Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Senate Grapples with the Duty on
Cotton Bagging.
Earnest Discussion of the Question is Partici
pated in by Numerous Senator's from the
South-Coke's Speeeh-0ther Matters
FifatetA Congress.
TIE SENATE.

THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Son motion of
Mr.. Sherman 1t was ordered that Mr..
Gray's amendment to the Panama reso-
luton and the action of the senate there
on at yesterday IS session be printed in
the Record.
Mr.. Sawyer from the postofIice COM
mittee reported a bill providing that
omission to pay any lawful postage on
especial delivery letter should not pre-
vent or delay its transmission and deliv-
cry, but that lawful postage shall be col
lected on its delivery Passed
The senate then resumed consideration
of the tariff bin at paragraph 337, relat-
ing to collars and cuffs for men IS wear,
and fixing the duty on those composed
entirely OF cotton at Is cents per dozen
pieces and 80 per cent. adyaforem, and on
those composed entirely or partly of linen
at 3. cents per dozen pieces and 80 per
cent. advalorem.
Mr.. Vance moved to strike out the
rates and to insert 20 per cent. advalo-
rem. The proposed rates, he said, would
be equivalent TO a tax of 80 per cent.
adTalorem.
usual party vote-yeas, 10; nays, %.
No amendment was offered TO para
graph 1886, taxing hemp or jute carpeting
8 cents per square yard.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas moved TO amend
paragraph 339, which taxes bagging for
cotton, gunny cloth, etc. FOR covering
cotton, composed wholly or partly of
hemp, iute or jute butts (yalued at not
more than 8 cents per pound) three
quarters of ! cent per pound, by putting
il ON the free list.
Mr.. Berry argued in support of the
amendment, asserting that the tax must
come ont Of the pockets of the Southern
planters and laborers, and would amount
TO 1917 cents q bale on 600 900 bales of
cotton, or al aggregate of $3.50 900 on
the year cotton crop, while the tax on
cotton ties would amount to 81 $50 900.
Why should this So 900 900 be taken from
Southern planters and laborers and be
handed over to the manufacturers?
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas made a state
ment as to the combination last year by
the cotton bagging trade, and said if the
trust had been enabled to increase the
price by the existing duty equal TO about
cents yard it would have extorted
81 800, 900 from the cotton growers,
while the whole amount paid for the
laboring business Of making bagging was
less than $500, 900 year. He read the
testimony of bagging manufacturers be-
fore the finance committee intimatiug
that they had a corner, and stating no
power on earth could prevent if, the only
danger to the combination being death or
that they should turn thieves on
each, other. He argued that the
tax Of e cents per pound on jute
bagging rs provided III the house bill was
ample protection and more than covered
the difference between the cost of the lat
ter in the United States and in Indiana;
bat he thought jute bagging should be
put on the free list.
Mr.. George said this tax on cotton bag
ging was being imposed directly, not in
directly, Immediately, not mediately, on
the ,250 coo men, women and children
who furnished the manual labor TO make
tae cotton. The poor laboFing people Of
the South to the number of more than
l $50 900 were being robbed-and for
what? To give 5000 men higher wages
than the average wages Of those who paid
the tax.
The discussion WAS continued by Seua-
tors Allison, George. Plat, Butler,
Jones OF Arkansas, Aldrich, Hiscoek and
Vance
Mr.. Sherman remarked that cotton
bagging WIS one of the industries of the
country, and should be dealt with pre-
c-sely as other manufactures are. He
Thought the Southern senators greatly
misrepresented their section in support
ing the proposed amendment. Their
remedy would be not in having cotton
bagging admitted free of duty, but in
producing cute and ramie, which could
be produced in the South as cheaply as in
Indiana.
Mr.. Coke spoke of the great progress
made in the South during the last fifteen
years, and said the Southern people had
only just commenced II their career of !
prosperity. They would develop the |
South. They would make it the great
country which nature intended it to be-
They had vast, almost unlimited, re-
sources. All they wanted was light |
taxes and an honest government. The
rest they would do for themselves.
The house joint resolution authorizing
the secretary OF war TO loan the, com |
mittee on inaugural ceremonies flags,
etc, was reported by Mr.. L-wley and |
passed.
Adjourned.