Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-03
AN INCREASE OF DUTIES,
NO PROPOSED REDUCTION UPON
COTTON GOODS.

Night SessiOn-A MISUNDERSTANDING in
the House.
WAsHINGTON, Feb. I'm the Senate.
Mr.. Mcmillan Rep, MINI. called up his
water supply investigation resolution, but
seeing that it would give rise to debate.
Mr.. Morrill, Rep, VT. moved to proceed
to the consideration of the tariff bill.
which was agreed to.
Mr.. Bayard (Dem., Dell inquired
whether the Chairman of the Finance
Committee expected the session to con-
tinue into the evening. Mr.. Morrill, re-
piled that he would ask the Senate to sit
until late in the evening, with the hope of
finishing the bill this week. TDerisive
laughter.l
The President-Until what hour?
MT. morrill, do not name anY hour.
The paragraph embracing potato and
corn starch Preserved yesterday was
taken up.
The amendment of Mr.. Hale Rep. Me. )
making the duty on potato and corn starch
TWO cents per pound, about equivalent,
ne SAID, to the existing duty, was agreed
to by ayes %, nays "a. The rate on rice
and other starches was left at two and
One-half cents per pound as in the bill.
The Senate passed to the consideration
OF the cotton and cotton goods schedule
Mr.. Aldrich Rep. r. I. } in response to a
question of Mr.. Beck Dem, Ky.) ex-
planned the new classification Of cotton
thread, yarn, warps, etc. He also said
that in his opinion the committee had
recommended too large a reduction of
the duty on these goods.
Mr.. Beck said that as well as he had
been able to calculate, there would be no
reduction, but on the contrary an increase
of 500, I9O. This was upon the basis of
the figures of the Bureau of Statistics and
the importatiOns of 1882, but he believed
that in the practical working
OF the new schedule there would
really be an increase of over $4,000, 900, if
indeed the new duties should not prove
prOhibitOry. He believed that the change
from four to seven classes was made to
hide the proposed increase of duties and
would give greatly increased OppOrtuni-
ties for frauds. The committee schedule
retained the vicious classification pro-
posed by the Tariff Commission. but act
ually increased the rates of duty recon-
mended by the Commission about % per
cent. For these reasons, unless the
schedule should be made more satisfactO-
ry in form, he would move to strike it out
and substitute a duty of 80 per cent. ad
valOrem on all cotton goods.
Mr.. Vance (Dem., n. c. said the re-
ductlOns spoken Of were on goods of which
only So, 600, 900 worth We're imported and
which paid only about $4,000, 900 duty,
while the importation of articles on which
rates were increased was $27, 900, 900, pay
ing duties to the amount of about Sc, 300
600. 1t was difficult to see how the reduc-
tiOn of % or 30 per cent. on SO, ,000, 900 could
cOunterbalance an increase of % or 30
per cent. on 81, 100000. In fact the in
crease in some instances would be so
great that 1t would amount to prohibition,
producing large increase of taxation
without any cOmpensating increase of
revenue.
Mr.. Aldrich went through the schedule
in detail, showing, as he claimed, large
reduction of duties generally, and on
cotton cloths the largest made anv where
in the bill. He also denied that the
wages of cotton operatives in this coun-
try were as low as in England, except.
perhaps, in certain places, North Caro-
lima for instance. In such.places, las man
utactures increased wages must rise to
the American standard.
Mr.. Harris moved TO make the duty on
cotton thread, yarn, warps, or warp yarn
of every form and value, 30 per cent. ad
valOrem.
At $3.50 a vote was taken on Mr.. Harris
yarn 80 per cent. ad valorem, which re-
suited in yeas 13; nays "a. No quorum
voting a call of the Senate showed the
presence of more than a quorum, and for
some time proceedings were simply fill
clustering pure and simple. Several votes
and calls of the Senate resulted precisely
the same way. This was continued, each
vote on the amendment resulted in 81
members answering, and no quorum was
announced n Of ho 70
showed from A to 30 members present.
Finally, at 1910, the Senate adjourned.
No change has been made in the liquor
schedule.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
The Speaker announced the appoint
ment of Caswell (Rep., Wis.,, Cannon
Rep, Ill.), and Ellis Dem, La, as a
conference committee on the post office
bill.
The House then, at 11:20, went into
committee of the whole, Mr.. Burrows
Rep, Mich,,) in the chair, on the tariff
bill, the pending amendment being that
offered by Mr.. Curtin Dem, Pa, } to in
crease the duty on tanning bark from 10
to 20 per cent. ad valOrem, which was
agreed to by a vote of % to "a. This was
the first vote on which there was a
considerable division on both sides of the
House. The clause now reads: son eX-
tract of hemlock and other bark used for
dying and tanning not otherwise provided
for in this act, 20 per cent. ad valOrem.'
In voting upon an amendment to the var
nish clause, no quorum voted and this
point was raised by Mr.. Mills (Dem
the chamber, the Chair failedto hear Mr..
Mills and subsequently stated that the
point was made too late.
Mr.. Mills asserted that he attempted to
catch the attention of the Chair in time.
Mr.. Aldrich Rep, Ill. We heard no
such thing.
Mr.. Mills misunderstanding the re-
mark You tell a falsehOOd.
Mr.. Aldrich-I say we did not hear it.
Subsequently Mr.. Mills retracted his
remarks, stating that they were made
under a misapprehension.
The clauses relative to Yarnish were
finally agreed upon, as follows: Shellac
varnish, 20 cents per gallon, and in addi-
tiOn thereto an amount equal to the inter-
nal revenue tax on the alcohol contained
therein; Yarnishes, other than shellac, 40
per cent. ad yalorem, and in addition
thereto an amount equal to the internal
revenue tax on alcohol contained therein.
Schedule b, earthenware and glassware,
was then taken up, and amendments re-
ducing various items of duty were pre-
scented and rapidly voted down, until Mr..
Gunther rep, Wis., moved to change
the duty on green and cOlOred glass bottles,
vials, demijOhns, carbOys, ETC., from IA
cents per pound to 50 per cent. ad valo-
rem, which was agreed to by 81 to II. The
committee then rose.
Mr.. Cannon, Rep, III. }, from the Com
mittee on Appropriations, reported the
legislative, executive and judicial ap-
bill, and it was referred to
the committee of the whole. He gave no.
tice that under the direction of his COM
mittee he would move, on Monday next,
to pass the bill under a suspension of the
rules, if he could be recognized by the
Speaker for that purpose.
Mr.. Blackburn (Dem., Ky. will the
gentleman be candid enough TO state that
the authority given him to move a sus-
pension of the rules to pass the bill was
not the unanimous action of the commit
tees
Mr.. CannOn-I voice the action of the
which acts by a majority. of
course. l am perfectly willing to state
that 1 am SO directed by a strict party
vote.
Mr.. Townshend (Dem., Ills. DO you
want to vote away $20,O00,000 without an
for debate!
Mr.. Hiscock Rep, n. Y. THAT is the
exactly. 1t is an appropria-
tiOn bill carrying the pay roll for the
Executive Department, and we are will
ing to take the responsibility of passing
il without debate.
The House at o'clock adjourned,
though an attempt was made by the advo-
Gates of the whisky bonded extension bill
TO prolOng the session for the purpose of
securing a night session on Monday next
for consideration of that measure.
The legislative, executive and judicial
bill recommends appropria-
tions aggregating $50, 1896, 900, an increase