The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-23
DEMOCRATS FROZEN OUT
BY REPUBLICANS ON THE TARIFF
BILL co DIFFERENCE.

They Are Allowed Two Hours Exanins.
ton of the Report-Are Told 1T Would be
Waste of Time to Offer Amy Amend.
ments-lhe Report Ordered Made by a
Strictly Party Vote-Leading Provisions
Of the Report
Washington, July 19.-The tariff bill
was pushed through the conference
stage today after two hours discus
sion before the full conference commit
tee-democrats and republicans-held
in the senate finance committee room
this morning. At the outset the dem
ocratic conferees asked until Tuesday
morning to go over the report, saying
this course was preferable TO going over
it with the republicans. To test this
question, Senator Vest moved an adj
journment until tomorrow, which was
defeated by a strict party vote. The
democratic conferees then offered
amendments to the report, but were
met with the statement that it would
merely time to urge amend
ments as they would be rejected.
Representative Wheeler, democrat, of
Alabama, offered amendments placing
cotton bagging and cotton ties on the
free list: also a substitute proposition
for rebates on these articles. These
and other amendments were with
drawn, however, as there was no pros
pect of favorable action on them.
Shortly before noon, Mr.. Dingley
moved that the report be submitted to
the two houses. This prevailed by a
party vOte and the meeting adjourned.
There was little clash during the dis
cusSiOn and the democratic members
of the conference cOntented themselves
with a protest against the report and
the name of agreeing to 1t.
A statement was later issued con-
corning the report which reviewed the
changes made. OF sugar the state
ment
The house differential between raw
and refined g and the general
features of the house schedule are pre-
served and the senate amendments in
creasing the differential to One-f1fth
and providing for a reduction of one
tenth of the duty on raw sugar not
above 81 degrees, which would have
given a duty of 1.39 on SO degree sugar
and only 1.25 on 81 degree sugar, are
not adopted. In Difference to the wish
es of those interested in beet sugar
production, that the senate rate Of 1.95
on refined sugar might be retained as
an increased encouragement to this
industry, the duty on raw sugar is
increased seven and one-half hundreths
so as to make the increase on them the
same as the increase on refined sugar,
and thus leave the differential between
raw sugar and efine the same as in
the house bill. nj to meet the OBJ
lection, which has been urged, that the
house rates on low grade raw sugar
show a higher adj valOrem than those on
the higher grades, the duty on 10 degree
sugar is reduced five hundredths of one
cent and then the duty per degree in
creased regularly from three hundreths
Gas proposed by the house bill) to three
ard a half hundrethS in order to raise
the duty on raw sugars the same as
on refined. BY this arrangement, the
duty on raw sugars of leo degrees pur-
=. ity is raised from 1.75 as propesd orig
inally by the house, to 1.821a n the
duty on refined sugar is raised from
1877, as proposed Originally by the
house, to 1.95, thus giving the same diff
ferential of twelve and a half hund-
reths between raw and refined sugar at
this point as was Originally given by the
house. AS this arrangement Will in
crease the revenue over 2 900, 900 and at
the same time give additional encOur-
agement to the production Of sugar in
this country, it is thought to be a de-
Sirable contamination.
The statement made the following
explanation of the changes made in the
other schedules of the bill:
A compromise between the house
and senate rates on cattle is agreed to.
In general, the duties proposed on agri-
cultural products are the same as those
IN the act of 1890.
~ nrI Jnr,onnc o~a we ic01 from
the house rate of q cent per pound to
the senate rate of 1 cent.
Fish are placed at rates a little high
er than those which were provided by
the act of 1890 and a little lower than
the house rates.
The senate rates on spirits, wines,
etc, are adopted in the main.
The duty of 20 per cent. on import
ed cotton, as proposed by the senate, is
not agreed to, for the reason that the
only cotton imported is Egyptian cotton.
which is a quality between u upland
and sea island and lot produced here.
The cotton schedule as a whole remain
substantially the same as in the bill
as it passed the house. The changes
are mainly in the high grades of cotton
underwear, with some notifications of
hosiery.
The senate amendments to place bur-
laps, cotton bagging and straw mat
tings on the free list are disagreed to
and these manufactures placed on the
iutiable list at reduced rates.
The house rates on o of II cents
on class one and II cents on class two
are adopted and the senate specific
rates on carpet woods agreed to with
a modification raising the dividing line
so as to place a duty of 4 cents per
pound on such woods valued at II cents
and less and Z cents on such woods val
Ued at more than L cents. The duties
on manufactures of wool are placed at
substantially the same rates as in the
act of 1890.
The duties on silks remain at substan-
italy the same rates as provided by the
house.
The duties on wood pulp for paper
and on paper, are converted into spe-
cific form at substantially the same
ad valorem rate, with proviso added for