The Portland daily press., 1888-09-26
OUR RELATIONS WITH THE DOMINION.
Senator Sherman's Resolution of In.
quiry Under Discussion.
Hard Questions For Democrats to
Answer Asked by MIR. DoIph.
The Tariff Bill And the Reduction 1t
Effects.


enquiry into the state of the relations be.
tween the United States and Great Britain
and Canada was taken up and Senator Nor.
gan proceeded to discuss it. He said it was
an obvious fact that the distinctive policy OF
the Republican Senators was that no Other
but Republican administration should have
the settlement of questions now open be.
tween the United States and Canada. The
Senate was to have a glance at 9
substitute for the Mills bill and would then
probably adjourn. The Presidents policy
was mastery. and would have more to dc
with the coming of Canada within the polit
ical affiliations of the United States, thar
any other argument which any
human being could name, because IL brought
before the eyes Of the Canadians the great
practical question that their material inter.
ests were so bound up with those of the
American people that common government
was necessary for all alike. The Senate
however, had no intention of granting the
Presidents request for power.
Senator Dolph replied to Senator Morgan
lie said that to prevent the transportation in
bond of goods to and from Canada would
hurt American transportation companies
alone, ana would tend to destroy American
interests and would hardly harm Canada al
all. 1t would give an opportunity for build.
ing up Canadian transportation lines and
would in the end, as claimed by the leading
men of Canada, be benefit to the Canadian
providences. The exercise of the power in
the Presidents hands. under the act oi
March Sd, 1887, would have injured Canada
Was that the reason the President had not
executed it? The power asked for would
lnJure American interests Was that the
reason the President desired it? 1t would
seem to be the Presidents desire to retaliate
on the people of the United States rather
than on the people of Canada.
The resolution was referred to the CON-
mlttee on foreign relations and the Senate
proceeded to pass the private pension bills
was the Senate bill granting a pension of
$500 a year to the widow of Gen. Sheridan.
The Tariff Bill.
The finance committee of the Senate met
at 1890 today. The new tariff bill was laid
befo re it and the committee formally began
its consideration. A majority of the men,
bers were personally in favor of making it
public at once, but it was decided in defer
ence to ancient usages to await the
action of the full committee.
The bill covers 160 printed pages and is the
outcome of a vast amount of labor by Sem
ator Allison and his colleagues. Its main
points have been frequently stated ana the
material changes from the original plan have
been few. Concessions have had to be made
on both sides and while the bill is not in
every respect what most of the Western Sem
ators would like, they will be found in
hearty accord with the main provisions. 1t
is a distinctively protection bill.
The sugar cut of 80 per cent is there, and
in addition to this, while no radical change
is made in the classification, the consumer is
given the benefit of one-quarter of cent per
pound over the refiner. The aim has not
been to drive refiners out Of legitimate BUSH
ness, but to break up the trust which the big
sugar monopolists have formed. Rice is also
cut so per cent. Manila, sisal grass and jute
are put on the free list but hemp and flax
are let alone. The metal changes are not as
heavy as at first proposed, steel rails being
cut only $1.32 per ton, but this is under
stood to be only temporary, and the measure
will ultimately put them at $14, or a reduc-
tion of SO ton. Tin plate is not touched
Lumber and salt. and in fact most of the
Canadian products which would open
United States market to the Dominion with
out any equivalent to the United States, are
not touched. These points were carefully
gone over, and it was agreed that CONNER
cial union and the free interchange of pro-
ducts would be sustained by the United
States, making radical reductions without
concessions on the part of Canada. The
duty on fine wool is raised cent per pound,
but the chief changes in this schedule have
been in equalizing woods and worsteds. AL
cohol in the arts is made free, but under
stringent regulations, which guard absolutely
against fraud. As the bill stands at present
the entire tobacco tax is wiped out, but this
is not final.
The revised estimate of the reductions has
not yet been made. The total will reach
about $70,000000. The fact on which great
emphasis viii be laid is that the bill when
before the Senate is not to be put through
any caucus or party rule. Every clause of it
will be publicly discussed and hearings will
be given right along.
1t is the present purpose of the majority of
the committee to oppose any movement for
an adjournment until the bill is passed and
If this shall not have happened long enough
before election, recess will be proposed
beginning between the Goth and 26th of
October.
Senator Aldrich says: ut cuts down the
revenue some $66,000,000. Some slight alter
ations have been made in certain schedules
as result of recent hearings by the SUBJ
committee, but do not think it is proper
for me to make any of the exact provisions
OF the bill public at this time.
when in your judgment will the bill be
reported to the Senate ?"
mot later than next week, and quite pos
sibly on Monday"
Senator Hiscock, speaking of the bill
says 1t will be thorough pro lection
duu Wllllt III ItuuCeS LU6 revenues
and revises duties will be radically opposed
in principle to the Mills bill. There will be
no flavor of free spirits about it, except that
alcohol used in the arts will be made free.
The majority report to accompany the bill is
not finished yet. nave no idea as to when
the bill be reported to the Senate An i'm
portant portion of the bill will be its admin
lstrative features, which are based upon the
undervaluatiOn bill, which was reported at
this session by Mr.. Allison and which passed
the Senate several months ago. 1t is thought
probable by both Senators Aldrich and Alli-
son that this portion of the bill will be, for
the most part, acceptable to the Democrats.
Measures of minor Importance.
The House adjourned today at 1.30, after
passing number of measures of minor inn
portance, among them being the joint resolu-
tion accepting the invitation of the German
Imperial Government for the United States
to become party to an international geodet-
ic association, joint resolution for the crea-
ton of a commission to negotiate concern
ing the boundary line between this country
and Mexico; bill to regulate the course at
the Naval Academy, with an amendment
making the age limits for cadet Joining the
academy after March 4, 1889, sixteen and
twenty-one years; bills permitting seamen
to deposit their wages with paymaster, per-
mlttlng honorably discharged and disabled
seamen to elect homes on receiving ships,
and authorizing the issue of outfits of cloth
ing to naval apprentices