Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-31
55tn CONGRESS.
Extra Hours Debate on Tariff
Refused for Today.
Constant Maneuvering for Advantage
Is Order Of the Day.
But 20 Of the 1923 Pages Of the Bill So
Tar Considered.

tariff debate in the House. Poltica!
speeches were wedged in at every OPP
portunity and there was constant
manoeuvering for political advantage.
The Democrats pressed the question OF
a duty on hides for the benefit of farm
ers with such vigor that Mr.. Hepburn.
an Iowa Republican, made a strong
plea for dutiable hides. He demanded
that the House be given an opportunity
to vote on this question and declared
that every Western Republican was in
favor of it. Mr. Cannon Of Illinois, also
gave qualified endorsement to this
demand.
The ways and means committee held
the floor with their amendments from
10 in the morning to 4 o'clock in the
afternoon. About 35 amendments
were offered and adopted. Among
them was one admitting free Of duty
books. scientific apparatus. charts,
maps. etc, for scientific and educa-
tional purposes" After that five more
pages Of the bill were read. making 20
pages in all of the 1872 pages OF the bill.
Tomorrow. the bill will be open for
amendments until ] o'clock.
The Democrats displayed a good dea!
of anxiety. today. to get in an amend
ment to strike out the differentIal on
sugar. but they probably will be frus-
trated in this.
There was not quorum Of the
House present. today. when pro-
ceedings were begun on the
tariff bill. and Richardson, Dem.
CT Tennessee. called attention to the
fact, but said he would not make the
point. so there was no delay.
: Dockery. Dem, of Missouri, asked
unanimous consent that the free list
might then be considered. in order that
he might offer his amendment putting
on the free list all those articles con-
trolled by trusts in the United States.
but Payne. Rep, of New York, OBJ
jected.
The committee on ways on means
took command of the situation
again and presented number
of amendments. agreed upon at
their meeting, last night. mostly in
tended to perfect the phraseology and
to correct slight omissions and errors.
Among them were these: Making
covered safety fuse dutiable at As per
cent. ad valorem: arranging the duty
on crude tartar to be half a cent e
pound on the article testing less than
80 per cent. bitrate of potash and one
cent pound on the article testing
above that strength: reducing from 20
to II per cent. ad valorem the duty on
certain grades of hat and bonnet
braids; restoring the language of the
law relating to moquette
and similar carpets and oriental rugs.
Sayers, DEM. of Texas, referring to
Payne's statement. last Saturday that
the hides Imported into the United States
as did not come into competition with
those produced in the United States
quoted from the treasury statistics to
show, as he claimed. a great variance
between the gentleman'S statement and
the facts in the case.
Cannon, Rep. of Illinois, followed in a
speech advocating tax on hides. He
recognized: he said, the great difficulty
which confronted the committee on ways
and means In framing satisfactory reve-
1ue and protection measures. He was not
satisfied with all. its provisions. as he had
not been satisfied with all of the pro-
visions of any similar bill for which le
had voted. A quarter of century free
hides had prevailed. and in that period
the leather industries of the country had
prospered and grown until they had prac-
fically conquered the markets of the
world. Now he was satisfied duty could |
De imposed. without interfering. seriously
1t least. with the leather industry. But |
ne was willing to trust to the committee |
IN ways and means, and would take the |
dill as a whole. He desired the attention |
,f the Massachusetts, members; While.
ne said, the proposed duty would add at |
east 81 to the value of every head of cat |
lie in the country. he was willing to tane |
he bill as 1t came from the committee on |
ways and means. And if that committee |
A nl.anrs 70 81
iuty he would gladly follow it's lead Just |
IS he would follow it in voting for a re- |
luction of duties on products of wooden |
of the Massachusetts gen.
lemen thought they were too high. Gap |
)lauSe.)
Slayden. DEM. of Texas. said he was
glad to see that the normal Republican
conscience was being stirred in spots. at |
east. The people of his district and of |
Ill the range country demanded duty |
IN hides.
Mr.. Dingley, Rep. of Maine. said he
found by the committee on ways and
means relating to this subject, which had
been brought in here out of time. But
order. When the. committee on ways
md means" Mr.. Dingley said. "of which
he present President was the chairman,
was preparing revenue bill in 1880, it l
ermine whether or not duty on hides
would benefit the farmers of the United
states. The committee found the follow
ng state of facts:
'1.-That the great body Of hides used
n this country were produced as by
product and the price was made here.
'.2-As to goat skins and a large num-
yer of other skins for tanning. we found
hat we did not have them. and that they
must be imported.
.'3-That the importations of thick
lides, except in a few special cases, were
Try hides, for sole leather and largely
Used for export because of our. cheap
aiming materials. thus enabling us to
each foreign markets with the product
From these facts we conclude that
lnder the special conditions obtaining,
10 advantage would accrue to the farm
n from reimposing a duty. and that |.
would be felt by those en-
gagged In the export leather trade. 1t
vas believed that a duty on hides would
shut of this export trade and prevent
he tanning of hides here and drive 1t
% Canada In view of these facts. the
inal conclusion of the committee was
against imposing a duty.
Livingston, DEM, of Georgia. criticised
he committee for falling to include in
he bill ITO Raise Revenue and to Pro-
ect American Industries" q duty on
hides. A 10 per cent. ad valorem duty
IN hides imported last year would have
produced $1.40O,00O. and tax of one cent
, n0und on pOaf skins would hnvo prr.