The Portland daily press., 1888-12-14
BUSILY TALKING ABOUT THE TARIFF.
Four Pages OF the Senate sn Cen
sIdered In a Week.
Yesterdays Session MonopolIzed BY
the Opposition.
Mr.. Vest Declares Western States
Mortgaged to New England.

Mr.. Vest Declares Western States
Mortgaged to New England.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-In the Senate To-
day Mr.. Dawes offered a resolution which
was agreed to. calling on the secretary Of the
Treasury for report as TO the condition Of
the inhabitants Of Alaska, and especially As
tC the treatment Of Indian women.
The Senate resumed consideration Of the
tariff bill, the pending question being on the
amendment offered by Mr.. Coke TO admit
cotton ties, ETC., at a rate CT 80 per cent ad
Mr.. Vance criticised the Senate substitute
and declared 1t was arranged without the
slightest regard on the face Of the earth 10
the interests Of the agricultural classes"
AT this point Mr.. Riddeberger rose to
point OF order.
Mr.. Vance said: 81 do not care what the
Senator from Virginia rises 10, / decline 10
De interrupted. hope he will not be per-
mltted to interrupt me any more"
The presiding officer said 'The Senator
from Virginia will state his point Of order"
MT. hiddleberger-"l will do so when the
Senator from North COrOlinatakes his seat"
Nj Riddleberger continued TO interrupt
Mr. Vance. Finally the presiding Officer re-
marked: III the Senator from Virginia does
not take his seat, the chair will call on the
executive officer Of the Senate to enforce the
rules"
There was no further contest. and Mr..
Rlddleberger, with an air OF profound dis
gust. retired to seat on one Of the rear
sofas.
Mr.. Vance, proceeding, eontrasted the In
Justice OF giving free raw materials % manu-
tacturers OF perfumery and cosmetics. and
refusing 1t 70 agricultural classes whose pro-
ducts constituted "A per cent Of all the ex-
ports Of the country.
Mr.. Jones Of Arkansas proceeded 10 argue
In favor OF the amendment. He said there
was not grower OF cotton In the United
States who believed In Mr.. Dawes's state
ment that the effect Of the tax on cotton ties
would be to make them cheaper. SAID he:
I'VE ask the privilege Of declining this char
ity at your hands. We do not want H. We
believe you intend us good, but for the sake
OF humanity, just leave us out Of the line OF
your charity and apply IL to other people
who believe as you do.
Mr.. Dawes spoke Of the intense warfare on
the part OF English manufacturers 10 obtain
sacrifice everything to secure 1t in detail and
Mr., Vest said that Of all the Items In the
bill the one under consideration ought 10 ap-
peal the most strongly TO the magnanimity
and generosity Of the northern section 0f
the Union, the section which controlled the
country politically and financially. Cotton
was one Of the staples In which the people
OF the South could have perfect reliance. lt
was the life and soul Of all the commercial
relations and all the wealth Of the Southern
States. Now, this Senate bill proposed 10
increase the duty on cotton ties. With due
respect TO Its trainers, he characterized IL as
In the highest degree oppressive and section
al. The people Of the South were confront
ed today with most terrible problem, the
race problem. He had never heard a plausl-
bic solution for II. 1t was easy enough for
those Senators whose States We're not con
fronted with that awful problem. to stand
on on a pedestal and TO philosophize in rela-
tion to 1t, but TO those who stood face 10 face
with 1t it was. struggle, the
significance Of which was beyond
all language, beyond all Imagination. Yet
to the people this bill came as an additional
burden. A more sectional and unjust piece
Of legislation had never been attempted In
the American Congress. He commented up
on the fact that the three Southern States
that were used to obtain the presidency In
1876 we're peculiarly punished In the substi-
tute, the largest reductions OF duty being
made on the sugar product OF Louisiana. the
rice product Of South Carolina and the
sponge products OF Florida. while dlscrimin-
alton were made in favor Of the manufae-
tnred products Of the. New England States.
lie understood 1t had been framed by New
England Senator, who Is an expert Ia tariff
legislation. In the cotton and wooden
schedules rates were Increased. No addition
al protection was given to the cOarser cotton
competing with New England. but ON the
finer fabrics made In New England the du-
ties were increased decentralization Of Mr..
Dawes's statement yesterday that the aver
age dividends Of manufacturing companies
In New England had not exceeded i've per
cent Tor the last twenty years, Mr.. Vest read
statement from the Providence Journal
showing the dividends OF five New England
companies for the last three months, the fg-
nres being u, Is, 20, "a and q per rcent The
State Of Missouri was, be said, the most
prosperous agricultural State in he Union,
yet the Missouri farmer that was making two
per cent on his investment was phenominal-
ly successful.
Mr. Hlscock asked Mr.. Vest to what he
attributed the vast increase In wealth In the
New England States.
Mr. Vest replied that he ascribed it to the
enormous profits made by those New Eng
land manufacturers who were In partnership
with the government.
Mr.. Hlscock suggested whether Il would
not be wiser for Missouri and other States to
step In and take the benefit Of the profits In
manufactures.
Mr. Vest replied that that was a fallacy Of
all protection orators. The matter bad not
been fixed by mortal men but BY him who
made the universe and who had stamped in
dellibly on the surface Of the country the
nature OF the products Of the people. The
Senator asked me why the State OF Missouri
does not share In the profits Of manufac-
turing" said Mr.. Vest 'Simply because
the capital Is in New England States and
not with us. We are borrowers and not
lenders. No one can walk down the streets
OF western city without seeing the walls
placarded with notices of money 10 loan by
New England savings associations, the Con-
nectieut life insurance companies aud Mas
sachusettS deposit companies. The western
otates with enormous agricultural aud min
ing resources are mOrtgaged to the capital "
New England, which has been accumulated
under this system Of taxation.
The discussion then drifted into the ques-
tlon OF the rates, duty and profits on the
manufacture Of structural iron and the state
ment OF Abram 5. Hewitt on that subject In
the House OF Representatives was frequent
~ referred to by Senators who took part In
the discussion, Messrs. Vest. Hlseock, Harris
and Dawes. Finally vote was taken on Mr..
Coke's amendment and ii was rejected by a
party vote: yeas, 10; nays, %, Mr.. Riddle
berger not voting.
Mr.. Vest moved to reduce the rate on horse
shoe nails, hob nails and other nails not spe-
cially enumerated In the act, from cents a
pound to q cents. The amendment was re-
jected.
Democratic Senators moved several amend
ments to various paragraphs but all were re-
Jected by strict party vote. The bill was
then laid aside. about four pages having been
disposed Of this week. Mr. Riddleberger Of
fered the following resolution which under
the rules went over;
Resolved That the Senate proceed 10 is reOr-
ganizatiOn by the election uf is officers on the
first day OF session alter the first day u January
1889.
Mr.. Edmunds offered a resolution which
was agreed to, directing the Secretary Of the
Senate to mail to the governor OF each State
printed copies Of the acts Of Feb 81, 1887,
aud Oct. 10th, 1883, respecting meetings Of
the presidential electors and tine transmission
and counting Of electoral votes.
Mr. Mitchell introduced a bill which was
referred for the admission OF Idaho The
Senate proceeded to executive business and
adjourned until Monday
Mr.. Reed Loses a Dollar.
LSt. Louis Globe Democrat