The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-22
Their Powers Exceeded by
the COnfereeS on
the Bill.

down on a thing, the higher it rises;
Notwithstanding his sitting down on
the sugar schedule, up go the prices.
IF he can't work the safety valve bet
ter than that he had better retire from
politics.
Vice President Hobart then an
nounced his decision on the point of
order. holding that it was not we'll
taken. 1t was not. he said, for the
chair to determine whether the matter
In conference report was new, or
was relevant. All such questions
were for the senate itself on the ques-
t1on Of accepting or rejecting the re-
port.
TAXES ON HIDES.
When the amendment relating to
hides was reached Mr.. Allen (Neb.)
asked why the confereeS had provided
a drawback of duty ON leather export
ed, made from imported hides. Mr.. AL
dr1ch explained that the house had in
sisted on the proviso, and he felt that
that the drawback was payable under
the law without reference to this pro-
VISION. VISION He thought about $500,000 to
$foO,O0O or revenue would be obtained
from the duty on hides, and probably
about half Of this would be paid in
drawbacks.
Mr.. Allen (Neb) spoke against the
bill as whole, and incidentally re-
ferred to the present coal strike, con-
trasting it with the promises of pros
per1ty. The strike would be arbitrated,
he said, and arbitrated in but one way,
namely, in favor of the coal baron and
against the miner, and If the miner
protested he would be met by the baton
OF the policeman or the bayonet of the
tin soldier
Mr.. Teller and Mr.. Vest criticised the
hide amendment, the former saying
that the drawback clause was in the
interest OF Eastern tanners, as the
Western tanners, who did not export
leather, were getting no drawback
Mr.: Aldrich answered that the East
and West stood on the same basis so
far as this legislation was concerned.
1t was impossible to build a battleship
at Omaha, but that was due to the
geography of the country and not to
any legislative discrimination against
Omaha and the West. Mr.. Aldrich said
that three out of the five senate con-
ferees were from the West, and he hot
ly repudiated the statement that New
England and the East had been un-
duly favored by the conferees
The conference amendment omitting
from the free list scientific books and
periodicals brought out a sarcastic
speech from Mr.. Vest. The derided De-
mocracy had in the Wilson bill, placed
paintings, statuary and scientific books
on the free list, thus comforting a bene-
fit on all our people by inviting to this
country the best productions of art and
science. Now, however, the G.. o. P,
the party of culture, refinement and
progress took the backward track and
attempted to exclude these articles.
RECIPROCITY CLAUSE
The reciprocity amendment occasion
ed lengthy debate. Mr.. Teller incurred
why the president had been restricted
to two years in making reciprocity
treaties.
Mr.. Allison explained that it was de-
sired to have our commercial relations
| definitely established within a reason
able time. 1t was believed this could
be accomplished within two years.
Mr.. Teller said his thought was that
the committee was fraid to trust the
next president.
Mr.. White criticised the provision
that reciprocity treaties shall be ZAP
proved by congress-" Congress had the
power to raise or lower duties without
waiting to approve a treaty and he de-
clared that this provision would arouse
criticism on the mental ability of the
congress enacting it..
Mr.. Allison explained that congress
had no means of negotiating with for
elgn governments so that a treaty was
essential before any reciprocal plan of
tariff reduction could be executed. The
conference amendment striking out the
SeHdIe pIoNlSlOIl LOT stamp tax on
bonds and stocks also led to discus
sion. In answer to inquiries Mr.. Alli-
son said the point has been raised that
an excise tax must be levied on a
class of articles as a whole while the
senate amendment expressly accepted
bonds of building associations and
other classes of bonds. This objection
was felt to be well taken and the bond
provision was abandoned
Mr.. Allen declared that this was an
other humble submission to the money
power
Mr.. Morgan asserted that there were
many reasons behind the one assigned
for the abandonment of the bond tax.
The main influence was the favorit-
ism shown to capital. It was this IA
Voritlsm which was making converts TO
the Populfst party.
Another influence was the sugar trust
which had been instrumental in hay-
ing the bond tax abandoned, as it
would affect the tremendous stock
transfers Of the trust The formal
reading of the conference report was
completed at $50 o'clock, and the SEN
ate at once went into executive ses-
sion, adjourning soon after.