Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-29
Senator Edmunds' Resolution to Ad-
journ From Sept. 10 to Nov. 10.
RUSHING THE TARIFF BILL.
The Senate Gets Through the Salt
and Spirits Clause.
PRIVATE BILL DAY IN THE HOUSE.
PRIVATE BILL DAY IN THE HOUSE.
SENATE.


known as the Pinkerton detectives" Referred
to the judiciary committee.
FOR RECESS FROM SEPTEMBER 10 TO NovEM-
BER 10.
Mr.. Edmunds offered the following concur
rent resolution, which went over for the pres
ent
Resolred, That when the two houses adjourn
on the 18th OF September, 1890. it be to meet
on the 10th Of November. 1890.
The House, bill authorizing the erection of a
pontoon bridge across the Mississippi river be-
tween the city of st. Charles and the county Of
St. Louis, in Missouri, was reported by Mr..
Vest and was passed without amendment.
THE TARIFF BILL WAS TAKEN UP AT 1920,
the pending question being on the finance COM
mittees amendment to paragraph 307, page 66,
which taxes salt in bags and packages IL cents
per one hundred pounds and salt in bulk 8
cents, the amendment being to strike out the
proyiso allowing drawbacks on salt used in ex-
ported meats
Mr.. Mcpherson moved to strike out the entire
paragraph. the effect of which would be to
place salt on the free list.
QUOTING BENTON.
Mr.. Colquitt advocated Mr.. McPherson's
amendment and read an extract from a speech
made by Mr.. Benton in the Senate half a CEN
tury ago against the salt tax which he char
acterlzed as "heartless and tyrannical inexor-
able and omnipresent, which no economy could
evade, no poverty shun, no privation escape"
MIR. Hoar asked whether Mr.. Benton had not
made that spe ,ch about the same time that he
made another speech declaring that Oregon
and the whole of the Pacific territories were
utterly worthless for agricultural purposes
MIR. Reagan remarked that Mr.. Webster had
said substantially the same thing in his speech
on the compromise measures. He wanted to
leave Mr.. Benton in good company.
Mr.. Hoar admitted that Mr. Benton was in
excellent company. Both gentlemen were in
that particular excellent illustrations OF a
maxim which he commended to the consider
alton OF the other side OF the chamber namely,
that prophecy Is not an exact science"
MR.. CoLoUITT DIDN'T KNOW.
MIR. Blair asked Mr.. Colquitt as to the price
of salt when Mr.. Benton made that speech.
Mr.. Colquitt was not able to give that infor-
nation, but promised to make the examination
II IT would have any sort Of influence ON Mr.
Blairs action.
MIR. Blair was under the impression that the
present price of salt under the operation of
tariff laws was about one twenty fifth of what
1t was in Mr.. Benton's day.
. The vote was taken and Mr.. McPherson's
amendments was rejected-yeas l5. nays ga
iparty vote.
MR.. VEST INQUIRED
OF the finance committee why the proviso was
to be struck out-why the export meat business
was to be Disseminated against.
Mr.. Sherman did not consider the matter
material, inasmuch as there was general pro-
vision in the bill allowing the drawback of
duties paid on all expectations.
Mr. Vest said that that provision required an
ldentlhcatlOn OF the material on which duties
were paid, and how Che asked could the salt
used III preserving meats be identified?
MIR. Aldrich said that there had been a
division IN the finance committee as to the pro-
priety of the amendment, but majority had
been in favor Of it.
Mr.. Vest asked why. if Mr.. Sherman's con-
structlon were correct. the general provision
would not apply to fish, and why discrimina-
the pork packers and the beef packers Of the
United States.
SALT AS Low AS II CAN BE.
Mr.. Allison said he had voted in committee
against putting salt on the free list, because
salt was now as low as it could be. He under
stood that at the Michigan salt works salt was
sold at AZ cents a barrel Gncluding the barrelD.
which was about 20 cents for 20S pounds of
salt. he had voted in COMMITTEES against
striking out the provIso because he believed
with Mr.. Vest that the general provision in re-
gard to drawbacks (section 24) would not
apply to salt He hoped that that section
would be reached before debate was closed SO
that 1t might be discussed and comparison OF
views ascertained to whether that section
was wise legislation. He had his doubts
about it.
FOR FREE SALT.
MIR. Vest argued in favor cf free salt. nat
ural product which was found in inc xhaustibie
quantities in every country in the world and
in almost every state in the Union He had
seen deposit of rock salt in Louisiana which
would supply this world and five worlds like it
for an illimitable time. Why, then, he asked,
should EngliIh salt be taxed wien the dairy
men and the pork packers and beef packers
would use 1t, no matter what tho duty on
it was?
MIR. Cullom argued against striking out the
proviso In the paragraph. and said that he had
written to pork packer in his state, inquirng
whether the general provision (section 24)
would allow drawback in that business and
the reply was that it would not . The export
trade, he said, demands foreign salt. He had
been always in favor of protection, even in the
matter OF salt, but this was not question OF
protection to the American export meat busi-
ness.
Mr.. Stockbridge argued against striking out
the provso. He said that In the past five
years nearly $500, 900 had been paid in draw
backs to the packers OF the country. Michigan
salt in bulk sold at Saginaw for from 90. 10 to
S2.40 per ton.
PAYMENT OF CLERKS DURING THE pHCHss.
During temporary suspension Of the tariff
bill resolution was offered by Mr.. Teller and
referred to the committee on contingent ex-
penses for the payment Of clerks to the Sena-
tors and OF session committee clerks "during
the coming recess"
SALT AGAIN.
The tariff bill was again taken mp, and the
discussion on the salt paragraph wss continued.
In tho course of it MIR. Allison stated that
II ,OO0. 900 barrels Of American salt had been
sold last year in the United States and only
1,5OO, 900 barrels of Liverpool salt; 80 that the
use OF the latter was plainly an English preju-
dice.
'But one which your pork packers are bound
to respect" said Mr.. Mcpherson.
"Undoubtedly," Mr.. Allison acquiesced.
RKLiEF OF DEsTIrUTIoN IN OKLAHOMA.
During another temporary suspension Of the
tariff bill the conference report on the Joint
resolution for the relief Of destitution IN Okla
homa was presented and agreed to. IL
directs the application of the unex-
pended balance under the bill Of April IS,
lfor the relief Of persons in the region over
flowed by the MississippD in relieving citizens
in Oklahoma rendered destitute by the unex-
ampled drought there, TO be expanded a. the
law of the territory may direct
THE SALT PnovIso NOT srRUcK OUT.
After further discussion on the salt para.
graph the vote was taken on the committee
amendment to strike out the proviso. The
proviso was not struck out-yeas, 10; nays,
IL The republican Senators who voted against
the finance committee on the amendment we're