The herald., 1894-08-27
RECENT TARIFF BILL CONTEST
Senator Jones Gives Its Inside
History.
How the Compromise Was Brough
About.
President Cleveland and Secretary Car
Isle Had Hignified Thsir Approval
of the subcommittee
Work.
By the Associated Press.

py the AskOClhteu kioss'
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 26.-In a special to the
Republic from Little Rock, Ark, Sem
ators Jones gives history Of the recent
tariff bill contest. The senator, it will
be remem bered, was q member OF the
subcommittee to which the bill was
first referred. In his statement Jones
says in part:
"The bill as first reported back to the
committee by us may be considered SO
an expression Of the opinions OF our SUBJ
committee, unmodified by the views OF
our associates in the senate.
"While large majority Of the Demo-
Gratis in the SENATE were perfectly sats-
fed with this bill. q number complained
OF different parts OF it, and in an effort
for harmony we presented another.
While there are changes in number OF
the schedules Of more or less import
ance, this second report OF ours pro-
vided also for free sugar, free coal and
free iron ore."
The senator relates the persistent de-
mands OF senators representing the
sugar interests. The members OF the
subcommittee with great reluctance and
regret submitted further change in
the bill, imparting a tariff ranging from
$40 of one cent to one cent per pound
on all sugar, with 10 additional tax on
refined sugar, propoeing tax OF five
cents per ton on coal, and iron ore free,
hoping thereby to secure united Demo-
cratic action,
At the caucus OF Democratic senators.
which lasted three days, the senators
from Louisiana and California, cape.
cislly Senator White. spoke against the
bill. At the same time the senators in
those states where sugar retineries were
located, declared that they could not
support the bill without some tariff on
refined sugar, if there was tariff on the
raw. The result OF this protracted and
stormy caucua WAS the adoption OF
resolution sending the bill back to the
committee with instructions to amend
it 90 as to meet the differences which
had been developed in the caucus.
''In obedience to this action OF the
caucus. which was really equivalent to
an order to tax sugar, coal and iron ore,
we brought in a bill with a tax of l cent
per pound on sugar testing so degrees by
the polsriecope, and l cent additional
for each degree up to 80 and 81 cents
for each degree above 80 and up to 9S,
and upon sugar above l6 Dotch standard
in color an additional 8 cent per pound.
With these changes, with coal and iron
ore 40 cents per ton, the bill was sent TO
the senate on March 18th. The changes
gave no satisfaction, and it became plain
that the bill would be defeated if in
sisted upon. In this emergency de-
TO- ad 70
means of saving the bill.
Gratis in the senate, was openly hostile
to the bill. To pass the bill would re.
quire 43 votes, hence 1T was necessary
that every one OF the remaining As votes
be secured for the support OF the bill.
Several of these had already openly de-
clared that they could not. and would
not, vote for the bill as reported, and it
was decided to amend it 80 ss
notifications involved changer OF
the sugar schedule from spe.
cifc TO an ad valorem duty:
the imposition of an additional tax Of
ofle.tenth of one cent per pound upon
all sugars imported from countries pay
ing bounties, and the bill not to become
operative until the first day Of January.
1895; q tax on coal and iron ore at 40
cents per ton, and changes in the textile
and other schedules OF more or less i'm.
portanoe."
Before the amended bill was reported
back to the COMMITTEES, Jones said he
consulted with Cleveland, Secretary
Carlisle and members of the finance
committee, explaining the necessity for
making the changes mentioned. They
all agreed as to the advissbility OF doing
60, and caucus of Democratic senators
decided to support the bill as amended.
From Nav lst, when the amend.
ments we're offered, to July Sd, when the
bill finally passed the senate, the 43
Democrats stood together like a stone
wall and redeemed their pledges like
men. with but a single break. There
are many things in the bill not salts.
factory to me. II I had had my own
way / would have raised the revenue
needed from whisky, beor and tobacco,
and not from sugar or wooden goods.
and when imposing a tax on sugar /
would not have imposed any extra tax on
refined sugar. / resisted all these
| changes with all my power, az did my
colleague on the subcommittee, Senator
Vest, and we made them as small as
possible, and at last only accepted such
"a were absolutely necessary to the pss-
cage OF the bill. The bill as passed,
however, is great departure from Nc
Kinleyism and is q great measure OF
tariff REFORM"