Evening star., 1897-06-05
Its Discussion in the Senate Begun
Today.
STRONG OPPOSITION OF Mr.. VEST
His Position Disputed by Senator
Bacon Of Georgia.
} T Fl E r M A T T E r. S

eiHIieft, against the determinations OF the
sugar schedule in the pending tariff bill
against bountied sugar. The minister's
letter was read in full, at the request of
Mr.. Vest. 1t urges that the discrimination
against sugars receiving bounties denies to
Austria-Hungary the most favored nation
treatment. and also threatens to damage
heavily the exports Of that country. The
communication was referred to the finance
committee.
The Tariff Bill Again Up.
At 1915 the consideration of the tariff
bill was resumed. The first paragraph of
of the wood schedule, relating to hewn
timber. ETC.. was agreed to at 1k cents per
cubic foot, the new rate proposed by the
committee.
When the next paragraph, sawed boards.
planks. deals, etc, was reached Mr.. Vest
said he would later move to place the
articles of this paragraph and those of the
previous one on the free list.
Mr. Allison then perfected the proviso re-
latins TO the addition of the export duty
upon saw logs coming from countries pay
ing an export duty, SO that the proviso will
apply also to boom sticks and chains used
in towing logs This amendment was
agreed to.
Mr.. Jones (Ark.) spoke against an addi-
tioral tax on lumber, referring to the
heavy burden il imposed on the people of
the west. He said the rates Of the bill
were the result of a determined and sysle-
matte effort by the lumbermen, and in this
connection he read a letter from the ma
tional lumber convention issued from an
office in Washington, urging that petitions
to senators and members be prepared bear
ing the names of workingmen. This, Mr.
Jones declared, was the means by which
the high rates were being urged.
Mr.. Vest said there was not single item
In the bill so utterly indefensible as that
increasing the rate on white pine, taking
it from the free list and placing it at 81
per 1000 feet. White pine was justly call
ed the king of coniferous woods and
yet the clear intent of the trainers of this
bill was to make the rates absolutely pro-
hibitory on this wood
1t was due to some extent to COM
bination between the lumber interests of
the west and the south, and he had been
confronted by this combination during his
last canvass. The senator referred to
the maner in which the Maine delegation
the ables one in Congress-had succeeded
for years in keeping spruce on the dutiaDle
list. 1t was credit to their capacity.
which they displayed in all directions,
curing among other things more public
buildings than any other state.
MrVest declared that the proposed rate on
whit. pine in the interest of the "lum
Der barons who have accumulated millions
upon millions at the expense OF the people.
AS evidence of this. the senator read a
letter from Michigan, giving the names OF
Michigan pine kings. In tervid tones
Mr.. Vest referred to this added burden on
the poor, to whom every penny vas almost
dollar and every dollar almost a drop of
blood. 1t was, he said, the most indefen-
sible item of the bill; without justification
or paliiation.
Mr.. Jones (Ark.) warned his southern as
sociates against the argument that the
lumber interests Of the south would be
benefited by the exclusion of Canadian lum
ber He read letter from American
lumberman On the border, saying the
suit of the rates would be to compel the
Canadians reduce the nrice nf their l,In-
ber and II eventually would come into the
United States cheaper than at present.
Mr.. McI.aurin tS.C). who recently en-
tered the Senate made his initial speech il
crticisins the Iates of the wood schedule.
sewing they were not designed to benefit
any southern industry. and that if there
was anything of the kind it was merely
incidental.
Mr.. Vests Amendment.
Mr.. Vest moved an amendment excepting
white pine from the operation of the para
graph.
Mr.. Bacon of Georgia expressed his diff
ference with Mr.. Vest. The latter he
said. had pointed out rates increased 100
per cent, while in this schedule the aver
age ad valorem was below 20 per cent.
That being the case Mr.. Bacon asserted
that Mr.. Vests statement that this was
the most uljustifiable feature of the bill
was not warranted.
Il regard it as the most reasonable feat
ure of the whole bill" declared Mr.. Bacon.
Il regard the schedule as proper one. ir-
respective of the party from which ii
comes
Mr.. Bacon went on to state that he was
not a protectionst. But the stern necessi-
ties OF the government required tariff,
and high tariff. He was not speaking for
a protective tariff, but he believed that
WREN it became necessary to impose reve
nue. duties, then 1t was essential to make
the rates uniform as far as practicable. If
tie S0nthprD lnuohar Sk m
to support a rate simply for the sake of
protection. he would not do it. But when
they asked that the revenue duties be In
proportion to the revenue duties on other
articles. he regarded that just, and he
would support It. Less than 20 per cent
was not protective duty, he asserted In
front of his home ran trains freighted with
southern lumber, freighted to the north
west, and this industry would be struck
down without this legitimate revenue tariff
He had received telegram, he said, say
ing that every man, woman and child was
looking to the success of the lumber scAed-
ule.
Mr.. Bacon argued against the imposition
OF taxes on finished products. while the
raw products were left the free list
Why, he asked Mr.. Vest should the drons
of blood to which the Missouri senator
had referred be drawn in the benefit of the
producer of the finished product and not
the raw product?
Lively COllOquy.
Mr.. Vest rather lightly said he under
stood that the web and woof Of the sepa-
tors Bacon statement to be that he IA
vored revenue tariff. but not a pro-
tective tariff.
Not only the web and woof, but the
whole garment responded Mr.. Bacon
Mr.. Vest asked Mr.. Bacon to explain why
it was that these rates were absolutely
prohibitory.
Mr.. Bacon said that average duties be-
lew ~ per cent could not be prohib.ory
He added that he had spoken at some
length because he found himself differing
from some of his democratic associates He
had not in any way abandoned The view
that correct duty Is q revenue duty, and
in this connection he referred Mr.. Vest to
the duties imposed by the Wilson act
framed in part by him.
Mr.. Vest said he entered his protest
against any statements that the Wilson
act established precedent for the demo-
cratic party. That bill, he declared, was
passed under duress, with the President
and the Secretary of the Treasury urging
that a tariff bill was absolutely neces sary
'If the senator was called upon to frame
a revenue tariff bill,'' interposed Mr. Ba-
con. what would he consider the lowest
average rate?"