Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-27
FIRST TARIFF VOTE.
DEMOCRATIC ATTEMPT AT AMEND
MENT FALLS THROUGH.
VOTE WAS--YEAS 20, NAYS "a.
REPUBLICANS HAD THE AID OF FIVE
OPPOSITION VOTES.
Democrats and POpuIists Wnnt Pro-
lection for Their own States-
Seven Paragraphs COnsid-
cred and Committee
Sustained.

Washington, May 26-'The first vote on
the tariff bill was taken in the senate to-
day. 1t came after a two hours debate
| on the item of bOracic acid. which, al
though comparatively unimportant, afford
| ed an opportunity for the first alignment
| of the various elements. Mr.. Vest of Mis-
| souri,, Democratic member of the finance
| committee, moved to make the rate on
| bOracic acid cents instead of cents per
| pound, provided by the committee. This
| presented a direct issue between the COM
| mittee and the opponents of the bill The
| amendment was defcated-yeas, 20; nays
1 81. The vote was largely on party lines
| The affirmative was made up of nineteen
| Democrats and one POpulist-Heitfeld. The
| negative was made up of twenty-nine Re
publicans, two Democrats (McEnery, of
| Iowa, and White, of California;; two sill
yer Republicans Cannon, of Utah, and
Jones, of Nevada, and one Populist (Stew-
art. of Nevada).
The debate was participated in by Sem
ators Vest, Jones of Arkansas, Aldrich.
| Perkins, White, Caffery, Gray and Stewart.
Mr.. White, a Democratic member of the
| finance committee, opposed Mr.. Vests
| amendment, urging that the California in
dustry required the rate allowed by the
committee.
btNNA bcA al pilS VI liic blli were EOH-
sidered during the day, the committee be-
ing sustained in each instance.
The tariff bill was taken up at 2 o'clock.
Mr.. White, of California. in behalf of the
Democratic members of the finance commit
tee, submitted a number of tables showing
the articles on which the duties were from
90 to 20 per cent, from 20 to 100 per cent,
and over 100 per cent.
In reply TO questions by Mr.. White Mr..
lria IN oh Of
was unable to state the average ad vaIo-
rem rate for the entire bill or the total
number of amendments proposed. The for
NAL reading of the bill then began, and the
senate was thus brought to the point of
considering the measure by paragraphs.
The first amendments were formal and
We're agreed to without question. AS soon
as the second page was reached, contest
arose over the amendment proposed by the
finance committee, raising the duty on bo-
racic acid from to cents per pound
Mr. Vest, of Missouri, moved to substitute
) cents. He characterized the action of the
committee as remarkable ana said the pro-
posed duty of cents was enormous.
Mr.. AldriCh replied that the proposed rate
was regarded as a proper protection to the
producers of the article in Nevada and Cal
ifornia, and the persons engaged in the pro-
duction held that this rate was essential.
Mr. Jones, or Arkansas, presented pros
pectuS OF an English company, setting forth
that il was about TO purchase and ConsOl-
idate the bOraX lands and plants in Nevada,
California and Oregon. The prospectus also
stated the large profits made by the Amer
lean companies
Mr.. Aldrich answered that there were
many bOraN companies outside Of the En-
Elish company alluded to. Some of them
had been compelled to shut up as a result
Of the Wilson tariff law.
Mr. White. Democrat. Of California. a
member of the finance committee, said IA
Geticusly that; in the distribution of favors
by this bill. he desired to have his state |
receive a share. He had been assured by |
these interested that there was not word |
OF truth in the statement that the Ameri- |
can fields were controlled by an English |
company. He had some personal infOrma-
tlOn in bOraX productions of California he |
failed.
Mr.. White gave it as his opinion that If |
then the rate could not be lowered and |
afford adequate protection TO the American |
companies. He said he would vote for the |
rate.
Mr.. Jones answered Mr. White develop |
ing some divergence OF views between these |
two minority members of the finance COM
mttee.
Mr.. Stewart. -Populst. Of Nevada, whose
position toward the bill has been a subject |
of interest, stated that if there was TO be /
tariff bill. the products of Nevada. includ- |
ing borax. should receive protection.
Mr.. Caffery, Democrat, of Louisiana, re-
marked that his associate CWhite) ap- |
peared TO favor the policy of General
Hancock, that the tariff is local mat
ter. and if there are TO be any benefits he
CWhite) wants his share.
\ vote was taken on Mr.. Vests amend
ment. 1t was the first vote on the bill
and was followed with close attention. The
amendment was defeated, 20-4 as follows:
Yeas--Berry. Caffery. Chiffon, Clay.
COcIren German, Gray, Jones, Kenney, |
Lindsay. Morgan, Murphy, Pascoe. Raw
Inns, Roach, Smith. Turpie. Vest. WalthalI, |
Democrats; Heitfeld. Populist-total. 20.
NIys-AldriCh. Allison. Baker. Burrows,
Carter. Chandler. Cullom, Davis. Elkins.
Fairbanks. Foraker. Frye. Gallinger. Gear.
Hanna, Hansbrough, Hawley. Lodge. Nc
oil
Connecticut; Plat. of New York; Quay.
ShOup. SpOOner Warren and Wilson. Re
publicans; McEnery and White. Demo
and Stewart. POpuliSts-tOtal. "a.
The following were the pairs. The first |
named would have voted for the Vest
amendment and the last against it:
Daniel and Pritchard Turner and Hoar |
Pettus and Mcbride, Mallory and Proctor |
Martin Martin and and, Mantle. Mitchell and Sewall,
Itllman and Thurston, Harris, of Kansas.
ana Clark, Bate and Deboe. Harris of |
Tennessee. and Morrill,. George and VOL
rott, Bacon and Wetmore Mills and Ma |
son. Butler and wellington
All the Republicans voted or were paired
against the Vest amendment so that they |
NcEuery. Of Louisiana. and White of |
'alifornia. voted with the Republicans.
All other Democrats voted or were paired |
or the Vest amendment Hettfeld. POpu- |
list voted with the Democrats. Butler and |
Hurner PopuliSts. were paired with Re
lubliCans: Stewart Populist voted with
he Republicans. as did Jones of Nevada, |
md Cannon. silver Republican. Pettigrew |
silver Republican. was absent and not |
paired. Kyle. independent Populist was | {
absent and impaired. Hale. Republican. | ,
md Faulkner. Democrat, were absent and | /
10 pairs announced for them. The COM | !
nittee provision fixing the rate on boracic
'cid at cents per pound was then agreed
o.
When the next item. alcoholic perfumery !
cologne. etc. was reached, Mr.. Vest moved | {
o restore the old rates of 8 per gallon and c
o per cent ad ValOTem. He said the rate d
n the bill Of 60 cents per pound and 40 per ]
ent al valOrem was protection run mad" n
IS il was equivalent to about s. per gallon j
m goods worth about $40. The amend il
nent was defeated without division. p
At o'clock the tariff bill was laid aside. |
s. page 3. having been reached.
An agreement was reached that a vote !
e taken on the conference report on the | g
undrN civil bill at O'Clock tomorrow. T.
At 5:32 p. m, the senate held an execu- :
I've session and afterwards adjourned. :
pENCI0N hEENHY pCM0UkI