The times., 1897-06-17
DRY OEBATi ON SCHEDULES
All Amendments Proposed by
Democrats Voted Down.
MIR. VEST TALKS ABOUT CIDER
His Witty Speech the Only Eniiven-
ing incident of the Day-Senator
Mills Proposes an Amendment
Giving Free Silver Coinage Ne
tions a 25 Per Cent Rebate.


yesterday throughout storm of opposi-
ticn aimed at the tariff bill by the Demo-
Gratis, and succeeded in keeping their lines
without break The debate was on the
effort was made by the Democrats to re-
duce the rates Imposed by the pending
bill. The only incident of the Gay was
the earnest but witty speech of Mr..
Vest. favoring placing cider on tue free
list, and his comparison of the habits of
Americans ana Europeans in the consump-
ton OF beverages; and, later in the day
the stubborn fight for free salt ana the
decisive defeat OF the Democrats. The
discussion was begun with the item on milk,
Mr.. Jones moving to reduce the duty IN
milk, preserved or condensed, etc, from
. cents pound 20 o per cel5, and on sugar
of milk, from cents a pound to 2oper cent
Mr. Jones made an argument to show that
under these rates which were practically
the same as the Mckinley law, prices of
milk had fallen, and the farmer had been
buncocd. Mr. Jones intimated the exist
ence OF Il mix trust, but he was defeated
and milk stays where it is in the Senate
bill
Mr. Vest sought to put cabbages on the
free list, hut chorus of noes kept cab
bages on the dutiable list at 3 cents each.
When cider was reached, with It's duty
of cents gallon, Mr. V est jumped to his
feet. declaring that he drew the line at
cider. lie stated that the debate had been
proceeding over three long weeks, and the
minority had secured one reduction in the
RI nf "a IN
anvils Now he appealed for a reduction
Of the duty on cider, and its shifting to the
free list. The statistics show that in 1886
we exported SIT ,67O worth OF cider and
imported S1,7O4. This showed that We
not only supplied the entire home market,
but exported cider In goodly quantities.
If there was a temperance man on the
Republican side of the chamber, Mr.. Vest
said, lie would appeal to him 10 encourage
the use OF the light wines of America,
beer and cider. Light wines were the
road to temperance, and never would
the American people be temperance peo-
pie until he soul-destroying and madden
ing alcoholic liquors were abandoned, and
.ght wines only used as a beverage.
There are some things about the Eu-
ropeans deserving OF emulation said Mr.
Vest, land one of them is their moderate
use of light wines A statesman of my
own party recently said that he had never
been on the Continent, ana he thanked
Sod he was too good an American to want
TO go there. l told him would rather
,n account OF my health, be there now than
here struggling with the tariff bill
Then, why not give it up?'' laughingly
asked Mr.. Fry.
n 4 a1 w
Il time when a man gets hold Of live wire
and can't let 20. l am compelled to be
here and do the best / can to 1emedy
some of the evils of this measure
Returning TO the subject of cider, Mr.
Vest said he was here in defense of that
delightful beverage which cheers but
Goes not inebriate; the beverage that
sparkles 81 every New England home, and
wherever an apple orchard can be found
Referring again TO the European use of
light wines, Mr.. Vest mentioned the beer
halls of Germany, where respectable
fathers and mothers, accompanied by
their children, spent many pleasant hours
and enjoyed their beer with our Aneri-
can methods and American drinks in a
place of this kind, il would not be ten
minutes before one could hear the howl Of
q revolver"
Let u.s. said Mr. Vest, In conclusion.
ego back to the drinks Of our boyhood-
milk, water and cider. I make this appeal
seriously I am defending cider Many
years ago distinguished member OF this
body entered the chamber with hat, cane
and glovesin his hand as Senator Sherman
was making an argument in favor Of an in
in ha rxhic to-
when the tax was much less than now.
Stopping on the threshold for a moment as
he grasped the purport of Mr.. Sherman's
Remarks, this Senator paused, and raising
his hand to command attention, asked the
Senator from Ohio If he could interrupt
him with a question.
L am told. Mr.. President this SEN
ator said, slowly and distinctly, that
whisky has no friend in this chamber. /
am its friend and it is my friend. Wniskv
builds un the weakand destroys the strong.
and is the friend of man. end with that"
said Mr.. Vest, turned on his heel and
walked out of the chamber If cider has
10 friend here want the Senate to know
that I am one"
But Mr. Vests appeal fell on deaf and
un wiling ears The Senate refused to i
'Aio nc NANtf tiGc d vote OF 20 10 Il.
The committee amendment reducing the |
duty on hay from ga TO $3.50 a ton was |
withdra wn.
MI Jones moved to reduce the duty to |
81 ton, calling attention In that connec- |
tion TO the tact that under the 81 rate of |
The Mckinl"v law, the imnortations Of |
hay anlojnted to but $500, 600, while |
under the existing rate OF 81 the aggre |
gate had increased to So, SOC, 900. If it |
was The intention to derive revenue from |
Tie duty on hay, Mr. Jones contended, then |
the present rate should not be changed
Mr. Jones proposition was lost, and in
IKE manner the Senate refused to reduce
the duty on eggs.
The item of hops was next taken up.
motion to make the rate cents was
lost; yeas %, nays 2S
An amendment by Senator Allison to
place tax of so per cent ad valorem
On hop extract was agreed to without
opposition.
Mr. Vest moved TO strike out the rate (
of 40 cents per bushel on onions and make
It 20, because onions are so much used
and needed in the Army and elsewhere.
but the amendment was lost.
After Mr.. Allison had modified the
on peas, so as to make the
1uty 80 cents per bushel on green peas,
30 on dried peas, and 40 on split peas,
Nr. Jones moved TO strike out all refer.
snce 70 green peas, which motion was
ost.
Mr. - son then moved to insert a new
paragraph, 20 as TO provide a duty OF
30 per cent ad yalorem on ali bulbs
# various flowers, aud on natural flowers