National Republican., 1883-02-02
THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
Progress Of Work on tho Tariff Bill in Both
Ends Of the Capitol
The Senate Finishes the Sugar. To-
bacco, and Provision Schedules,
While the House is Still Engaged in Experimenting
with Chemicals
Soven-TIour Sessions to he Held Until tho
Work is Finished.
THE SENATE.

the legislature OF Illinois in relation to the
Yellowstone national park and the Hennepin
canal.
Mr.. Blair presented several petitions of cit
izens of Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama,
North Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia, and
New Mexico for national aid to common
schools, and Mr.. Mahono presented similar
petitions from citizens of Virginia.
Mr.. Ingalls, presented the petition Of citi-
zens of Dakota protesting against the division
of the territory and asking for its admission
with its present boundaries.
Mr.. Vance, from the committee on the Dis
trict ofCoumbia, reported bill for the better
security of persons and greater facilities of
transportation on street railroads in tho dis
trict.
Also by request, an act to amend the "Act
Incorporating the Mutual Fire Insurance COM
pany of the District of Columbia"
Mr.. Morrill, offered q resolution suspending
so much of the act of Feb. 2S, 1873, as author
izes and directs the secretary of the treasury
TO purchase silver bullion at tlfo market price,
not less than $2,000,000 worth nor moro than
$i,000,O00 worth per month, and cause the
same to be coined into silver dollars as fast as
purchased. Referred to tho committee on
finance.
Mr. Sherman offered a resolutions which was
agreed to, directing the secretary of the treas
ury TO furnish the senate certain detailed in
1OrnhJlOn WlUn TePuIu 10 Une ClasSlHCuJlOu VI
sugars for purposes of taxation.
Mr.. Hoar offered resolution, which was
agreed to- directing the committee on educa-
tion and labor to inquire into the eXpediency
of providing by law against the employment
of convict labor by the United States on pub
lie works or by contractors under tho United
States.
Mr. Malone presented the credentials of
Mr.. Rddlebcrger, senator-elect from Virginia,
which were read and filed.
The president laid before tho senate COM
munication from the secretary of the navy,
transmitting list of vessels struck from the
navy register in pursuance of the act Of Au-
gust last.
AT the close of the morning business,
THE TARIFF BILL
was taken up.
The question being on Mr.. Fryes amend
ment proposing an ad valorem duty Of 40 per
cent. upon all sugars
Mr. Beck said he thought this proposition
was moro in the interest of the reflners than
the scheme of the committee on finance.
Mr. Morgan said that Mr.. Frye's amend
ment contained one valuable provision au-
thorizing the secretary of the treasury to
resort to the polariscope or tho Dutch stand
ard or any other means he might choose to
ascertain the value of imported sugars. 1t
might seem strange that he (Mr. Morgan), a
southern man, should favor low duty on
so wide n range of articles from which to
raise revenue, if discrimination were to be
made on articles in general use they ought to
be made in favor of the consumers. Another
reason why he would oppose high rate on
sugar was that letters had been read in the
senate from member of the tariff commission
showing q combination between the Sugar
Planters association of Louisiana and the
manufacturers of glucose in the north for the
purpose of adulterating sugar with glucose,
and securing to both the advantages of the
high duties on sugar.
Mr.. Jonas said there was nothing in Mr..
Kenner's letter showing that he represented
or assumed to represent the sugar planters of
Louisiana, and on behalf of tho planters Mr..
Jonas denied that they had entered or sought
to enter into any such combination.
Mr.. Morgan read Mr.. Kenner's recently
published letter to glucose dealer in Buffalo,
and said il contained q distinct proposal to
whole country. He regretted that any south
crn man, or any man, should have placed
himself in such position as that in which
Mr.. Kenner was put by this letter.
Mr.. Maxey would be the last man to defend
Mr. Kenners action, but he asked Mr.. Nor
gan whether an examination of the work of
the tariff commission did not show that all
the other special interests represented on tho
commission were as carefully guarded rs the
sugar interest in like manner.
Mr.. Morgan replied that it did, and for that
reason he had no confidence whatever in the
judgment or recommendations of the commits
sion. The only influence their recommends
tions had upon him was to make him examine
the subject more closely and critically
Mr.. MaXey Mr.. Kenner showed his hand n
little more plainly than the rest of the COM
mission, but they all held the same hand.
In connection with Mr.. Frye's proposed
amendment to put an ad valorem duty on
Mn nm do NJ fnr oJ
valorem duties generally, and declared that
the tariff of 1916, the work of Robert j..
Walker, was the only scientific tariff ever en-
acted in this country. He cited David A.
Wells as an authority in favor of an nd va
loren duty on sugar, and said incidentally,
in reply to Mr.. Voorhees's aspersions upon
Mr. Wells yesterday, that he did not believe
thatgcntleman could be improperly influenced
for or against any interest. Thrty-five per
cent ad valOrom Mr.. Morgan thought u reas-
enable rate of duty on sugar.
Mr.. Frye said he was satisfied that uni
form duty Of 40 per cent. on all sugars would
be unfair to the retners, and therefore he
modified his amendment so as to mako the
duty on all sugars under No. 13 Dutch stand
ard, 50 per cent, and on sugars above No. 10,
45 per cent.
Quite long debate followed, during which
Mr. Kellogg in reply to questions by Mr..
Blair, gave some statistics of sugar produce
about $90,0O0000 capital, of which $100O0000
was in machinery. Four hundred thousand
people lived by it, and 10000 or 10000 men
and women We're employed as laborers of
whom moro than two-thirds were colored.
The number Of eX-slavcs owning homes and
other property was two or three times rs
large in Louisiana ms in any other state and
that class Of population was more quiet and
orderly there than in the other southern
states results largely attributable TO the sugar
industry.
Mr.. Frye's amendment was rejected.
Mr.. George offered an amendment making
the duty ON all sugars 80 per cent ad valorem
and on mOlasses 25 per cent Lost-ayes IL,
noes AZ.
Mr.. Kellogg offered an amendment making
the duty on sugars below 13 Dutch standard,
testing by the polarscope, not above 75 de-
grees, two and One-quarter cents per pound,
one fourth Ofa cent less than the existing
rate, and equivalent he said, to about so per
cent ad valorem. Lost-ayes |, noes 80.
Mr.. Kellogg offered an amendment reducing
the present duty on sugars below 13 Dutch
standard one-quarter cent per pound and
making an appropriate reduction on all other
grades, which he said was n compromise prop
Osition, half way between the committees
bill and the existing tariff. Lost-only Mr..
Jonas and Mr.. Kellogg voting in the aflirma-
tive.
The substitute offered by Mr. Morrill,, on
behalf of the committee on finance, for the
sugar schedule in tho committees bill was
l.. = hoo