Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1894 — FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

Tuesday’s Senate session was dull. Senator Chandler’s resolution inquiring as to the constitutionality of Commissioner tfter Senator Sherman had expressed his jpinion that its passage would be disrespectful to the foreign relations committee, which is already considering the sublet. Senator Chandler, finding his own party not a unit in support of his proposition, promptly withdrew it. Senator Coke, of Texas, called up the House joint resolution authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to permit the owners of cattle and horses transporting them into Mexico to re-import the same into the United States at any time within twelve months of this date. It was passed. Thursday was designated for the considsratlon of the Hornblower nomination. Adjourned. In the House, Tuesday, Mr. Wilson completed his presentation of the Wilson bill. Mr. Burrows opened the debate for the Republicans in a three hours speech. As to free iron ore and free wool, Mr. Burrows said: This will inevitably result in one of two things—the destruction of our flocks and the closing of our mines or the lowering of our conditions to the level of our foreign competitors. Already the suggestion of free trade in iron ore has closed our mines, forced our miners out of employment and driven a people who were never before dependent upon public charity to beggary and want. The good people of my State, in every town and hanjleLare already contributing to their necessities. We of the minority intend to resist to the last this wanton destruction of American Interests. Webelieve.ln the development of all our industrial forces to the fullest possible extent, and to that end would extend the same measures-of protection to the producers of raw material as to the workers in the more advanced product. We would not only be independent of foreigners for our manufactured goods, but tor the raw material out of which they are fabriced. I can conceive of no production so far as possible of our own policy more detrimental to American manufacturers and American laborers than the abandonment of protection of production, so far as possible, of our own raw material. Such a policy would not only drive labor from the largest field of its employment, but it would dry up one of the most.bountiful sources of National wealth and reduce our manufacturing industries to completedependence on foreign nations for the supply of their raw material. Such a result would be a disastrous one even to the interests it is proposed to promote, for when we have slaughtered our flocks, closed our mines and wholly abandoned the production of our raw material the foreigner would take advantage of our helpless condition and impose upon us whatever burden his cupidity might suggest. We, therefore, would protect all interests, whether of mine or the furnace, the field or the factory, to the end that all our people may receive profitable employment and the Nation attain its highest possible development. At the conclusion of Mr. Burrows’ speech there was a great outburst of applause from the Republican side. After order had been restored Gen. Black took th« floor and, in reply to Mr. Burrows, said that the suffering and disaster depicted by the speaker existed after thirty years of laws written by his own party. At 5’30 the House took a recess until 8 o’clock, and the evening session Was devoted entirely to a consideration of the pending measure. The principal event of Wedndesday’s Senate session was the speech of Senator Davis, of Minnesota, in support of the policy of non-intervention in Hawaiian affairs. The speaker favored ultimate annexation, and declared that to be the manifest destiny of the islands. The argument of the Senator showed that the revolution was the outcome of the Queen’s usurpation. Senator Gorman, speaking on another subject, said that the total appropriations by Congress during the past three years had exceeded the total revenues of the Government by $300,000,000. A large, portion of this aggregate was for public buildings, as yet incomplete, and of course unexpended. At 3:30 the Senate went into executive session and at 5:10 adjourned. At Wednesday’s session of the House the tariff debate was continued. Tom L. Johnson, of Ohio, delivered a sensational speech. He boldly attacked the timid attitude of the Democrats on the tariff question. He said in part: We of the Democratic party went before this country in 1892 asserting that the existing tariff was wrong in principle and unjust in operation, declaring the policy of protection a fraud and robbery .charging it with creating trusts, stifling commerce, throttling Industry, causing enforced idleness, lessening wages, impoverishing labor and creating a few monstrous fortunes, and pledging ourselves to abolish it if the American people gave us authority. They did give us authority and then our haste to repeal oppressive taxes subsided, and Instead of living at the throat of the protected barons |n the robber trust, the great Democrat!? party began, as it were, to wag its tail and look for crumbs. Up to the present, thanks to our inaction, the victory of the Democratic party in November, 1892, has worked evil for good. Thf McKinley tariff still exerts its strangling power and. worse than the McKinley tariff, is the depressing effect of the uncertainty as to what tariff will succeed it. Do employers pay larger wages when they get larger profits?; I do not, and even philanthropists do ,not. Take Mr. Andrew Carnegie, who gives like a prince out of the millions the tariff ha- enabled him to take from his fellow citizens. He gives like a prince from his more than princely income but he does not raise wages unless he has to. I believe in making all the money I can. lam a thorough going monopolist, and take advantage of the bad you Republicanshave made, but I don’t believe in defending thoSe laws here. [Loud and prolonged Democratic applause.] At the conclusion of Mr. Johnson’s rpeech Mr. Dalzell, of Penesylvania. spoke at length from a protection standpoint, pleading for American wages for the American workingman. He depicted the deplorable condition of the country and said: What do those who rule our destinies propose by way of relief? A tariff bill that, if enacted, I predict posterity will pronounce the most infamous legislative crime of our history. Instead of relief, it brings aggravation. To the manufacturer, whose idle capital is bringing him no returns, whose plant disused, is depreciating, and whose income has been sadly narrowed or entirely cut off. it offers the deceptive lure of free raw materials and the Ignus fatuus of the world's market, while iLstrips him of the ability to compete in any market and be jus’ to his employes. To the farmer it offers, instead of protection. an enlarged competition from abr >ad in the products of hiS farm: instead of a vast and growing hotan market, a market abroad in which his inert ised surplus cannot but degrade prices. To the cry of the laboring man for work at Atawrlcan wage rates, to the end that he. his wife and his children, shall Uy* like Americans, its

brutal answer Is lower wages or war with your employer. Mr. Woomer and Mi. Coombs spoke. When the latfer closed the House took a recess until 8 o’clock. At the night session Mr. Snodgrass, Mr. Mahon and Mr. Curtis were the speakers. At 10-.30 the House adjourned. The Hawaiian controversy occupied the attention of the Senate, Thursday. Senator Davis, of Minnesota, concluded his speech in opposition.to .the policy of the present administiation and was particularly emphatic in his opposition to the act of the President in commissioning Mr. Blount to Hawaii and clothing him with ; plenary power even to the extent of control of the naval forces, without such an appointment having been confirmed by the Senate. Senator Turpie followed Senator Davis, speaking in much the same strain upon the Hawaiian question. Senator Chandler presented a minority report on the proposed repeal of the Federal election laws. After a brief executive session the Senate adjourned. In the House, Thursday, there was an almost uninterrupted flow of oratory for and against the Wilson bill from 11. a. m. until 10:30 p. m. The principal speeches were made by Messrs. Breckenridge, Springer. Dingley and Harter. Mr. Harter of Ohio. who is a large manufacturer of agricultural implements, and the well known free trade advoeate.declared that if by law the prices of goods were reduced for the benefit of the many it mattered not how much it Injured the few. but when the law put up prices the wrong was manifest because it benefited the few at the expense of the many. The law should give- the greatest good to the greatest number. Mr. Harter was bombarded with questions by Mr. Blair,of New Hampshire, and others, and finally proposed to go back and review the tariff facts of history. Mr. Bresins, of Pennsylnanla, closed the de- 1 bate for the afternoon in opposition to the bill. He defended the theory of protection. The night session was slimly attended, but the debate was continued until adjournment at l#;30.