The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-02
SENATE WORKED HARD
AND MADE GOOD PROGRESS YES
TERDAY ON THE TARIFF BILL.
Glass and Other Paragraphs Disposed
of and Metals Taken Upstate
ment from Senator Smith.

minor exceptions. AIessrs. Vest and Jones
(Arkansas), in behalf of the minority of
the finance committee. proposed numerous
amendments which were defeated by
jorties of eight to fourteen. The votes
were on party lines in the main although
Messrs. Rawlins and White, Democrats,
voted with the Republicans to increase the
rate on onyx and Mr.. McEnery, Democrat.
voted with the Republicans against Mr..
Jones's proposition for reduction of the
rates china. AS a sequel to the recent
sensational speech of Mr.. Tillman, Mr..
Smith, of New Jersey, rose to a question of
personal privilege while the tariff debate
was proceeding and made a brief but
pointed denial of all speculation in sugar
stock, either recently or at any time when
sugar was the subject of legislation. Mr..
Tillman was among those who heard the
denial, but he made no comment on it.
The senator from South Carolina, John
L. McLaurin, who succeeds the late Sena-
tor Earle, was sworn in at the opening
of the session to-day. This establishes the
personnel Of the Senate as it will remain
for some time, namely: Republicans, 43;
Democrats, 81; Populists, Z; silver Repub-
licans, .; vacancy, l (Oregon); total, 80.
Mr. Mason submitted a petition from the
National Business League, urging imme-
date and effective action on the pending
tariff bill and stating that this was the
general sentiment of business interests
The tariff bill was taken up Immediately
after the disposal Of the routine business.
Mr.. Aldrich withdrew the proposed COM
mittee amendments to paragraph 80, china,
etc, leaving the rates reported by the
House. namely: Decorated, so per cent. ad
valorem; undecorated, IS per cent
Mr. Jones, of Arkansas, moved to reduce
these rates TO 50 and 80 per cent respec-
lively Without debate a vote was taken
and the proposed amendments were de-
feated-yeas, %; nays, "a. Messrs. McEn-
cry and Cannon voted with the Republic
ans in the negative and Messrs Harris
(Kansas) and Heitfeld with the Democrats
IN the affirmative. In other respects the
vote was on party lines.
The paragraph was amended to omit
clock cases and was then agreed to. Before
leaving the paragraph, Mr.. Vest, of Mis-
souri,, stated briefly that the effect of the
rates would be to absolutely prohibit i'm
portation of the grades of china and crock
cry in ordinary household use.
JONES BEATEN AGAIN.
The committee amendments were with
drawn, also on the paragraphs covering
"all other china not specifically provided
for" leaving the House rates at 60 for dec
GRATED and 55 for undecorated Mr. Jones
again offered an amendment similar to his
former one. He supported it in a speech,
stating that under the rates OF the present
law the producers claimed to be doing a.
prosperous business.
Mr.. Sewell answered, reading a statement
showing that many potteries had failed and
a large number of pottery workers were
out or work as result of the present low
rates.
The Jones amendment was disagreed to-
the affirmative with the Democrats and
Messrs. Cannon and McEnery in the mega
tive with the Republicans.
The committee offered substitute,
which was agreed to, on the paragraph
covering tiles, glazed or unglazed 1t is
practically the same as the House para
graph
Paragraph go, covering articles composed
of earth and mineral substances was taken
up and Mr.. CaHery offered an amendment
reducing the rate from 80 to 20, per cent.
on undecorated ware The amendment was
defeated-19 to 26-Mr. Heitfeld voting with
the Democrats in the affirmative and Mr.
Jones, of Nevada, with the Republicans
in the negative. The committee amend
ments to the paragraph were then agreed
The paragraph covering gas retorts, lava
tips, etc, heretofore passed over, was
agreed to as reported.
On Paragraph "a, covering plain green
flint or lime bottles, Mr.. Vest proposed an
amendment reducing the rate on bottles
holding more than one Pin pint iron from q cent mt
support of his amendment, that the Ameri-
can producers controlled the market and
could export goods without a duty. me he
nays, 80 The paragraph was then agreed
to as reported.
Consideration of the bill proceeded from
the point reached at the last session,
namely, Paragraph 105, relating to spec
tacles, eyeglasses, goggles, etc. Mr.. White
offered an amendment substituting the
rates of the present law. 1t was defeated
and the paragraph was agreed to as re-
ported
MR.. SMITHS STATEMENT.
At this point, 2:9O p. m, Senator Smith,
of New Jersey, arose to a question of per-
sonal privilege, and made the following
statement, reading from manuscript:
Mr.. President-During my absence from
the Senate the other day 1 ascertain from
the record that in a very remarkable deliv-
erance by the senator from South Carolina
(Mr. Tillman) he became sponsor for a
newspaper clipping in which my name was
mentioned in connection with the sugar
schedule in the pending tariff bill 1t is
only necessary for me to say that the state
ment in the newspaper clipping in question
is absolutely and unqual1hedly untrue. L
have not during this session of Congress
bought or sold directly or indirectly sim
gle share of sugar stock, nor at any time
prior to this when any legislation affecting
the value of sugar or Sugar stock was
pending"
Mr.. Iillman sat at his desk while the
statement was being made but made no
move towards replying.
Consideration of the tariff bill was quickly
resumed. The remaining paragraphs relat-
ing to glass were agreed to, as reported,
except the paragraph covering the stained
or painted glass windows, which went over,
at the request of Mr.. Allison.
When the marble and stone schedule was
taken up Mr. Vest made a contest of the
paragraph relating to ma til Gt irS OF
agate, etc. moving a reduction OF the rate
from 30 to 20 per cent. The amendment
was defeated-yeaS, II; nays, 20
The committee proposed change IN the
amendment relating to marble and onyx,
leaving the marble rate as reported and
placing onyx in block at $l9O per cubic foot:
Mr.. Vest remarked that this was a rate of
800 per cent. over the present rate, to which
Mr. Allison assented. After debate the
committee amendment was agreed to-yeas,
81 nays, II. Messrs. White and Rawlins
voted with the Republicans in the aftirma-
tive. The committee amendment as Whole
relating to marble and onyx was then
agreed to.
Another contest was made on freestone
and other classes of undresSed stone, Mr..
Vest moving a reduction from IA to cents
per cubic foot
rate was cents higher than the Mckinley
rates, under which the exports We're less
than under the Wilson rates. Mr.. Vests
amendment was agreed to-yeas, Is;
nays, q.
reduction from 30 TO SO per cent In this
connection Mr.. Vest remarked that it be-
came his melancholy duty to refer to an
other duty raised above the Mckinley rate.
Already he said, he had pointed out about
thirty Instances of the kind, although Mr..
Aldrich had claimed there were but half Il
dozen rates above those in the Mckinley
bill 1t had reached point, Mr.. Vest said,
when the advocates Of the bill had lost all