Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-28

Washington, April 27.-The general
debate upon the war tariff opened in
the House to-day. On Friday at 4
o'clock the vote will be taken There
was a signal absence CT that partisan
rancor which has always heretofore
characterized debates on revenue meas
ures. Both sides, speaking through
their representative leaders, Messrs.
Dingley and Bailey, concurred in the
necessity which existed for immediate
ly raising of hundreds of millions to
prosecute the war, but the opposing
doctrines which they held clashed at
the first onset over the methods by
which the revenue should be raised.
The section providing for $500, 900, 600
of bonds became the target of the Dem
ocratic and Populistic opposition, and
Mr. Bailey, in an hours speech, argued
for an income tax which would raise
100000, 600 year, the coinage of the
Shy Vi oCl9hOlo SC anu IlIS ioSuC vi poo,
COO 600 Of legal tender notes as an al
tentative position.
Mr. Dingley declared that it was al
most incredible that any one could seri-
ously propose in such a crisis that the
government should rely for funds upon
the proceeds of another lawsuit over a
proposition which the Supreme Court
1ad already decided against the govern
ment.
Mr.. Sayres, of Texas, the ranking mi
norty member of the Appropriation COM
mittee, devoted his time TO an argument
to demonstrate that the money to be
raised by the bill was excessive and
would
BREED RECKLESS PROFLIGACY.
The expenses of the civil war in 1864. when
the government maintained 100000 men
in the field and had four times as many
ships as it had to-day was only 81, 100, 0G0,
eco. In view of that fact he contended
that to raise $3.50 G00,C0o to carry on war.
insignificant in comparison, must result
in useless waste and extravaganza. The
Populists all vigorously opposed the bond
proposition. Mr.. Dolliver of Iowa. as
sailed the position of the opposition in
the early portion of his speech, but its
partisan flavor disappeared toward the
close and he aroused the House and gal
leries to cheers as. with eloquent words,
he touched the highly unselfish cause of
humanity in which the United States had
drawn the sword, and then melted his
audience to tears as he referred to the
blowing up of the Maine and the new
commonwealth we should rear as a mon
ument to guard the memory of the unfor-
gotten dead
The evening session was devoted to
brief speeches by members unable to Sc
cure time at the day session.
While there is no doubt that the Sen
ators of all parties who advocate the free
coinage of silver oppose the bond feature
of the war revenue bill, the present pros
pect is that they will not seek to delay
its passage on account of that provision.
Senators Teller. Pettigrew and Butler all
expressed the opinion to-day that this
would be the course pursued. Senator
Jones, of Arkansas. declined to express
any opinion upon the point. saying there
had been no exchange of views upon it
among the Democratic Senators.
The bond provision probably will be
stricken out of the bill in the Committee
on Finance and restored in the Senate.
The
FULL DEMOCRATIC STRENGTH
of the Finance Committee is relied upon
to oppose the provision.
Senator Jones. of Nevada, Silver Repub-
lican, is counted upon to support a mo-
ton to eliminate the bond feature His
vote would be decisive. as he holds the
balance of power in the committee. In
the event that the bill is reported to the
Senate without the bond clause the Re-
pubicans will move to re-insert il, after
it is reported, and in this they hope to
succeed with the assistance of several
Democratic votes. The present idea of
the Silver Republicans and Populists is
to let the majority pass the bill in the
shape that suits them after a compare
lively brief debate. They will find occas-
ion to state their position explicitly,
making clear their opposition to bonds,
but they will not attempt to delay the
passage of the measure by debate that
would prove effectual for nothing but de-
lay.
There will he an effort to amend the
bill in committee by adding a provision
for an income tax