Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-01
The Senate Gets Through with
the Tariff Bill.
THREE REPUBLICANS VOTE mo-


those of Carlisle and Aldrich, the latter
closing the debate-buJ whether between
these two the fioodgates of elo-
quence would be opened and ths debate
sent over for another day was a matter
still among the things no fellow could
find out, don't you know.
Carlisle Opens His Batteries.
The debate was opened by Carlisle, who
had been given the honor of making the
principal speech in opposition to the bill.
He said he would not attempt to state the
effect of the measure on tAr revenue, as it
was impossible to- do so With any degree
of accuracy, but he could and would say
approximately what its effect on taxation
would be. The average rate Of duty I'M
der this bill would be 60 per cent. instead
of 45511 per cent under existing law. De-
Quoting sugar and molasses from the cal
culation, the rate under existing law
| would be found to be Il per cent, and the
average on the same articles under the
| conference bill so per cent, an increased
| rate of 80 per cent.
Big Increase of Taxation Claimed.
The increase of taxation would be S10,
| 100000 in the iron and steel schedule, Sl4,
| 100000 in the wooden schedule, 8, 900, 900
in the cotton schedule, s., OOO, 010 in the
| fax and hemp schedule, s., 13S coo in the
| tin-plate schedule, and 81, 357, 900 on tin in
| pigs or bars He declared that the change
| in the sugar schedule would benefit no
producer or consumer in the country,
/ while the bounty would reach from 81
600, 600 to $, 0O0, 600 per annum. Not even
| the beet sugar industry would be benefit
ed. II was a sectional measure, violating
every social compact OF the country
The Reciprocity Clause.
Carlisle criticised the reciprocity clause,
which, he said, confided TO the Judgment
or caprice of the president alone the de-
| termination not alone of certain facts de-
| fined in the law, but of the results and
| effects of these facts and circumstances.
| The amendment reported from the
| finance committee ard adopted by the
senate was not reciprocity; it was retail
| alton. Sugar had been put on the free
| list in this bill on the sole ground that it
| would benefit the consumers in he United
| States. The proposition contained in the
| amendment was to retaliate on the people
! duties on sugar, teas, etc.
An Alleged Inconsistency,
| Carlisle spoke of the inconsistency of
| putting sugar on the free list because the
| United States did not produce large
| proportion of the quantity consumed, and
| OF putting tin plate on the free list be-
cause the United States did not produce
| any of il. There was no market in South
| America he said, for our agricultural
| products. II was false pretence to say
| that the proposed reciprocity amend
| ment" was for the benefit of the farmers.
| 1t was to benefit the manufacturers of
the United States. But ne did not think
any Republican senator had any serious
| idea that the reciprocity feature of the
bill would ever be put into effect. The
| additional revenues which would result
from the proposed imposition of duties
| on sugar, coffee, and tea would aggregate
$50, 100 600
| Aldrich's Closing Speech.
| Allison controverted Carlisle's estimate
as to the effect on the revenue, and said
there would be a reduction of from SO,
OoO,O 600 TO $45, O00, 900, and after some re-
marks from Gray aud others, Aldrich
rose to close the debate. He said that the
first congress which met after the signing
of the constitution had granted bounties
and imposed taxes. Speaking OF the in
oreases Of duty made in the bill, he said
that they were of four classes The first
included corrections of errors and irregu-
larities; to this class belonged tin-plate
and cotton ties Another class consisted
Of articles which it was not supposed at
the time OF the passage of the law of 1888
could be manufactured in the United
States. IL included the finer grade OF
manufactures in cotton, fax and linen,
and iron and steel schedules. A third
class consisted of articles on which here
tofore small AL valorem rates had been
levied.
Importers Versus Manufacturers.
The fourth class included agricultural
products. The duties on wool had been
increased largely at the demand of the
representatives of the agricultural sec.
ton of the country. These four classes
comprehend all OF the increases of the
bill. Aldrich spoke of the delegation of
importers who had appeared before the
finance committee and asked that certain
rates of duty be imposed. These men to
whose demands the representatives of the
Democratic party were so willing to sub
NIT represented foreign labor and foreign
industry The manufacturers who had
4
ed American labor and industry.
The Duty on Tin Plate.
Speaking of the duty on tin plate
| Aldrich expressed the belief that it would
transfer that industry from Wales to the
United States, and furnish the people of
this country a cheaper and better arti-
| Gle than they were now getting. He be-
lievsd that the protective policy was to be
| Judged in the future by that one item,
and he thought that the result would be
such that within three years it would
be extremely dangerous for representa-
tive of the people to arise in his place and
denounce protection.
Effect on the Revenue.
In reply to German, Aldrich said that
the bill would reduce the revenue about
| g, $50, ono below the amount that the SEN
ate bill would reduce it. The principal
reduction made in conference was on
tobacco and on the special taxes for retail
dealers. He added that the rate of taxa
ton OF goods imported in 1888 was As Ia
per cent, ana that (the amount of i'm
.ortations being the same) the rate under
the conference bill would be 4426, a,
against the sixty per cent. asserted by
Carlisle.
The Time for Voting Arrives.
At the close of Aldrich's remarks the
senate proceed to vote by yeas and nays
on the conference report. The first break
in the party ranks was made when Pad
docks name was called. He said that he
was paired with Enstis, but as Eustis
would have voted "No," he would vote
"No." The next break came Immediately
after, when Pettegrew's name was called.
He said that he WAS paired with Call, but
as Call would have voted "No." he would
"No." The third and last break was when
Plumb, after all other senators had voted,
stood up and, his name having been
/ called voted "Non