The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-09
TARIFF TALK IN CONGRESS.
THE QUESTION 7HE SUBJECT OF DE-
RhTE IN ROTH HOLSES.

woolIena Provoked the Debate In the
senate Messrs. Dockery OF Missouri
Julius Cesar burrows of Michigan, Nc.
Mullen OF Tennessee, and Flower OF New
York Were tho Orators In the House.
WASHINGTON, May Sin the Senate, on
motion OF Mr.. Morrill, Rep.. VII. the House bill
providing for tho classification OF worsted
cloths as woollens was taken UP for consider.
alton. Tho bill was 30 Just and proper" Mr.
Morrill, said, that he hoped there would be a
unanimous vote In its favor 1t had been
recommended by Secretary Fairchd but the
blunder had gone on for six years, destroying
the great woollen industry OF the country. No
matter whether the bunder was on the part
OF Congress or on the part OF the Secretary OF
the Treasury or on the part OF the Circuit
Court, 1t was one that manifestly ought TO
be corrected.
Mr.. Gray Dem., Dell asked what the differ
ence In duty was between woollens and
Worsteds.
Mr.. Morrill, replied that In the one case the
duty was IL cents q pound and So per cent ad
vAlorem, and In the other IS cents pound
and 40 per cent. ad valorem.
Mr.. Faulkner Dem. W. Val asked whom the
decision was rendered that made 1t necessary
to pass the bill.
Mr.. Morrill, replied that the decision OF the
department was made last May.
the Circuit Court in New York renderedp
Mr.. Aldrich utep., II. I.l-About ten days ago.
Mr.Faulkner-Ifthe bill were passed now and
went into operation at once how would 1t
affect contracts made since the decision Of the
court a. New York;
Mr.. Morril-Ever since the decision OF the
Treasury Department was made importers
have imported these goods and paid their
duties on them: and now. If the decision OF the
Circuit Court be confirmed by tho Supreme
Court. they will recover every dollar of extra
duty paid by them. They have sold their
goods and obtained the higher prices and this
will be very great bonanza 10 a great many
OF them.
Mr.. Gray said he failed to see why the bill
should pass On the contrary there were rea-
sons why it should not pass. There was no
tariff bill before the Senate for discussion. The
Senate was not now adjusting rates and form
ing schedules. either for the benefit OF the pro-
tected classes or with some consideration for
the interest OF tho great body Of consumers.
There had been no blunder on the part Of the
trainers Of the tariff act OF 1888. which made
the distinction between woollens and worst eds.
There had been no INSTRUMENTATION made to
Congress, and there was no room tor SAYING
that assss,on Worsted IN CLOTHS formed
very lal sc element OF the clothing OF the coun-
try and produced, at Il comparatively reason
and respectable garment. within the reach Of
the classes that were lot wealthy. He saw no
reason why such q burden as the bill covered
should now be laid on those classes.
Mr.. Morrill, said that Mr. Gray was mistaken
were worn by those whom Mr. Lincoln called
the plain people" and that they we're among
the most expensive classes OF goods. He said
that between three and four hundred wooe9
mills had been absolutely closed on account Of
that law. or hal been devoted to other uses, for
the last five or SIX years. lie read from the
annual report o. Secretary Farchild in 1857,
sueakinS OF the different duties on wooilens
the inSuuaIit!es OF the iayitT" and he also
quoted from Mr. Ca liscs remarks in the |
House In favor OF the bill
" Mr. Gray persisted In thinking that cloths |
made from wo! steds were cheaper than woollen /
cloths. he would be glad 10 see Il cheap all !
man: but under the oppressive tax laws the |
only CHEAP clothes we're male Of shoddy or 81
was discrimination In favor oil a few and
against the poor.
Mr. aldricn expressed his sunrise at The
have expected he said such statements when +
ever any btll ailectIns the tariff vas before the
worstsds was simply II difference in the process
OF preparation. They were both made from the |
same class of wool wool paying the same duty. |
AMI were used for the same purpose.
Mr.; Vest Dem. Mo- opposed the Pin. The
misstated. 1t was not a question Whether tho
law ought TO be changed. as proposed in the
bill but wheShec mis- was the prSner time ard
Morrilis statement as 70, the bill being advo-
Gated In the House by Mr.. Carlisle. he said
enough to preJudGe Il thing for him, amt he did
not intend that 1t should be done. He sent to
the Nr,r YORK Times OF March j, 1850, telling
e a curious story about the wooen goods
t uI' to the effect that the mapulacturers
election of Mr. Harrison on the assur-
ance made long leIore the election that
There would be no difficulty il their way, on the
past OF Mr.. Window. who was TO be the Kepub-
lican Secretary OF the Treasury. lie did not
know whether, the statements of the article
wore true but he did know that repeated APP
pllcAtions were made to Mr. Fairchild TO make
construction OF the law of 1888 that would
were made that his not dong so would have a
most disastrous elect on the coming canvass
most remarkable political metumorphosis took
place among the manufacturers who had pre-
tive opponents of Mr. Cleveland. and openly
avowed that it was because their interests had
Cleyelands Secretary Of tho Treasury: "
whether he had heard from any one in opposi-
Mr.. Vest said that he had received An argu-
ment from the importers and very fine arRu-
. Mr. Hiscoek supposed that Mr.. vost had
heard from sGm9 81 the h3 Pm banded" OF
Mr. Vest said that he did not need to hear
from his constituents: He knew what they
wantsd When be did no. Rnow What they
Of Missouri were opposed to any increase of
tariff duty: and he was always safe In voting
for reduction. He wou Id not vote for the
pending bill. no matter how many distin-
guished Democrats In the other branch OF Com
gress thought that it out to pass; He was here
the consumers OF the country.
and among them were the importers; but ifthe
Senator from New York Mr. Hscockl meant
to intimate that he Mr., Vest was represent
ing the importers. or any class interest. he
stated what was not true.
Mr.. Hiscock dsclaimed having meant any
such thing
Mr.. Vest sent to the Clerks desk and had
read the paper entitled lteasons why House
bill changing the duty on worsted cloth should
not become u law" Of which II COPY had been
sent TO him. as it had been, he presumed. sent
10 every member OF the Senate.
The presiding officer Mr. Ingalls, announced
oyer eyer, and that the silver bill was before tho
ositions were made on both sides OF tho cham
Der AZ TO the order OF business. aud finally it
was agreed, by unanimous consent, that the
silver 6iil should 90 over til Monday next and
snoulu then come up. alter the formal business
OF me motn ing hour and be continued as tho
diminished business unit finally disposed Of;
tha n the bllls Tor the admission OF Wyoming
anu Idaho as States should not be taken up
nsft II