Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-22
WORK ON TIE FREE LIST Has at Last Begun By the Senate.
 THE BILL MOVES ALONG With Remarkable Rapidity With Very Little
 Friction Being Notced-House Has an Unlmportant Session.

good strides on the tariff bill today, coy- eering fifty-six pages and establishing a record for progress during this tariff de- bate, The last two schedules of the duti- able list, covering paper and manufactur- ! ed sundries, were completed with the ex- ception of the paragraph on hides, gloves, coal and some lesser articles. This ad- i, ,Vanced the senate to the free list, which twas taken up at D. m., and completed in three hours Early in the day the wool and silk schedules went over with an agreement that wool would be taken up tomorrow. After that the tobacco sched- !. ule, the reciprocity provisions and the internal revenue portions of the bill as well as the many isolated paragraphs passed over, remain to be considered. The progress today however was so marked that for the first time there was a feeling that the end was not far off. There was little debate today, the main topic of discussion being matches and fusees.
 y On the latter, the amendment of Mr Pettlgrew reducing the rate to l0 per cent, came within one vote ef passing in face of the finance comTlttee the vote being "A to "A.
 While the free list Vas under discus sion, MT. Bacon gavc notice of another
 
 free list, and MT McLaurin, of South Carolina, gave notice of another amend iment taking raw cotton from the free list, thus completing the action hereto fore taken of placing duty of 20 per cent on cotton.
 When the match schedule of the sun dry paragraph was reached, MT. Allison moved to disagree to the eommottee amendment of 20 per cent ad valorem and to agree to the house rate with .xAl,o n t4,o 1r rit,tr In fn gross and Ac per 1000, when imported in bulk, in place of 1c.
 Mr. Vest and MT. Gray opposed the rates, the latter stating that the business was enormously profitable.
 MT. Allison explained that the change from ad valorem to specific was made on the. recommendation of treasury experts and that the rates in part offset the ad- vance on the raw materials, including lumber.
 { In response to the suggestion of a match trust Mr.Allison stated there were thirty to thirty-five independent compa- nies. He said one of the concerns had re- gently established factory in Liverpool and if the business was to be retained in this country, the rates proposed must be given as means of sustaining the American industry.
 In reply, MT. Smith, of Nlsw Jersey, stated thar he had a letter from the pro- prfetor of a large maI.ch concern at Cam
 
 WIS desired and that tha increase would be in the interest of the Diamond Match trust.
 Mir Allison, in response, read from She hearings before this ways and means com mlttee of the house, stating that the match factories except that one quoted by MT. Smith desired changes
 The advance proposed by MT. Allison was agreed to, and MT. White, of Cali sornia, then moved to substitute 20 per EAnt which was agreed
 On the percussion caps, etc, paragraph Mr. Allison moved to reduce the rate on blasting caps to that of the Wilson rate, which was rejec-ed.
 fixing tA--rate on safety fuse at 10 per cent. He said these fuses were used in mining operation and that she article was controlled by trust. He submitted 1stters and statement s showing the ex- tent of the alleged fuse trus: and it's division of territory and purpose, he said, of pfundering the counGy.
 MT. Pettigrew said he proposed to place senators from the mining states on rec ord to see if they favored giving this bonus to the trust as against the miners. After short debate on the amend meilt a vote was taken, which resulted yeas "A, nays 24-a tie, and the vicec-pres- ident declared the amendment lost.
 Messrs. Mantle, Pettigrew and Teller, silw5r republicans, voted in the affirma- Eiye with the democrats.
 The paragraph relating to jewelry and precious stones was agreed to, as repurt- ed, at 60 per cent
 P.arls in their natural state was changed to include ''haM pearls" and was agreed Ito as reported.
 This brought the senate to the leather paragraphs The first paragraph, on hides, wsnt over at the request of MT AL lison.
 The next paragraph, on manufactured leather. was entered upon. MT Vest said 1t would Ill hinge upon the treatment of hides. and MT. Smith, of New Jersey, asked that 1t go over. This was agreed to.
 The paragraph on blows and other ag- ricutural implemnts, 20 per cent, brought on brief contest Mir Vest and MT White critfcising the committees action. In this connection MT. Allison stated that the assertion by Mir Vest during previ- ous debates that the American facto- ries were selling goods abroad cheaper than at home had been disproved. to which statement MT. Vest demurred, saying his position was amply upheld.
 MT Vest moved to strike out the para graph leaving these articles on the free list Disagreed to. "A to 29.
 The succeeding paragraph, matters plush. umbrellas, was agreed to as re- ported.v A motion by MT. Vest and MT. White to substitute the Wilson rate was disa greed to without division.
 This unexpectedly brought the senate tos the free list. all of the customs fea- lures of the bill having been either con sfdered or passed over. This apparent progress was offset, however. by the fact that the wool and leather schedules and the paragraphs on gloves had gone over during the day, while other features of the customs portions of the bill had gona over at previous stages of the debate.
 MT. Bacon. of Georgia, offered an amendment to be urged later placing cot ton ties on the free list.
 Mir. White suggested that it was not adyjsab1e to go on with the free list un- less other schedules could be re-consid- cred in case they were interfered with by rates placed on wool and other arti- cles on the dutiab1e list.
 Mr. n.ssorl agreed to this
 MT Vest. however, interposed an ob- lection, saying he would not be willing to go on with the free list until the dutiI able list was disposed of.
 Mr. Allison insisted that the considera- ton of the free list ought to go on. He explained the parliamentary status of the bill which would permit any senator to present at later stages. and. if the bill