Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-13
AMERICAN TARIFF LAWS
The Wilson Bin
BY FREDERIC u HASKIN

1t did reduce the duties on most
things and provided for free raw ma
terials. Even this was regarded as a
sort of halfway measure by the out
and-out low tariff people. After the
usual Christmas recess the. house got
down to the consideration of the bill in
dead earnest A rule was brought in
limiting the debate and providing the
machinery for the consideration of
the b,ll. The Republicans fought this
tooth and nail, and resprted to the ex-
pedient of breaking a quorum by re-
fusing to vote. 1t will be remembered
that in the congress which passed the
Mckinley bill Speaker Reed and his
supporters condemned such tactics
with all the earnestness at their COM
mand, and Mr.. Reed counted the DEM
ocrats as present whether they voted
or not. Now he was the minority
leader and his old opponent was in the
chair. Crisp refused to invoke the
Reed method of getting quorum, but
adopted the course of arresting MEM
bers in order to get enough together to
do business. BY telegraphing every
absentee of his own party to come
post-haste, Crisp was able to pass his
rule after three days of fruitless ball
loting. Even on this final vote not a
Republican Is recorded for or against
the rule. After week of general de-
bate. during which night sessions were
held, the bill was taken up and amend
ed.
1t Is a curious fact that the most re-
markable feature of the measure was
offered as an amendment by Represen-
tatiVe McMillin of Tennessee just three
days before the house finally voted on
the whole bill. 1t was the income tax
provision Very few Of the Republicans
voted for the income tax amendment
nv. N 4 MI canrAtIX rat0irNd at
its passage, on the assumption that
thus overloaded the measure could
never pass through the needles eye of
legislative enactment.
February 1. 1894 was red letter day
In the house end of the capitol. Ex-
Speaker Reed was leading the opposi-
tion and Speaker Crisp took the floor In
support of the measure, which was to
be passed that day after three hours
of debate These two g:ladiators each
had an inning of an hour and half,
and they knew that at the end OF their
fray the vote would be taken. Reed
led Off in a speech that was a remark
able combination OF logic, humor. bit
ing wit and satire. At one point he
attacked Bourke Cochran, who had
dilated on the low wages or labor, by
reading another speech from the New
Yorker in which he had taken exactly
the opposite position. Cochran had
the superior. and Reed replied that IL
the strong bull of Bashan and a salt
water smelt were cast into the ATTAIN
tic ocean he would take his chances
with the smelt.
When Reed finished speaking Speak
err Crisp called Representative Hatch
to the chair and took the floor to an
swer Reed. He wa>. applauded per-
hans even more than Mr.. Reed had
been. The galleries were packed, the
floor and the cloakrooms were filled TO
overlooking. William l.. Wilson made
the final speech in behalf Of the bill
and the colleagues of the West Vir-
ginian took him on their shoulders and
bore him In triumph around the hall OF
the house, II was one of the most re-
markable proceedings ever witnessed
there. Modest and retiring in his de-
meanor Wilson was as bashfui as
school girl and showed great emDar,
rassment while thus being carrleo
one OF the most remarkable speeches
delivered In the course OF the house de-
bate was delivered by William Jen-
nings Bryan on the 18TH OF January.
II anyone thinks he was o beardless
youth, gaining his first triumph at the
Chicago convention, let him read the
Congressional Record of the date mem
toned Washington knew him. The
house was acquainted with his powers,
and he was accorded unusual honors
He was given unlimited time In which
to deliver his speech. and SO great was
the demand to hear him that visitors
were admitted to the floor of the
house itself. privilege seldom granted
to any speaker Mr.. Bryan said little
that was new, for such a thing has
long since become next to impossible.
But he presented his arguments In that
captivating form which characterized
his great Chicago speech two years
later.
Copyright 1903, by Frederic J. Haskin)
Observation-Disclosures Tariff Laws.
R.a