Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-31
IN THE SENATE,
Wool Tariff the Principal Theme OF
Discussion.

Wool Tariff the Principal Theme of
Discussion.
WASHINGTON, August 30.-In the
senate today, Morgan presented resolu-
tions of colored mass meeting in
Birmingham, Alabama, against the
passage of the Federal election bill.
Several unimportant bills of local
character were passed, and the tariff
bill was then taken up, the pending
question being Carlisle's motion to
strike out the local paragraphs, so as
to place wool on the free list.
Daniel addressed the senate in sup
port of the amendment. The facts dem
onstrated, he said, that the high tariff
on wool and woolens had been COM
plete failure. If that high tariff had
been designed to stimulate American
manufacture of woolens, it had failed.
Ii the design had been to increase the
number of American sheep, the culti-
vation of flocks and the wool clip, it has
failed. If the design has been to in
crease the price of wool, it has succeeded
The high duty had not checked the
importation of foreign woods, because
| these were necessary for the utilization
of American wool.
After considerable debate vote was
taken and Carlisle's motion to strike
out the wool paragraph was rejected
yeas, II !; nays, 81 strict party vote.
The finance committee reported an
amendment to the paragraph relating to
woolen and worsted yarns worth less
| than 30 cents a pound, by increasing
the rate per pound from twice to two
and half times the duty per pound on
| unwashed wool of the first class.
1>n1; in ho
wool schedule were too high. The Re
mittee. however, had been told by their
up bill to suit themselves, and that
they til Y (the Democrats,) would content
themselves with offering amendments to
it, and therefore the bill was now treated
on both sides of the chamber as party
question.
Plumb said Allison's statement
meant that every line and letter and
punctuation in the wool schedule had
become an article of party faith, and
that as a party war he (Allison) was
obliged to stand by them all. He
| (Plumb) did not believe in bargains
where one side did all the trading.
He was in favor of the general princi-
pies of protection to American indus
| tries and American interests, ,as he under
stood them, and therefore it was when
the minor details of the bill were
reached he surrendered his own judg-
ment and stood upon the enlightened
| il dgment Of his associates. He
expected, however, that on some material
points in the bill he would be found in
antagonism with some OF his associates
on the committee. He admitted that
he had never been satisfied with the
wool schedule. He did not believe it
would be wise for the American farmer
to undertake to produce low priced
woods. But he was willing to give him
chance to test the experiment thor
oughly.
Hawley informed Allison that when
ever the duties on wool were redAced, it
would be found that the woolen manu-
facturers would show an equal readl-
ness to have the duty on woolen goods
reduced.
Allison said he was not prepared to
suggest that the great wool producing
industry of the country should not be
protected as other industries were pro-
tected. When the country was willing
to be put on free trade basis, he would
go with Carlisle in his action to put
wool on the free list, but until that point
was reached, he was in favor of caring
for the wool growers as he was in favor
OF caring for other industries. AS to the
needs OF the government in regard to re-
venue, he would speak on that point
when the sugar question came up for
consideration, and he thought he should
be able to show conclusively that sugar
should be put on the free list, and con-
sumers relieved of two cents pound on
the price.
No action on the paragraph was
reached.
Adjourned,