The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-06-03
METAL SCHEDULE TAKEN UP
DEBATE BEGINS ON IMPORTANT
 TARIFF BILL ITEMS.

Lost But One-Anvil Rate Alone De-
 creased-Long Talk on Tin PIate-Sena-
 tor Platt in Evidence in the Cutlery and
 Hardware Paragraphs. s
 Washington, June 2.-The senate made greater progress on the tariff bill than in any one day since the debate opened completing more than half of
 the important metal schedule. The speaking was by the democratic sena- tors, the republican senators taking no part in the debate except at rare inter- vais to answer questions which would expedite the advance of the bill.
 Messrs. Jones of Arkansas and Vest
 urged numerous amendments embody-
 ing in the main the Wilson rates, but
 these were rejected with only one ex-
 ception. This exception related to an- wills, on which Mir. Vest secured a re- duction of the committee rate from two
 cents to one and three-quarters cents
 per pound It was the first change
 made without the assent of the commit
 tee and 1t was due mainly to the list
 less manner of many senators in vot-
 ing.
 MT. Jones, dem., of Arkansas, made his first attack to-day upon the iron and
 steel paragraphs, which he declared
 were humbug, since we were the
 greatest pig-iron producers in the world
 and were exporting iron and steel
 manufactures. He referred to the re-
 cent collapse of the steel-rail pool and
 asked what was the justification of leg
 islation which had allowed the steel
 rail men, through combination, to
 charge $28 a ton to the American con-
 sumers when they were now glad to
 sell at $17 ton. Although the Aldrich
 bill gives substantially the same rates
 as the existing law, MT. Jones main tained that the American consumer
 would not be at the mercy of the trust, and advocated heavy reduction in the rates.
 The paragraphs on sheet iron and steel were agreed to as reported,
 amendments offered by MT. White of California being rejected without divis- ion.
 A contest arose over tin plate in par-
 agraph 130. The house rate was liz cents per pound and the senate rate 1 40 cents. MT. Vest moved an
 amendment reducing the rate to 2-1O
 cents. He characterized the proposed
 rate as "indefensible and outrageous
 Whatever had been the condition of the tin plate industry, 1t was now on | its feet. As an eminent republican au- thority had said,' MT. Vest continued, when these infants grew to the size of young giants seven feet high they
 were ready to kick your head off if you did not give them what they want.'' The senator said he had been informed by tin-plate men that they controlled the market and needed no more pro- lection. But the habit of protection was like the drink habit, MT. Vest as- serted. "The more you have the more you want, and if you stop there Is de- lirium tremens, economically. There is l no cure for it.
 | Mot even the gold cure" suggested
 MT. White, to which MT. Vest assented. | MT. Jones of Arkansas said that an association in tin plate manufacturers had been formed and had advanced rates on their goods, while refusing to | advance the wages of labor. The re- | suit, he asserted, from the increase of duty would be to deliver the American consumer, bound hand and foot, to the | tin plate association, while the tin | workers had no increase of wages. | MT. Vests amendments on tin plate | were disagreed to, yeas 21, nays 32. | In paragraph 131 covering steel in- | gots, blooms, slabs, etc.. MT. Allison | for the committee had the committees amendment changed so as to admit 1 "crank pins, connecting rods and piS- | ton rods.''
 l The balance of the paragraph was | agreed to as reported.
 Paragraph 132, relating to wire rodss | was agreed to as reported. | On paragraph 133 a proviso was added l by the commmittee that all round iron or steel wire valued above five cents l shall pay per cent. ad valorem. | Paragraph 134 was amended, on mos | tion of MT. Allison, so as to omit wire | cloth, etc., 45 per cent. ad valorem, and
 adding a provision that articles manu- | factured from iron, steel, brass or cops
 per wire shall pay the duty on the wire
 and in addition per cent. per pound. Paragraph 1855 to 137 making general provisions relative to metals was l agreed to as reported.
 l MT. Allison withdrew the committee | amendments to paragraph 137 and it l was restored as originally in the house 1 bill.
 There was something of a surprise on
 paragraph 138 relating to anvils. MT. | Vest moved an amendment reducing l the rate from two cents to one and | three-quarters cents per pound. He
 spoke of the use made of these articles | by blacksmiths. Then a viva voce vote
 was taken on the amendment. The re- | sponse was listless on both sides, as few senators were paying close atten- I ton. MT. Frye, who was in the chair, decided that MT. Vests amendment
 was agreed to.
 There was a hearty laugh at the un-
 expected result MT. Allison looked
 puzzled, but said he would not call for ! the ayes and noes. This change was
 the first to be made without the sanc- l ton of the finance committee. | Paragraph 13S as to axles went over at the request of Mir. Platt of Connec- l ticut.
 The succeeding paragraphs up to 14I were agred to as reported. On para graph. 147 relating to chains MT. White