The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-03-31
Permission to Offer, 'sJust One
Little Amendment"
To the Tariff Bill is Begged by
the Democrats.
WOULD CHANGE SUGAR
A Discussion of a Duty on
Hides
Occupied the House Almost the
Entire Day.

Washington, March 31-Party feeling
ran high during the last day of the tar
if debate in the house. Political
speeches were wedged in at every OPP
portunity, and there was constant man
euvering for political advantage. The
opposition directed their efforts towards
stirring UP dissension in the Republi-
can side, but they succeeded only in ex-
posing single instance of revolt. That
was on the subject of free hides. The
Democrats pressed the question of a
duty hides for the benefit of the
farmer with such vigor that Mr.. Hep
burn, an Iowa Republican, was drawn
into the debate and made a strong plea
for dutiable hides. He demanded that
the house be given an opportunity to
vote on this question and declared that
every western Republican was in favor
of it,
Mr. Cannon of Illinois also gave a
qualified Endorsement to this demand.
He prefaced his remarks with the dec
laration that he was for the pending
bill. He was not pleased with all it's
features He never had been pleased
with any revenue bill He appreciated
that there must be a spirit of give and
take, and he was frank to- say he
thought there could well be duty on
hides, as the impression was deeply
grounded in the west that a duty on
hides would raise the price of cattle 81
a head.
Mr. Slayden Dem Tex) expressed
qualification that the dormant Repub-
1ican conscience had been awakened in
spots He proceeded to argue that Il
duty on hides would be of practical
benefit to the cattle raisers of the plains
of Texas and Kansas and the DakotaS.
Mr.. Bell(Pop. Col) warned the Repub-
1icans that if they passed this bill, con-
tanning high duties, without imposing
at least revenue duty on hides, dis
tinctly a product of the farm, they
would regret it.
Why should the wool men of a few
states he PTOISlV dRa1f with
the cattle raisers denied everything?
Mr. Dingley defended the action of
the committee, saying that when the
act OF 1880 was being prepared the pres
ent occupant of the White House made
a very exhaustive investigation of the
subject and found, first, that the great
body of hides produced in this country
were a product from the slaughter of
cattle and that their price was made
here; second, that goat and other skins
tanned in this country were not pro-
duced here; and third, that the hides
imported, except in a few instances,
We're dry hides used in making sole
leather, the proportion of which was %
per cent.
Mr. Hepburn Rep. Ia.) came forward
with a vehement speech in favor of
duty on hides Mr.. Hepburn declared
that the wool interests dwarfed in con-
trast with the vast cattle interests of
the country. Iowa was more interested
in hides than wool. She marketed an
nually $4,000, 900 worth of hides, and not
demanded that the ways and means
committee allow the sense of the house
to be taken on this question and affirm
ed with great positiVeness that every
Republican from the west favored du-
I'VE insist he said. that tanning and
lea Their industries of New York, PennsyI-
Vania and New England should not be al
lowed to stifle the demands of the west.
Mr.. Norton (Dem.. o., made a vicious
attack on the majority. Instead of denounc-
said, the other side ought to be down on
their knees at the feet of his 'tperspiring
Thanking him for the opportunity he had
given them to again rob the people, -.
Mr. Henderson of Iowa. took occasion at
shis point to deny that this bill was franz
ed in the interest of the east He pointed
out that the west held majority of the
committee and were competent to care for
the interests to which they were COM
clsred that the tariff on Mexican cattle
was a blow at the farmers and the wool
talked on the cattle schedule, asserting
that the rates amounted to 125 per cent
advaloren, so far as they concerned his
Mr.. Brucker Dem. Mich). denounced
She duty OF 81 on lumber as robbery. The
Canada and have their lumber sawed by
<he cheap labor there. 1t was free trade
sn labor and protection of the manufac-
Surer- The amendment pending was
adopted; also an amendment increasing
the rates on horses and mules to those of
Mr. Richardson asked if the chairman
of the ways and means committee would |
not be kind enough to allow the minority
xo offer just one little amendment"
L presume it is to strike out the enact
ang clause said Mr.. Dingley.
NO" replied Mr.. Richardson. lit is to |
strike out the diferential on sugar"
we viii consider any amendment OBJ |
served Mr. Dingley his response causing |
a smile on the Democrat tic side.
Mr.. McMillin followed this up with a /
request that the committee now proceed |
TO the conclusion of the sugar schedule. |
Several Republicans objected. I'VE will |
get to that schedule said MIR. Hopkins, |
IF you will allow to proceed
All right" replied Mr.. McMilln, I'VE |
Will let the reading proceed and see how |
sincere you are"
The clerk then resumed the reading of |
abe bill where he stopped off on Saturday. |
Mr. LentZ (Dem., o.. was the first to I
interrupt the reading of the bill. He Dre- /
scented number of protests from bitumi- |
nous coal miners against the restoration ,
OF . cents a ton on coal He declared that |
Ihe restoration was in the interest of the |
anthracite coal pool of the east.
Mr.. GroSvenor (Rep.. o.. in reply said |
that the east was in favor of lower duty |
on coal Introduction of coal on the At
1antlc seaboard did not affect the coal |
snarket in Ohio Canada now imposed a |
duty was now 40 cents. The committee |
then rose An attempt was then made to |
extend the debate an hour today but the |
republicans refused to agree to this I'M
less the Democrats would agree to vote
on the amendments in gross.
But the Democrats declined to accede |
70 this condition and all negO tia tiOnS fell |
through Mr.. Wheeler tried to secure /
consent for night session but Mr.. Ding I
ley said it would be impossible to obtain |
q quorum.
At $40 p. m. the house adjourned.