,
and therefore friendly TO the underly.
ing principles Of the Dingley tariff bill.
But, although none Of them will agree
10 he quoted to that extent, 1t is under.
stood that members Of the committee
do not like the bill itself and intend to
go over IL item by item and amend it
until IL meets their ideas. This ISM
q bit pleasing to the gentlemen who
have been working for months o pre-
pare the Dingley bill, but they can
hardly be surprised. The constitution
gives the house the exclusive right TO
originate bills dealing with sthe reve.
nue., but the senate has used its rigk'
to amend to such an extent, of late
years, that the Mckinley aud the pres.
ent Tariff law were both practically
senate-made.
Those who thought that the failure
OF four of the regular appropriation
bills at the last session,would snake II
necessary for Speaker Reed to ut least
appoint the committees in the present
house to handle those bills, must feel
a little Bit dazed, Speaker Reed has
shown them that he knows a lightning
legislative trick or two. He has RUS.
ed all Of those bills through the hous,
lust rs they stood when passed by the
last congress, and that without the aid
Of a single committee, except that Oh
rules, of which he is the chairman. II,
is daily becomeing more evident tina,
50 far as the house is concerned, there
is no general legislation upon Speake,
Reeds programme for the extra ses
sion. The house has allowed itself mil
cage for the extra session.
The senate committee on lndiar
affairs has favorably reported the fire,
homestead bill Ia practically the sam
shape 1t was passed by the senate an,
hung up in the house at the last SEES
sion. II Is limited that some Of tn,
senators are in favor OF using the tarii
bill to compel the republican leaders q
the house TO allow the free hOmestea,
bill to pass that body.
There are two kinds of tariff demo
Gratis, IS well as OF money democrats
aud 1t Is by no means certain that tn
minority OF the house will act rs u uni
Ia opposing their republican tariff bill
So far as the bill itself is concerned, |
makes no difference whether the demo
Gratis vote together against it or spill
up for aud against parts of 1t, but |
may have a very important bearing
upon the future of the democrat,
party and Incidentally Of the populis,s
Alth ough denied by men of prominence
1T Is none the less true that Nj
Bryan Is being made To figure In III
squabble among the democrats in th
house tOA certaineXtent That Reprl
sentative Bailey Of Texas, the ne,