Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1894 — FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

In the Senate, Tuesday, the compromise amendments to the sugar schedule were adopted. The schedule imposes a duty of 40 per cent, ad valorem on all sugars, raw and refined, with a differential of oneeighth of a cent per pound on sugars above 16, Dutch standard, and an additional one-tenth of a cent against sugar imported from countries paying an export bounty. It continues the Hawaiian treaty, admitting sugar from the Sandwich islands free pf duty, and places a duty of two cents per gallon on molasses testing over forty degrees by the polariscope. The schedule goes into effect Jan, 1, 1895, and he bounty is continued until that date. In the Senate, Wednesday, a number of important bills were passed before the tariff bill was taken up. Among them was one granting a right of way to the Eastern Nebraska and Gulf railroad through the Omaha and Winnebago Indian reservations in Nebraska. The tariff bill was taken up. Mr. Jones asked leave to withdraw the compromise amendments of the tobacco schedule which made the rate on leaf wrapper and unstemmed 81.50 and 82.25 respectively and restore the House amendment in which the fates are 81 and 81.25 respectively. The move was a surprise to Senators on both sides, as by agreement the compromise paragraph was adopted pro forma with the understanding that the subject shall be considered later. The other Jones amendments to the tobacco schedule were adopted. They fixed the rates on filler tobacco, nnstemmed, at 5 cents per pound, stemmed at 50 cents per pound, tobacco manufactured or unmanufactured not specially provided for at 40 cents per pound, snuff at 50 cents per pound, cigars, cigarettes and cheroots at 84 per pound and 25 per cent, ad valorem, paper cigars and cigarettes to be subject to the rates imposed on cigars. Mr. Hale’s amendment to restore the McKinley duty of 830 per head on horses was defeated. Mr. Hale offered another amendment to substitute 820 for the 20 per cent, rate in the bill, and this being defeated, he offered the whole live stock schedule of the McKinley law. This latter amendment met with a similar fate, Mr. Peffer stated that he desired to address the Senate but did not care to do so at this time. Mr. Harris impatiently declared that Senators should suffer some persopal inconvenience in order to make some progress with the tariff bilk He said that already sixty-four days had been spent in debate and only fortythree pages had been disposed of. A squabble followed over a motion to go into executive session. No quorum was de-, veloped on a roll call —Republicans refusing to vote. A call of the Senate, however, showed forty-five Senators present, and the vote recurred to the motion. Again the quorum disappeared and Mr. Harris gave it up and at 7 o’clock the Senate adjourned. In the House, Wednesday, after a brief explanation by Mr. Springer, the vote on Mr. Cox’s amendment, for the total repeal us the tax on State banks, was lost on a yea and nay vote—lo 2to 170, The.affirmative vote was entirely Democratic. The negative vote was cast by eighty-eight Republicans, seventy-five Democrats and hine Populists. A viva voce vote on the |t>ill was then taken and the bill was defeated. Representative Cooper was the only Indiana member voting in favor of the Cox amendment. At 2:45 o’clock, amid loud applause, the House went into committee of the whole to consider the Indian appropriation bill, and a filibuster was started as a result of Mr. Holman’s request that the first reading of the bill be dispensed with, Ray, of New York, objecting. A motion to adjourn was then adopted—lo 4to 98, and at 3:20 the House adjourned. In the Senate, Thursday, Mr. Harris proposed to proceed to consideration of certain schedules under the five-minute rule according to an agreement with certain Republican Senators. While the matter was being informally discussed Mr. Quay entered the chamber, and being Informed of the question before the Senate, said emphatically: “I object.” The proposed truce being thus completely smashed the regular tariff debate was proceeded with until 5:30, when a vote was had on the finance committee amendment fixing the rate on oat meal at 15 per cent, and excluding it from the reciprocity provision of the paragraphs. It was adopted, and Mr. Allen moved to strike out the reciprocity provisions of the paragraphs. It was defeated by a strict party vote—24 to 31. Then, at 6 o’clock, with a sarcastic allusion to the rapid progress made, Mr. Harris moved that the Senate go into executive session. After a brief period the doors were opened and the Senate adjourned. The House had the Indian appropriation bill under consideration, Thursday. The main feature of the debate was an attack on the Catholic Church, made by Mr. Linton, of Michigan, in which he argued against contract Indian schools, saying the largest share of the appropriation for educating the Indians went to Cathplic Indian schools. The other point of interest was the debate on the location tof the Indian supply warehouse, the New York delegation protesting against the abandonment of the warehouse at New York for one at Chicago. This gave rise to a spirited debate between the champions of the cities. A resolution was adopted before adjournment calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for Information as to enforcement of immigration and contract labor laws, and another authorizing the committee to visit Ellis island for the purpose of studying the operations of the laws. At 4:30 the House adjourned. In the Senate, Friday. Mr. Cullom delivered a speech on the historical phases of the tariff question. Mr. Washburn suggested that debate on this schedule was proceeding slowly, and that for the remainder of the schedule the five-minute rule be applied. The Democrats accepted the proposition graciously and it was agreed to by unanimous consent. Mr. Quay, who objected, Thursday, was not present. The consideration of the pending paragraph, imposing 20 per cent, on buckwheat, corn, wheat, cornmeal, flour, rye, etc., was then resumed, and Mr. Pettigrew moved as a substitute the McKinley specific rates. Lost—yeas, 24; nays, 33. Amendments looking to the restoration of the present rates on dairy products were lost and the following rates fixed: Butter, 4 cents per pound; fresh milk, 3 cents per galki; condensed milk, 2 cents; sugar of milk, 5 cents per pound. The rate on beans, peas and other vegetables, 80 per cent. Mr. Platt offered a separate

amendment of 3 cents per dozen on eggs—lost. At 6:30 the Senate, on Mr. Harris’s motion, went into executive session and shortly afterward adjourned.