The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-16
A TAX ON RAW COTTON.
SOUTH'S STAPLE PRODUCT PLACED
ON THE DUTlABLE LIST.

ON Tie w llpDIe LILO
Bacon OF Georgia. Responsible for the New
Departure, Assisted by Clay, Tinman,
McLaurip, McEnerv and Rawlips-Much
Feeling Mantle sted In the d Debate.
By the decisive vote of 40 to 10 the
Senate Wednesday adopted an amend
ment TO the tariff bill placing raw cot
ton, the great product OF the South,
on the dutisble list at 20 per cent. ad.
valorem. It is the first time in the
history of tariff legislation that a duty
on cotton has been incorporated IN q
bill. The amendment was proposed
BY Mr.. Bacon Oem.. Ga.,) on his in
dividual responsibility. and without
the approval of the finance committee,
which thus far has been requisite to
the success of every amendment. ex
cept a minor one which went through
by default.
The amendment led to a spirited de-
bate, Democratic Senators disclosing
a wide difference of views and at times
exchanging sharp personal criticisms.
On the final vote six Democrats-Ba.
con and Clay of Georgia, McEnery 81
Louisiana, McLaurin and Tillmau OF
South Carolina and Rawlins Of Utah
voted with the Republicans for the
Bacon amendment, while the negative
vote was so]idly Democratic with one
exception-Kyle (Pop)
The debate on cotton took up the
most of the day and but little progress
was made on the bill. EARLY in the
day the sugar schedule was passed
over and the agricultural schedule
taken UP. Less than two pages were
disposed of during the day. The par
agraph on cattle went over, but the
balance of the agricultural schedule,
up to and including paragraph 22S.
was agreed to as reported, all amend
ments except that of MIR. Bacon being
rejected.
When the tariff bill was taken up
at 1920 D. M, Mr.. Allison of Iowa
requested that the sugar schedule be
passed. stating that it would be con.
sidered tomorrow. The agricultural
schedule being next in order. a mum,
Der of amendments were offered by
Democratic Senators, but all were re-
jected until Mr.. Bacon offered his
amendment, to be known IS paragraph
2254, placing a duty of 90 per cent. ad
valorem on raw cotton. Mr.. Bacon
said the omission of this article from
the dutiable list was a violation of the
principles of the Democratic platform
that tariff, taxation should be so i'm
posed as to discriminate against no
section. The. tariff as a whole fell
like a dead weight on the producer Of
cotton, raising the price of all article S
essential to his use, yet on his article
of production, raw cotton, he was left
in the lurch. Last year the statistics
showed that IS, 600, 900 pounds OF cot.
ton were imported into the United
States, valued at S., 600, 600. The ar
rivals of foreign cotton were increas-
ing constantly. Mr.. Bacon said he
addressed himself particularly to his
Democratic associates. Why should
cotton be excluded from the benefits
of a revenue duty if all other agricul-
tural products were to have the benefit
of such duties2 Under the rule of
consistency, there should be a unani
nous vote in favor Of a duty on cot.
ton.
MI. Plat, of Connecticut, who was
in charge of the bill pending MI. Ali.
sons absence, indicated a readiness
for q vote favorable to the amend
ment, and Mr.. Chandler rep. N. H.
added: 1--WE are just dying to support
the Senator's amendment"
Mr.. Chiffon Dem. Tex said the
amendment would not raise the price
of cotton. According to the Georgia
Senator (Bacon), there would be no
diminution OF the importation of
Egyptian cotton, SO that the only eff.
feet would be giving additional reve.
nue. on cotton, without taking away
the competition from foreign cotton.
MI. Chiffon said it was impossible
to increase the price of cotton by a
tariff so long as it was necessary to
find a market for the surplus of Anne.
rican cotton, as was now the case, in
Liverpool or in any other foreign
market. 1t was with cotton as with
wheat-the foreign price would fix the
domestic price. Hence the only result
would be to increase the price OF cot.
ton goods.
MI. Vest said the amendment would
be adopted as it was in the line of in,
creased rates of duty, and would re-
ceive Republican support for that rea,
SOD, and because it was calculated to
cause dissension in the Democratic
party. He claimed that the addition
of the 20 per cent. provided would
supply that amount to the finished
product. He took issue with Mr.. Ba'
con on the contention that the amend.
ment wss in line with the platform
adopted at Chicago. "If," he said, 81
had thought the platform meant what
the Senator from Georgia says it does,
I would not have touched it any
more than I would have touched q
rattlesnake knowing there was NO
whiskey within a hundred miles. GCd
help US if the new evangelism is to
prevail" He expressed surprise al
Mr.. Bacon's staten ent that the cotton
manufacturer needed assistance. he
said it had generally been understood
that the cotton manufacturers were
exceptionally prosperous.
In conclusion Mr.. Vest said that he
had, as a Southern Democrat, always
pointed with pride to the fact that cot
ton was admitted free of duty, as
showing the Democratic consistency