New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-12
THE DUTY ON FRESH FISH.
FIXED AFTER LONG DEBATE IN THE SENATE
THE TARIFF PLACED AT HALF CENT PoUNI
-rrATI1REs OF THE DEBATE.

~-FEATURES OF THE DEBATE.
washington Jan. 1.-THE Senate resumed consider
alton Of the Tariff bill to-day the pending question
being ON the amendment offered yesterday by Mr..
Plumb to strike out OF paragraph 5e7 the words "ex
cept when frozen or packed in Ice or otherwise pre-
uared by any process, for aton SO as to let
the paragraph read simply fresh fish, freeD
Mr. Plumb spoke in support Of his amendment
re said the people living the Canadian line could
avail themselves Of the privilege Of purchasing fresh
fish free Of duty while If that fish we're transported
short distance into the interior (which required the
use of salb the people who used It required to
nav a duty on It. Either all fresh fish should pay
duty or else the people Of the Interior should have the
same opportunity to buy fresh fish the people of
Maine, or Massachusetts. or Michigan or Ohio, or
Illinois. Here manifest discrimination.
Mr. Hoar said that without such provision as Mr..
Plumb sought to strike out the Canadians would have
the monopoly and control Of the American market for
fresh fish
Mr. Dawes explained that tho policy Of the Govern
ment was that fish preserved in salt should not be ad
mittcd free and seemed TO him strange that any onr
should object TO q proposition that required hsh
preserved by any other process. such Ice. TO pay
duty.
Mr.. Hiscock said he had never any good reason
why protection should be sought for the fishing In
dustry, while free salt was demanded by tle nsher
men.
Mr. Dawes said there was not man or an interest In
New England that wanted fresh FISH for immediate con-
sumption free OF duty. 1t had been conceded. not
asked.
Mr.. Edmunds said that the country had had two long
experiences on the fishery question: during which hsh
was admitted absolutely free Of duty; and that they
Sad resulted in an enormous dminuon Of the American
ASKING interests and proportionatey enormous increase
of the Canadian fishing interests. He did not think
this good time TO repeat the experiment.
Mr.. Hale moved to strike out the paragraph. That
he sad would leave all fresh fish under the duty fixed
in another part Of the blll-a half cent per pound
And then New England would fare no better in that
respect than other parts Of the country. All the
pother that had been raised In the fisheries negotiations
had come from the desire OF the Canadians TO secure
the market of the United States for their fresh fish,
The Canadian fishermen, living TO the coast with
the Of their outlay and Of their wares so much
less than the cost of American fishing vessels would
II they had the benefit of the United States market for
their catch, drive New England fishermen from the
Mr. Gray I'm response 10 the claims that tho American
fisheries are nursery for American scamen said hal
been distinctly shown in the fisheries debate that more
than hall of the men employed on American fishing
vessels were from Nova Scotia the Provinces, not
citizens of the United States He had been Informed
by member of the Ford committee that an estimate
Of 75 per cent would be within bounds SO that the
fisheries were rather nursery for British searnen
Mr. Hale said that as far as Maine was concerned
these Il cures were wrong.
Mr. spooner said that the question was not ono
which affected merely the fishermen OF New-E England.
II affected ust as much the hundred thousand fishermen
on the great lakes He was not able TO understand
why, when Canada put duty of LIZ cent pound on
fresh fish caught by American citizens, Canadian fresh
fish for Immediate consumption should be put on the
free M 1 The propostoI discrimination, pure
and simple arbitrary and without foundation, in favor
of Canadian fishermen and against American fishermen.
Mr.. stockbridge Mr.. Palmer Mr.. Stewart and MIR.
Evarts advocated Mr. Hale's amendment
Mr.. Allison defended the action of the Finance Com
mittee In reporting the paragraph After hearing the
debate he thought he could say that the NewEngland
shermen and the fishermen the great lakes had score
a point He would vote for Mr.. Hale's motion TO
strike out the paragraph and would then move 10 put
fresh fish on the dutabe list at half cent per polbd
lie believed that that was the Just aud fair solution
OF The whole question.
Mr. Blair trusted that nothing would be said 10 spoil
tendency which was now so manifest In the direction
Of union OF the two peoples OF Canada and the United
States.
Nj. Hale's amendment was agreed to-Yeas twenty
eight nays thirteen and fresh fish placed on the
dutiable list at half cent per pound.
The billewas then proceeded with. Paragraphs
COO 0eathcr, old scraps and 626 (mica and mica
wasteD were struck Out OF the free list The end OF
the free having been reached, az paragraph 195,
Mr.. Allison said he proposed that the senate would
finish the reading Of the bill to-morrowhe admins
tratve sections OF II. Early next week he wished 10
proceed with the wool and woollens' schedule which
lad nat vet beau