The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-06-26
FOR DUTY
ON WOODS.
Only One Vote in Caucus in oppo-
sition to II.
SENATORS HELD A
CAUCUS AND SUSTAINED .,HE
ACTION OF THE FINANCE COM.
MIrTEE-THE CAUCUS ALSO
AGREED 10 THE COMMITTEES
TAX FIXED ON IMPORTED
WRAPPER ToBACCo-THE eau
Gus WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT.

| Washington, j une 25.-The Repu blican
Senators decided in caucus last night by
vote of % to II, to sustain the action
OF the finance committee in placing n
duty upon hides, but did not pass upon
| the question of the amount Of the DUTY
| to be imposed.
The committee was also sustained in
the rate fixed upon imported wrapper to-
bacco. The only other disputed questions
| considered were watches and watch
| jewels, and upon these the finance COM
mittee was reversed, the House rates be-
ing accepted on watches and watch
| jewels being made free.
tk The caucus was held in the marble
room OF the Senate and was well attend
ed. While the discussion was spirited at
times, the meeting was without especial
incident. The greater part of the time
was given to the proposition to fix duty
| on hides. Senator Lodge led the contest
against the action of the finance commit.
tee in taking hides from the flee list and
was seconded by Senators Hoar, Platt,
Spooner and others. while Senators Mel.
son, Allison, Warren and Gear spoke for
the duty.
Mr.. Lodge commended that the duty, If
imposed, would not be of any consequences
as 81 revenue item and that ir would add
nothing to the farmers returns on his
cattle, while it would have the effect of
greatly injuring the industry of leather
manufacture, which had grown to i'm.
mense proportions under the system of
free hides. He said that the exports of
leather go DDS amounted to sec, 1000, 200
per annum, and asserted that IL stiff
duty should be imposed the industry
would be greatly checked
In reply the Western Senators claimed
direct benefit to the farmer from the
duty and asserted that he was as much
entitled to the protection it would give
as were the manufacturers to the assist
ance they would receive from other du-
ties.
The vote was on the general proposition
to impose duty without regard to rates.
The fixing Of these, it was understood,
should be left to the finance committee,
but the expressions were so general in
favor of the.ad valorem rather than the
specific system that the committee prob
ably will feel itself instructed to s,bsti.
tute this system for the 1.2 cent pound
rate originally agreed upon.
The. debate on the tobacco schedule was
confined to brief speeches by Senators
Hawley and Fairbanks. The finance
committee had originally fixed the ate
on unstemmed wrapper tobacco at 81. so
per pound, in opposition to the House
rate of 81 per pound. The representa-
tives of the leaf growers Immediately be-
gan contention for the restoration of
the House rate, which was resisted by the
smaller manufacturers, particularly of
the Western States. The finance com.
mittee yielded to the growers to the ex.
tent of advancing the rate to $175.
Senator Hawley represented the grow.
ers in their efforts to secure So rate and
Senator Fairbanks the manufacturers in
their attempt to hold the original finance
committee figures. The caucus decided
without division to stand by the compro.
mise rate OF $1.75
There was only one vote raised in oppo-
s'tion to The proposition to return to the
House schedule on watches and in addi-
tion to admit watch jewels free of duty
The finance committee fixed a uniform
rate OF 40 per cent. on watches, while the
House provided compound duty. 1t is
to this compound system that the Senate
returns.
The questions of reciprocity, trusts,
Hawaiian sugar, beer, tea and internal
revenue were not discussed.