Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-09

| 1eCleu.
| The attendance of senators was I'M
usually large as ii was felt that the
tariff bill had entered its most import
ant stages. The consideration of the
tariff bill was resumed at 1890 p. NJ.
| Alliston requested that the sugar
schedule be passed over. Vest remark
ed that it was an open secret that the
majority had made notifications in the
sugar schedule and it was important
that some understanding be had as to
when the notifications would be pre-
| scented and when the schedule would
be taken up.
| This led to definite statement from
Alliston. There We're no open secrets
| that he knew of, he said. He concur
standing should be reached he would
now announce. He said, that the
committee proposed to modify the
| sugar schedule by making the Senate
to disagree to the committee amend
ments to the House bill. or if in order,
| to withdraw these amendments.
| On cornmeal, Vest moved to substi-
| tute 20 per cent for 20 cents per bushel
| Bate. Tenn. wanted a record vote on all
| these cereals, but Vest said it was use
| less as he was afraid the votes would
show that the Democratic vote was
Lonesome" The Vest amendment was
| disagreed to without division.
| Bacon. Dem, Ga. here offered an in
| dividual amendment to be known as
paragraph 22512, placing a duty of 20
| per cent. ad valorem ON raw cotton.
Bacon said the omission of this article
| from the dutiable list was a violation
of the principle of the Democratic plat
| form to that tariff taxation should be
| SO imposed as to discriminate against
| no section.
The tariff asa whole fell like dead
weight on the producers of cotton. rails
/ ing the prices of all articles essential to
his use and yet on his article of produc-
ton, raw cotton, he was left in the
| lurch." Last year the statistics showed
that 55.000o00 pounds of cotton We're
| imported into the United States, valued
| at $6,00000o. The arrivals of foreign
cotton were increasing constantly.
Bacon said he addressed himself par
ticularly to his Democratic associates.
Why should cotton be excluded from
the benefits of revenue duty if all
ether agricultural products We're to
have the benefit of such duties. Under
the rule of consistency there should be
a unanimous vote in favor of a duty on
cotton.
Plat, Conn, who was in charge of
the bill pending Allison's absence. indi-
Gated a readiness for vote favorable
to the amendment and Chandler. Rep
N H., added: I'VE are just dying to
support the senator's amendment
''Of course they will vote for it," re-
marked Vest, soto voce.
Chiffon, Dem; Texas. said the amend
ment would not raise the price of cot
ton. According to the Georgia senator
(Bacon) there would be no diminution
of the Importation of Egyptian cotton
so that the only effect would be to give
additional revenue on cotton without
taking away the competition from
foreign cotton. He said it was impos-
sible to increase the price of cotton by
a tariff so long as it was necessary to
find a market for the surplus of
American cotton as was now the case
in Liverpool or in any other foreign
market. 1t was with cotton as with
wheat-the foreign price would fix the
domestic price. Hence the only result
would be to increase the price on cot
ton goods.
Vest said the amendment would be
adopted as it was in the line of in
creased rates of duty and would re-
ceive Republican support for that rea-
son and because it was calculated to
f.,t icca in, fho nnr 4 Il.
party. He claimed that the addition of
the 20 per cent. provided would simply
add that amount to the finished pro-
duet. He took issue with Mr.. Bacon
on the contention that the amendment
was in line with the platform adopted
at Chicago.