The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-11
THE TARIFF DEBATE.
The Republican Bill isDiscussed
in the Senate.
IRON AND STEEL SCHEDULE.
Mr.. Mcpherson Enters a Democratic
Protest-Mr. Sherman Discusses
the Steel Trust and Defends
tho Senate Bill.

the Senate Bill.
WASHINGTON, Dec. lO.-At O'Clock
the Senate resumed the consideration Of
the tarie bill, the pending questions be-
ing on Mr.. Harris amendmentto reduce
the daty on beams, girders, joists, angles
ETC., and all structural shapes Of iron OF
steel, from l l-lOc per pound to 6-lOC
per pound. The amendment was advo'
Gated Mr.. Reagan, but US Mr.. Mcpherson
desired to offer some amendments at the
beginning of the metal schedules, Mr..
Harris temporarily withdrew the amend
ment. Mr.. Mcpherson thereupon
moved to amend paragraph l20, as to
iron in pig, ETC., by reducing the rate
Of duty IRON 3l-l0 OF cent per pound
to So a ton. He said that the rate pro-
posed by him was that contained in the
House bill; that it was high enough, and
that its adoption would allow further
reductions to be made without any in
quiry to the industry.
Mr.. Allison opposed the amendment
and it was reiected-yeas, 90; nays, %.
Mr.. Plumb voted with the Republicans
in the negative.
Mr.. Mcpherson moved to amend the
provision OF paragraph 100 (reierring to
iron bars, blooms or billets in which char
coal is used as fueD by reducing the
duty from SO per ton to $50 per ton.
RejeCted-yeas, 70; nays, %.
Mr.. Mcpherson moved to reduce the
duty on cast-iron pipe paragraph l23)
from 0-l0 OF cent per pound TO 6.l0 ola
cent. He said that the cast.iron pipe in
dustry had formed trust or cOmbina-
ton, under which the price was the for
eign cost OF the duty and all expenses.
He thought that little less protection
would answer that industry. The
amendment was rejected-yeas, l0;nays,
"a.
These votes being all strictly party
votes, Mr.. Mcpherson intimated that it
seemed Us If all opposition to the bill
might as well cease, il amendments so
reasonable were to receive the united
opposition OF the Republican side Of the
Chamber. Mr.. Allison nodded his head.
"Then," said Mr.. Mcpherson, Eve are
to understand, | suppose, that the man
ufacturers OF iron pipe may appear be-
fore committee OF the Senate and fix
anyrate they choose on theiNprOduction,
without any regard TO what the con-
sumer may say about it. Here is an
absolutely prohibitory duty-a duty OF
81. 40 per ton. | move to reduce it TO
$40 cents per pound" B..
The amendment was rejected-yeas
q; nays 90.
Mr.. Harris renewed his amendment to
reduce the duty on beams, girders, joists,
angles, etc, from LILO pound TO O.lO
OF a cent.
Mr.. Vest argued in support OF the
amendment, and said that there was no
item in the bill ON which the two parties
could better Join issue than this one. He
spoke Of Mr., Carnegie's profit on 10000
tons OF steel beams, and described the
steel trust in this country US one hoary
with aye. How long, he asked, was that
trust to exist?
Mr.. Sherman desired to state once for
all the grounds OF his several votes on
the bill, because it vas neither a matter
OF pleasure for him or n matter OF public
utility to waste time in repeating over
and over again the same argument on
different clauses OF the bill.
Undoubtedly the Mills bill represented
the general sentiment OF the Democrats
while the Senate substitute had been
carried before the people and rcdebated,
advocated and supported by the Repub-
liCan party. ~
The one bill looked to a tariff for revenue
only, and the other to tariff for protec-
ton. He would not undertake to de-
fine what revenue only meant, but n
tariff for protection meant a tariff where
the rates were so fixed as not only. to
vIye reasonable revenue, but also in
every feature OF it to extend protection,
encouragement, hope and COM
petition among American producers.
The Senate substitute represented tho
latter sentiment. The paragraph pro-
posed TO be amended included great
variety OF articles, some OF which could
be produced in this country for $40 or
$50 q ton while others could not be pro-
dueed for less than so ton. II It were
possible TO make discrimination In the
duty on these articles 1t should be done,
but it was impossible without recurring
to the ad valorem principle and expert
ence was not favorable TO that principle
in imposing duties on iron and steel,
The l l.l0 per pound might be little
too high on some articles, but it had
been fixed upon by the finance commit
tee as fair average rate.
As to Mr.. Carnegie's monopoly, he
(Sberman) knew nothing about it except
that Mr.. Carnegie had Been the first in
the country to apply the continuous
process in the manufacture OF steel
beams. Mr.. Carnegie, he presumed, had
patents which could not be taken away
from him but they would soon expire.
The time was not far distant when all
structural forms OF steel and iron would
be multiplied to au amazing extent, and
would be produced cheaper and cheaper
by the offer OF Inducements TO manufac'
turerS 10 enter into the business. That
was one Of the proposed rate duty. He
thought it better to sustain the Finance
Committee in its classification than TO
change the rates blindly and at hap.
hazard. In regard to trusts, he looked
on them as one Of the most dangerous
and subtitle inventions OF man, and wits
in favor Of breaking them up. They
were contrary to the spirit Of the COM
mon law Of England; but the only way
to break them down was by inviting
competition. II that was not sufficient
he was willing TO go TO the extent OF
proposing law to prevent and punish
them,
At the conclusion of Mr., Sherman's
remarks, and without coming to q vote
on the pending amendment, the Senate
adjourned.
In tho House.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Dec, lO.-Under
i Ahn cnll Of Stninh today n lnrnn ,,nrr,hnr