Morning journal and courier., 1888-12-12
Fiftieth Congressional Session
WASHINGTON. Dec. il
THE TARIFF BILL.

SENATE-Consideration of the tariff bill was resumed at noon today, the pending question being MT. Harris Dem., Tenn. amendment to reduce the duty on beams griders, etc, from 1-10 cents per pound to 6-10 of cent.
 Mr. Vest Dem., Mo. referring to Mir. Sher- mans speech yesterday, denied the assertion that the late election had settled the question of tariff legislation. The question and issue would live as long as the country lasted and he proposed to scrutinize and combat every single provision of the substitute even if ii used up all She balance of the session. He then argued at great length that in the metal schedule there was not a reduction of 10 per cent. in ths substitute, as Mr. Sherman had stated yesterday.
 Mir. Sherman said that he was absolutely correct in his statement yesterday, that or the metal articles which are largely imported (steel rails being the largest iten), the reduc- tion of duties proposed in the substitute was more than 10 per cent.
 Mr Aldrich questioned the statement as tc Mr. Carnegie's profit on the manufacture oi steel beams and referred to information giver him by the superintendent of the Trenton Iron works of Hewitt & Cooper to the effect that the average cost of making steel beams at those works from pig iron was more thar $40 per ton, whereas the cost in Belgium did not exceed half that amount, this $20 of
 
 duty proposed in the substitute.
 A Seuator-What does the difference ir cost consist in!
 Mr. Aldrich-In the wages of labor. TEDIOUS DEBATE. The debate was continued at great length by Senators Vest, German, Aldrich and Al lison, the general topic of discussion relating to the objects of the bill and the significance 1E D., wfak kawif oIo ton. Mir. Allison disclaimed the idea tha the Senate substitute had been prepared fol political purposes. There never had been time, he said, when the finance committes did not know that 6 revision of the tariff and a reduction of the revenue were abso. lutely necessary. The bill had been prepared by the Republican members of the finance committee on their responsibility as senator and not for the base purpose of making party capital.
 POKE AT MR. ALLISON. MT. Vest commenting on remark by Mir Allison that the Democratic party was dyins hard, said that that might be true; but h, took encouragement from the example set by that distinguished Senator who had beer dkilIed" twice in Republican presidentia conventions; but if there was any ivlie1 corpse than that Senator to-day he (Mr. Vest had never seen it. Qsughter.) He assured his friend that the old Democratic party though slightly disfgured, was still in tht ring, and that 1t would be ready to enter tn, lists in the next presidential canvass ani meet the Republican party on this identica question.
 Finally the discussion wss closed and tn. vote was taken on MT. Harris's amendment 1 to reduce the duty on steel beams, etc., from one-tenth cent pound. The amendmen was rejected-yeas 20, nays 29--all the vote t a4N~a S~S II, live and with them voted Senators McPherson | and Payne. Nr. German did not vote at all Mir. Vest then moved to fix the rate oI | steel beams, etc., at one cent per pound \ MT. Allison assentsd to that on the part o \ the Finance committee and the amendmen | was agreed to, without division. An amendment offered by Mr. Vance t i reduce the rate on trace chains from 3 cent to cents pound was, after discussion. re | jected, bat on the suggestion of Mr. Allisoi the item was passed over without dehnit action. After an executive session the Sen
 ate adjourned.
 HousE.-After the reading of the journa the House went into committee of the whole MT. McCreary of Kentucky in the chair, O the direct tax bill.
 Mir. Hopkins of Illinois spoke in suppol of the measure and in opposition to the pro posed amendment refunding the cotton taz The assumption that this tax had been pal by the people of the southern States was
 mistaken one. It had been paid by the cor sunners in the northern States.
 l Mr. Allen of Mississippi said he could fin | no warrant in the constitution for refundin the direct tax. The advocate of the bill be ! ieved in constitutional limitations, bJ thought the Limitations should be on some
 body else and not on themselves. The pril ciple of the bill was bad, that the tax shoul be refunded, because some States had nt paid it.
 MT. seney of Ohio supported the bill. E
 treasury. but the money belonged to to u : people, and the sooner it was legislated 0, of the treasury and into the pockets of u people the better for the people and the go' ernment.
 After further debate the Reuse adiouzns'