The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-21

From now on, as the time for the tariff
bill to come over from the Senate ap-
proaches, the absentees will be coming
in, and the Republican margin will in
crease.
DEMOCRATS WIN.
| Finance Committee Defeated Four
Paragraphs.
Washington, June 19.-The day was
rendered noteworthy in the Senate by the
defeat of the finance committee on four
Important paragraphs in the flax, hemp
and Jute schedule of the tariff bill. These
We're the paragraphs relating to floor
mating, plain jute fabrics, burlaps and
cotton bagging. The Democrats were
enabled to carry their point against
these paragraphs by the assistance of the
Silver republicans and Populists. and
py the help of Messrs. Carter and Hans
brough, straight Republicans, on the para
graph relating to mating. 1t was the
first vote during the consideration of
the bill on which any Republican had
broken away from the party and natural
| ly occasioned some comment. The Demo
| Gratis were especially pleased with the re-
suit OF their opposition to the portion of
| the schedule relating to bags and bag
ging.
The Senate adjourned at O'Clock af-
| ter completing the hemp schedule.
Mr.. Mantle said the expectation OF
grains and their products to Japan from
this country was almost wholly dependent
upon the carrying vessels being able to
| secure return cargoes. These cargoes
We're largely composed of Japanese mat
| tlngs. Hence the subject was important
to. the farmer. He contended that legis.
| latlon should not be so directed as to
check this growing trade and he had
read recently published letter from j.
j. Hill, president of the Great Northern
railroad, in support of his position.
| Mr.. Jones of Arkansas read letters to
show that no Minnesota flax had been
manufactured in Belfast and saying that
the TAX received was Of poor quality.
On roll call the Senate accepted Mr..
Vests amendment, striking out para
graph $50 in regard to the floor mattings.
The vote standing 25 to %. Messrs. Car
ter and Hansbrough straight Republi-
cans), Mantle, Pettigrew and Teller,
| lSilver Republicans), voted with the
| Democrats on this motion.
| The result created slight stir in the
chamber as it was the first substantial
triumph of the opposition to the tariff
bill. The effect is to restore floor mat
| tlngs manufactured from raw or other
vegetable substances to the free list.
These include the Japanese and Indian
mattings.
Paragraphs 33l, S32, and 1888 were &C
cepted without division. When paragraph
1874, relating to oil cloth for floors was
reached the opposition was renewed and
after the amendment had been perfected
by the Republicans, Mr.. Jones Of Ar.
kansas moved to strike out the para
graph and insert the provision of the Viii.
son law.
| Messrs. Jones, Vest, and Pettigrew sup
ported the motion to substitute in brief
speeches.
| Mr.. Pettigrew took advantage of the
opportunity to inject some references to
the late campaign into the controversy.
| He said he thought he understood the
motive of the committee as it would be
| invidiOus to leave the oil cloth trust un-
protected; that there had apparently been
a diligent search for articles made by
at rates ranging from 80 to $50 per cent.
He asserted that in the campaign the
Republican party had transported free
| of charge voters from any part of the
| country to any other part The amend.
ment was lost-22 to 81.
| The amendments to paragraphs 1885,
| (shirts and collars and cuffs, were re-
SClfCd W UlU ME. uulUt3
moved to substitute the present law for
paragraph 1856 in relation to laces, lace,
window curtains, tides, etc. The IN O.
| ton was lost. With this paragraph the
Senate passed the half-way point in this
bill.
The amendments to paragraph 337
! (window curtains) 538, (embroideries..
and $40 (pile fabrics), were agreed to.
Paragraphs BAL Cute grain bags and
burlaps,) and 342, dragging for cotton,
gunny cloth, etc. J, were considered to-
gether and aroused some discussion
which was based on the motion of Mr..
Pettus to strike out.
Mr.. White commended that the proposed
duty on jute bags would cost the farmers
of the Pacific coast $500, 900 per anum.
He asserted that the duty on wheat was
a delusion and that in putting these
bags on the free list an opportunity was
afforded to do the farmer a substantial
service.
Mr.. Perkins of California said guano
| was put up in second hand bags. Mr.. Per-
kins said that in 1894 he voted to put bags
| on the free list and would SO vote if he
| believed the change would benefit the
| farmers; but as a matter of fact there
was no more powerful trust than the
burlap trust which controlled their man
ufacture all over the world.
Mr.. Perkins said the Pacific coast farm
ers were at the mercy of the bag makers
of Calcutta and Bombay except for the
bags made by the convicts in the state
prison of California.
Mr.. Setwart followed with speech de.
| voted to an arraignment of the Republi.
can party for its position on the financial
question. He asked Mr.. Perkins if he
| favored free and unlimited coinage at
16 to 1, to which Mr.. Perkins replied
| that he would when silver came to be
| worth 81 30 an ounce.
| HThe motion to strike out the two para
graphs in regard to burlaps and cloth for
cotton bagging was carried, 81 to 49,
| The effect of the vote is to leave these
articles on the free list. The silver Re.
publicans and Populists, who were pres
emit, all voted with the Democrats, but
no straight Republicans did SO.