Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1894 — FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

In tho Senate, Tuesday* the bill Introduced by Senator Peffer on suggestion of Mr. Coxey was reported back from the committee adversely. The Wolcott resolution for the coinage of Mexican dollars at United States mints for “export was considered. The resolution was amended and then agreed to as follows: Resolved, That the President of the United States, with a view to encourage and extend our commercial relations with China and other Asiatic countries, be requested, and if not incompatible with the public interes te, to enter into negotiations with the republic of Mexico looking to the coinage by the United States at the mints of standard Mexican dollars under some agreement with the said republic of Mexico as to seigniorage, method and amount of said coinage; ana that he be further requested to report the result Of his negotiations to the Senate. At 2 o’clock the tariff bill was taken up. Mr. Lodge spoke in opposition. He said that by invention and protection the United States had been able to maintain a high rate of wages; that the proposed bill would surely reduce wages; protection does not make high wages but helps to prevent tneir reduction. In conclusion Senator Lodge said: To maintain high rates of wages and to give, if possible, the fullest scope for their increase, I believe to be essential, because I believe good wages absolutely vital to the stability of our institutions and of our society. Protection in its widest aspect is something far more than a mere question of schedules or of national bookkeeping. It is an effort to defend by legislation our standards of living, just as tho exclusion of the Chinese and of contract labor was. The reduction of wages thus far made are trifling to wjiat will come It this bill becomes a law and men seek to adjust themselves to the new conditions. Such a lowering of wages Is not to be contemplated without tho deepest alarm. Tho country is agitated and frightened as at no previous time. There is darkness before and danger’s voice behind. While we debate rates of duties the threat of this bill is, really breaking down an important part of a broad general policy on which we must rely unless we are prepared to meet the shock of changes which it would be difficult to portray. I have no fear of tho ultimate result. 1 believe that the mighty forces which havo brought the great races to their present position will not cease to operate. I feel sure that in the end wo shall not cast asido tho policies which are to protect us from the lowering and deadly competition of races with lower standards of living than our own.

Senator Hoar created a sensation by reading a dispaten stating that the New York Legislature had passed a resolution thanking Senator HuLfor his speech In opposition to the tariff bill. After a short executive session the Senate adjourned. In the House, Tuesday, Senate amendments to a bridge bill were considered. Mr. Reed urged that a motion must bo had on a motion to arrest absentees that came over from Saturday, but by agreement the matter went over. Hills were passed for the protection of game in Yellowstone Park and for the punishment of crime in the park. House then went into committee of the wholo on postoflice appropriation bill. Mr. Bryan took the floor and assailed ex-Speaker Reed In strong language and characterized his position on the tariff as full of duplicity. Ho said that Mr. Reed had told the West in a speech at Denver that all the States were equally interested in protection and In another speech at Boston had said that Massachusetts was most interested, and had appealed to the selfishness of all New England. Mr. Reed replied with a lengthy defense of his position and declared that Mr Bryan had misunderstood his speeches. He stated that the Republican doctrine of protection recognized no class. Without action on the pending amendment to tho postoflice appropriation bill the House adjourned. In the Senate, Wednesday, Senator Harris stated that the consideration of tho tariff bill would be pressed with all the means at the command of its friends under the rules of the Senate. All night sessions will be held soon and the legitimate dobate got through with as soon as possible. Senator Morgan took the floor and referred to the manifesto of the Minnesota Democratic Association, which charged him as being in league with Hill, Gorman and Pugh against the tariff bill. He denied that such was the case and avowed his determination to vote for it. Mr. Peffer finished his speech began last Thursday. Mr. Quay Interrupted Senator Poffer witffthe point of no quorum and $ lengthy dobate was injected into tho proceedings over the point of order. Finally onough Senators came in to make a quorum and Mr. Peffer was allowed to proceed. At 5 o’clock the urgency deficiency bill was taken up and discussed till 3p. m. A brief executive session was then hold and at 0:20 the Seoate adjourned. Tho dispatches summarize the House proceedings, Wednesday, briefly as follows: “Held up by Tom R :cd.” At 1:40 p. m, the House adjourned without transacting any business. Tho urgency deficiency bill was taken up, Thursday, in the Senate, and discussed by paragraphs. A motion for its final passage was about to be made but tho hour of ono o’clock having arrived the tariff bill came up on the regular order. Mr. Peffer again secured recognition and discussed the measure and incidentally defended Coxey and the commonweal army. Referring to the band of forty men who were arrested last Saturday night immediately after entering Washington, he said: - i “They had as much right to come hero as the president of the New York Central or any other citizen.” As Congress was not bound down to such restrictions, he continued, “he would insist upon Congress passing a bill obliging the President to find employment for all men and women of the country. It would not be' in tho way of building good roads, for he thought that a special province of the States, but be would set them at work building a straight double track railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and another from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. Then the dark clouds would roll away and be dissipated as the morning mist. “I am now pleading with you manufacturers,” he said, earnestly, turning toward tho Republican Senators, “to be fair with us. If you demand protection igaipst goods which come into competition with yours, give us those protective iu ties which we ask for.” Senator Galllngcr Inquired whether he (Mr. Peffer), believed that manufacturers could continue on a free trade basis. “I am not looking after tho manufacturing interMts," declared Mir Peffer. “I am looking iftor the men of the West and Sonth. Kansas can stand freo tr&do better than the people you represent.” Mr. Peffer continuod to speak until 5 o’clock, when the urgency deficiency bill was again taken up on the regular order and conoid-

ered until 6 o’clock when the Senate adjourned. As soon as the journal was read In the House, Thursday, the Speaker recognized Mr. Catchings, who presented the report of thecommittee on rules. The point of no quorum was raised. Mr. Reed attempted to dispute points of order with the Speaker but Mr. Crisp declined tote entangled in a debate with him. The report of the committee was then read and provides for every member being present and voting on all questions unless excused or necessarily prevented, every infraction of the rule to be punished by a fine of 910, The Speaker pot the question and a vote resulted—--99 to 0, Republicans refusing to vote. Mt Burrows made the point of no quorum and demanded the yoas and nays. Eleve* Democrats refused to give the rule tbeii approval. The yeas and nays resulted 141 to 11—thirty-seven short of a quorum. A cal! of the House was ordered. Mr. Reed taunted tho Democrats, stating that with 100 majority they were powerless te transact business. Mr. Hutchinson was recognized and said he was tired of befog lectured by Mr. Reed. He explained that he believed in counting a quorum when it was present. Finally, after an almost interminable parliamentary wrangle, f» which Mr. Reed was the principal figure, tlie rule was adopted and at 6:30 the House adjourned. The urgency deficiency hill was taken up in the Senate, Friday, and an amendment appropriating 146,000 for the Philadelphia mint was agreed to. At 1 o’clock the tariff bill became tho regular order, and Mr, Peffer resumed his speech. At its conclusion Mr. Mitchell was recognized and described the event and policies which reduced tho Republican party and o* which the party still stood. He then gave a startling list of calamities and disaster* which had afflicted the country sine* Cleveland’s inauguration, describing in glowing terms tho prosperity of the country under the protective system, and wound up as follows: Tho bill as it stands today is based ow no definite, well-recognized principle or policy of customs taxation. It is neither free trade nor protection, and yet it is both. But one consideration seems to have been uppermost in the minds of it» makers, and that is, how shall we frame this bllj, wherein shal 1 we make it free trade and wherein protection, so as to assure us of enough votes to secure Us passage? This, Mr. President, is statesmanship of the highest order. The bill is sectional in the extreme in its general makeup. giving protection to the products and industries of ono section and denying that protection to another. In a word, th* pending bill is a legislative monstrosity, with the head of a man, the arms of & dragon, the tail of a fish and the claws •? a bear. It is un-American, un-Democrat-ic, un-Republican. It is a dangerous menace to the prosperity and general welfare of tho people of tho United States, and hence it is that the voice of patriotism, of Americanism, of Republicanism, and of real Democracy demands that it b* strangled in the legislative womb and never bo permitted to be born. The Vice-President then laid before the Senate a message from the President transmitting some Hawaiin correspondence. An extended parliamentary discussion followed on a motion to adjourn, pending the decision of which th#Senat* went into executive session at the conclusion of which the body adjourned withoaW formality. The Democrats could not muster a quorum in the House, Friday, and were forced to adjourn.