Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-28
55th CONGRESS.
Very Good Progress Made
With the Tariff Bill.
In Every Contested Point the Finance
Committee is Sustained.
Attempt In House 10 Force Through a Cuban
Resolution Fails.

Washington, May 27-The Senate
| made good progress on the tariff bill
today, dispOsing of about 10 pages
Several votes were taken during the
, day, the finance committee being sus
tanned in each case by maJorities vary
ing from . to Is. The drug schedule
was under discussion and the debate
was largely technical. Occasionally
however, it branched off to general
phases of the tariff, although at no
time during the day was there speech
Of more than five minutes duration
Before taking up the tariff bill, the
final conference report on the sundry
civil bill was agreed to, including this
provisions pending until March next,
the Executive order creating EXTENSIVE
forest reserves.
When the Senate met, today, the
final conference report on the sundry
civil bill was taken up, an agreement
having been made to vote at p. M.
The question of forest reserves was dis
cussed at length. The senators from
the states affected by the forest order
urged the rejection of the entire con-
ference report and an absolute suspen-
sion of the Presidents order. Cannon
of Utah, referred to the order as bar
barous. inhuman, and Stewart of
Nevada, characterized it as "a disgrace
to American civilization and the worst
outrage of the last half century"
Pettigrew asserted that the order
IL
Grover Cleveland" He said that in
South Dakota. the area included as
part of the forest reserve contained II
post offices, 5000 people and so miles
of railroad. He urged also that the
academy of science. which recon-
mended this act, should be rebuked and
he favored the defeat of the sundry
civil bill rather than have the order
stand.
When Allison said this was the best
arrangement that could be made with
the House. Tillman of South Carolina,
CALCULATED: "Oh they have no House
over there anyway. They have one man
running it." The vote was then taken
and the final conference report was
agreed to: Yeas, 80; nays, Is.
The tariff bill was taken up at 2 O'Clock
and the formal consideration of the
measure by paragraphs proceeded. Vest
of Missouri. moved an amendment 20
paragraph 10. so as to fix the rate on
crude boraX at cents per pound. After
brief debate tho amendment was dis
agreed to without division. The commit
tee substitute was then agreed to. fixing
borax at cents per pound. borates of
lime or soda, cents and cents, accord
ing to strength.
The committee amendments on refined
camphor. ground chalk. manufactured
chalk and chloroform were agreed to-.
Vest remarked that the chalk item
showed another raise above Mckinley
rates.
When paragraph 10. relating to banks.
beans and ike drugs was reached. AID
rich moved an amendment of H cents per
pound in addition to the 10 per cent. ad
valorem provided by the bill. Aldrich
said the foreigners were securing the
trade on these poor classes of drugs I'M
der the present arrangement. Vest ques-
toned this, saying the Americans con-
trolled the market and exported $500. 900
last year. He demanded a roll call, on
which the Aldrich amendment was agreed
to. 50 to Il. The vote was a party one.
except that Jones and Stewart of Nevada,
and Pettigrew of South Dakota, voted in
the affirmative.
Committee amendments were agreed to
on licorice extract. chicle. magnesia, ali
seed oil. fusel oil and peppermint oil.
Aldrich withdrew the committee amend
ment on opium prepared for smoking,
leaving it at Sc per pound. Jones of Ar
kansas, resisted the other features of the
opium paragraph, saying great increases
had been made on drug of universal
use. He moved to amend the rate on
morphia from 81 to 50 cents per
ounce. and said he would later
move to place crude and manufactured
ls.,N T..
was disagreed to: Yeas, "a: nays 80.
McEnery. DEM. La. and Pettigrew.
Kyle and Stewart voted with the Repub-
licans and Hetfeld with the Democrats.
In other respects the vote was on party
lines.
tested against the increase in duty, but
said it was useless to take vote against
it. Vest again made a protest on the
white lead paragraph. saying the in;
creased duties would accrue to the pro-.
fits of the Lead Trust He moved to re-
duce the rate from 2A to ~ cents per
pound. and demanded yea and nay vote
The amendment was rejected-yeas. q;
nays. 35-the vote being on party lines
except that Pettigrew voted with the
Democrats and Cannon, Heitfeld, Jones
of Nevada, and Stewart with the Repub-
licans.
The paint paragraph led to some de-
bate Aldrich stated that the increase
was justified as a measure OF protection
to the American paint makers. Vest an
swered' that the export Of $3.50. 900 worth
of paint refuted the claim that the pro-
ducers needed more protection. The
was agreed to, however, with
out vote.
On lead litharge Vest moved an
to reduce the duty from 21z
to ~ cents. which was agreed to with
out division.
Aldrich offered committee amendment
to increase chlorate of potash from 2 to
2h cents. This was resisted by Vest, who
said the article was required in manu-
featuring goods. He made a general plea
against taxing raw materials.
Platt of Connecticut. said the change
was designed to free the United States
from dependence on the United Alfalfa
Trust of England and to encourage an
American company which proposes to
utilize the power of Niagara Falls.
II am too much of an American" re-
marked Vest. '.to think that Niagara
Falls needs any protection in order to
permit competition with foreign pro-
ducers
Caffery. Chiffon and Gray spoke against
the proposed rate, and Gallinger of New
Hampshire, and Gear of Iowa. for it.
Gallinger stated that this started a new
American industry just as protection had
started the tin plate industry. You can
build up anything If you only give SUBJ
sidy enough declared Gray. You can
grow oranges under glass in New Hamp-