The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-18
THE DINGLEY TARIFF 8'B|IL
NTT If1rtR}fo
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMIT
TEE HELD A SECRET SEES
SION THEREON.
DEMOCRATS OBJECT TO SCHEDULES
Want Cotton Ties and Cotton Bagging
Left on Free List-Mr. Bailey An
nounced That Democrats Favor
Haste Rather Than Delay.

Washington, March 16.-The demo-
cratic members of the ways and means
committee of the house received their
first official information of the new tariff
bill today when the bill was considered
at secret session of the full committee
Chairman Dingley announced that he de-
sired to report the bill to the mouse when
it meets ut noon, Thursday.
Mr. McAIillin (dem.) of Tennessee com
planned that this plan would not give the.
democrats sufficient time to analyze the
measure and prepare Il report The dem
ocrats claimed they had treated THE re-
publican members more generously when
the Wilson bill was considered in the
way of time An hour and half was
spent in sparring without any definite
conclusion being reached. Three hanrs
were spent in discussing the bill In sec
tions, the republican members explained
the changes made from existing rates and
comparing the proposed duties with the
Mckinley act. Chairman Dingley and
Mr.. Payne of New York discussed the
| chemical schedule Mr.. Dolliver of Iow@
| the agricultural schedule, Mr.. Tawney of
| Minnesota the lumber, and Paynes the
sugar and Nh. Dalzell, glass. earthenware
and meals Mr. Wheeler of Alabama
and Mr.. Bailey took the lead in the dis
cussion by the democrats.
The placing of duty on cotton ties.
now on the fire. list, was opposed by the
democrats. Mr. Wheeler of Alabama
said the American manufacturers were
not only able to supply the home market.
but to fill large orders in India without
any protection of the article. r
1t was claimed by the democrats that
the additional duty of Ia cents on all
very far-reaching in its scope. The aver
age rate on cutlery was stated to be
about AZ per cent. The democrats 0pp0s-
ed the proposed duty of ~ q ton on
white pine, which is double the McKin-
ley rate They also criticised the para
graph placing telegraph and telephone
poles and railway ties of cedar and other
woods under 20 per cent duty. The
other woods are not now dutiable, and
the opponents of the new bill asserted
that this constitutes the most extensive
class The democratic members of the
committee will offer amendments to the
bill tomorrow in committee as a matter
of form. Their amendments will, OF
course, be rejected by the republicans.
At tne seconu SESSION touay tue uiscus-
sion of the bill did not go into the sched-
ules. Mr. Evans of Kentucky opposed,
the duties on wines and spirits. The
democrats opposed the advance on bran
dies on the ground that it encouraged the.
placing ON the market of spurious goods
limitations of brandies. Mr. Russell of
Connecticut explained that the cotton
schedules were practically the same as
the Wilson bill, making them specific in
stead OF ad valorem.
1t was remarked by democratic menu
Der that Senator Aldrich, and not Mr..
Wilson, was the author of the cotton
schedule.
Mr.. Payne explained the increases in
the hemp, flax, etc, schedule.
The democrats opposed the duty on cot
ton bagging, which is now ON the free
list.
The other schedules were gone through
informally. The democrats criticised the
transfer of many articles from the free
list to the sundry schedule of duties but
were disposed to acquiesce in the action
of republicans in placing duty of 81
a ton on peat moss at the instance OF
Mr.. Dolliver, to encourage an infant in
dustry.
The committee adjourned until Thurs
day morning, but the democratic MEM
bers will have a conference tomorrow, to
outline their policy Mr.. Bailey Of Texas,
the recent democratic candidate for
speaker, said in the committee that the
democrats were anxious to hasten rather
than delay the passage of the bill, both
to stop the possible rush of imports into
the country and to give the republicans
an opportunity to demonstrate that
high tariff could not relieve the country
of financial depression.