The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-06
SPEECHES BY OUR SENATORS.
BACON AND CLAY HEARD IN THE
TARIFF DEBATE.


Out strongly in Favor of Giving
the Lumber Industry the Full Pro-
lection Proposed by the BiIl-M..
clay Follows Mr.. Bacon and De-
cTares Himself Against Free Trade
and in Favor of a Tariff Sufficient
to Carry on the Government Eco
nOmjcnIly Administered.
Washington, June 5.-When the Senate
laid aside the tariff bill tonight it had
reached the sugar schedule. which has
been the subject of so much interest and
conflict. During the day many of the
paragraphs of the wood schedule had been
agreed TO, but that restoring humber to
the dutiable list at 81 per LOCO, proved the
greatest stumbling block encountered
since the debate began. 1t led to an ex-
cited debate during which a wide diverg-
ence of views was developed on the demo-
cratic side of the chamber.
Mr.. Bacon. dem, of Georgia gave his
support to the committee rate, saying it
was essential to the lumber industry of
the south. He also spoke in favor of a
revenue tariff so adjusted as to give equal
benefit to all industries. Mr.. Bacon and
Mr.. Vest clashed several times on tariff
doctrine, Mr.. Vest expressing his regret
that a democratic senator would aid in
restoring. to the duuable list one Of the
three products-lumber, salt and wool
which the Wilson bill put on the free list.
Mr.. Clay of Georgia also spoke at
length on the tariff bill, criticising the
sugar schedule and other features of the
bill.
When the paragraph Sawed boards,
planks, deals, etc., was reached, Mr.. Vest
said he would move to place the articles
of this paragraph on the free list.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas spoke against an
additional tax on lumber, referring to the
heavy burden it imposed on the people of
the west. He said that rates of the bill
were The result OF a determined and sys-
tematic effort by the lumbermen, and in
this connection he read a letter from the
national lumber convention issued from an
office in Washington, urging that petit
tons to senators and members be pre-
pared, bearing the names of working men.
This Mr.. Jones declared, was the means
by which the high rates were being urged.
Mr.. Vest said there was not a single
item in the bill so utterly indefensible
as that contained in the rate on waite
pine, taking it from the free list and
placing the duty at 81 per 1000 feet White
pine was justly called the king of conf
eroUs woods" and yet the clear intent of
the trainers of this bill was to make the
rates absolutely prohibitory on this wood.
1t was due to some extent to a combina-
ton between the lumber interests of the
west and south and he had been con-
fronted by this Communication during his
last canvass.
Mr.. Vest declared that the proposed
rate on white pine was in the interest
Of lumber barons, who have accumulate
millions upon millions" at the expense of
the people. In fervid tones, Mr.. Vest
referred to this added burden on the poor.
to whom every penny was almost a dol
lar, and every dollar almost a drop of
blood. 1t was, he said the most indefen-
sible item of the bill; without justification
or palliation.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas warned his south
ern associates against the argument that
the lumber interests of the south would
be benefited by the exclusion Of Cana
dian lumber
Mr.. McLaurin dem, of South Carolina,
who recently entered the Senate, made his
initial speech in criticisng the rates of
the wood schedule. sayMpthey were not
designed to benefit any gouthern industry
and that if there was anything of the
kind, it was merely incidental.
Mr.. Vest moved, an amendment except
ing white pine from the operation of the
paragraph.
Mr.. Vests position. The latter, he said,
had pointed out rates increased 100 per
cent while in this schedule the average
ad valorem was below 20 per cent. That
being the case, Mr.. Bacon asserted that
Mr.. Vests statement that this was the
most unjustifiabe feature of the bill was
not warranted. Il regard it as the most
reasonable feature of the whole bill" de-
clared Mr.. Bacon Il regard the sched-
ule as a proper one irrespective of the
party from which it comes"
Mr. Bacon went on to state that he was
not protectonist. But the stern neces-
stiles Of the government required tarin,
and high tariff. He was not speaking
for protective tariff, but he believed that
when 1t became necessary to impose reVe-
nue. duties, then it was essential to make
the rates uniform as far as practicable.
If the southern lumber interests asked
him 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 as Just
and he would support it.
In front of his home ran trains freighted
with southern lumber for the northwest,
and this industry would be struck down
without this legitimate revenue tariff He
had received a telegram, he said, saying
that every man, woman and child was
looking to the success OF the lumber
schedule.
Mr.. Bacon argued against the imposi-
ton Of taxes on finished products, while
the raw products were left on the free
list. Why, he asked Mr.. Vest, should the
drops of blood to which the Missouri sem
ator had referred, be drawn in the Benefit
of the producer Of finished products and
not the raw products.
Mr. Vest rather lightly said he under
stood the web and wool Of the senator's
(Bacons) statement TO be that he favor
ed a revenue tariff, but not a protective
tariff
Not only the web and wool, but the
whole garment" responded MIR. Bacon.
Mr. Vest asked Mr. Bacon to explain
why II was that these rates were made alb
eolutcly prohibitory.
Mr. Bacon answered by denial, saying
that average duties below 20 per cent.
could not be prohibitorya He added that
he had spoken at some length because he
found himself differing from some Of his
democratic associates. lie had
not In any way abandoned the
Wow that correct duty is
revenue duty. and IN this connection.
he referred Mr. Vest TO the duties imposed