The times., 1897-06-08
A LIVELY SENATE DEBATE
Lumber Proves to Be Anything
But a Dry Subject.
DEMOCRATS VOTE FOR A DUTY
Eight of Them Refuse 10 support
the Amendment to Put LUMBER
on the Free List-Mr. Hoar AshSu
a Troublesome Question Abodt
Free Hides.

The usually dry subjectof lumber brought
out an interesting debate in the Senate
yesterday toward the close of the proceed
ings A vote ca Mr.. Vests motion to put
white pine on the free list showed that
eight Democratic Senators have repudl-
ated the Democratic doctrine so far, at
least as il relates to lumber Mr. Vest
motion was defeated by vote of 3S to
20, the Democrats who Joined with tie
Republicans being: Bacon, Gay, McEnery,
McLauren, Martin, Rawlins, Tillman and
White.
Several long speeches were made, by
Messrs Spooner and Thurston for the
Republican schedule and by Mr.. Gray
against it 1t was during his speech, in
reply to question by Mr.. Stewart,
that Mr. Gray startled the Senate by say
ing that he did not believe in the virtue
of Incidental protection any more than he
believed in the virtue OF incidental pros
utution, a remark, coming from the source
whence it did, almost sufficient TO throw
the Senate into spasm.
Just before adjournment, Mr.. Allison
was asked if the sugar schedule would
be called up today, but he did not give
a direct reply. He coupled his answer with
several evasions that indicated the alb
sence OF Tostive Information on his part
or a desire not TO give it 10 the Senate
Mr.. Jones finally retorted that the reply
would not do The Democrats wanted a
definite answer, and Mr.. Allison then adj
nitted that it would be passed over to-
day, at least, and the tobacco schedule
taken up. This evasion on the part OF
Mr. Allison was due to the fact that lie
did not know what the caucus called for
tomorrow morning would decide, and he
did not care to expose the situation any
more than he was forced to Mir. Jones,
on this account, prodded him as stiffly
as possible.
1t is quite likely that the sugar schedule
VIII go owe, for several days, for Senator
Aldrich was notified by his phys clan
last night that he must leave the city
for several days. and he viii probably take
his depa rture today Immediately after The
caucus
The proposition to enact duty u u
per thousand feet, board measure, on lum-
ber first called forth a protest from Nh.
Allen.
The Senator from Nebraska asserted
that the owners Of white pine in the
United states were endeavoring TO pro
hihit the importation of white pine from
Canada II could not understand the neces-
sity OF q tax on white pine. II was not to
increase the industry. It was a tax on
every farmer aad every home builderin this
country
The great millions of people who want
TO build homes for their families aud
schools for their children viii have a tax
of 50 per thousand on the lumber to be
used.
When the white pine disappears from
this country the owners Of the lumber in
Canada will raise the price OF it TO the
American consumer, who will be wholly at
the Canadians mercy. There will be no
escape for it. "
Mr. Allen declared that every man before
the Finance Committee concerning the lum
Der schedule were owners Of lumber or in
terested in the industry, but not persCn
who was wholly interested in the build
ing of homes Hedeclared thatthe passage
OF the schedule would place every farmer
at the mercy of the pine owners OF this
country at means sixteen or seventeen
bushels of oats, or four to five bushels of
wheat, or 200 bushels of corn to pay the
tariff tax said MI Allen. why should
d levy be made upon every corn field,
every wheat field, every oat field in the
United States?
1T is simply an attempt to pay back TO
the syndicate Of lumber owners a compcn-
sation. Larceny is larceny, no matter
what name you give it. You may call 1t
bezZlement; you may take from the people
what nghtfully belongs to them, but it is
all tie same kind Of larceny. Why should
not those who are attempting to build
houses and build homes and build up the
country be as free fIom taxation as the
lumber owner?
1.-The people are too poor to come to
Congress and hang around in the
galleries and the fobbes to influence Con-
gress on the subject. They are too poor,
many of them, to travel here; they mustrely
lpon their Representatives In Congress to
treat them honestly and secure protection
for them
The motion was then made to put lumber
on the free list.
Mr.. Allen was followed by Mr. Berry of A r
kansas, who defended the yellow pine of
the South. His opinion was that even If
the tax On white lumber did not affect the
price Of yellow pine, it was not the duty
of the Southern Congressman to vote 10
place a tax on the people of Nebraska,
Minnesota, Michigan and Kansas. He de-
clared that it would he such rank Injustice
to the agriCulturists of the South TO vote
for a tax on lumber, that in spite of re-
quests from the lunbernIen of his State
To support a lumber tax, he could not CON
scientiously do it.
1t was contrary to honesty and the
Democratic platform as he understood il.
Mr.. Caffery, of Louisiana, said he was
opposed to any protective duty. He critt-
cised Mr. Bacon. of Georgia, for the latters
supposed protective tendency. Mf Bacon
denied the iuputation, and said he did
favor a revenue tariff
THE platform l stand on,'' iDterposed
Mr.. Bacon, 1.-THE orthodoxy Of which the
Senator from louisiana may not subscribe
to tMr. Caffery supported the indianapolis
gold ticket, warrants my position. Tho
Chicago platform said. We favor tariff
for revenue, With duties so adjusted as to
TTRESOME