The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-03
BEST PROGRESS YET.
Senate Beats Record in Getting
Over Tariff Bill.
OVER HALF THE METAL SCHEDULE
WAS COMPLETED.

|
First Change Made in Committee Report
and That Due to ListIessness of SEN
ators in yoting-Senator Tllman De
tends His Dispensary Law.
Washington, June 2.-The Senate made
greater progress on the tariff bill than
in any day since the debate opened, COM
pleting more than one-half of the metal
schedule. The speaking was by the
Democratic senator's, the Republicans
taking no part in the debate except at
rare intervals to answer questions, which
would expedite the advance Of the bill.
Messrs. Jones of Arkansas and Vest
urged numerous amendments embodying
in the main the Wilson rates, but these
were rejected with only one exception.
This exception related to anvils, on which
Mr.. Vest secured reduction of the COM
mittee rate from to 1 "a C. per pound
1t was the first change made without
the assent of the committee and it was
due mainly to the listless manner of
many senators in voting. Early in the
day Mr.. Tfllman (South Carolina) secured
the adoption of a resolution directing the
judiciary committee to inquire into the
recent decisions against the South Caro-.
lima dispensary law with a view to report
ing such legislation as might be desirable.
In the absence of the Vice President,
PTpSi6ant ncoIIDfQd tho
chair in the Senate today.
The bill passed appropriating $10n, 600
for public building at Nashua, n H.
Mr.. Tillman of South Carolina then
asked consideration for a resolution recit-
ing the circumstances of the enactment
of the South Carolina dspensary law, it's
effect in reducing the intemperance, the
recent decision Of federal Judge over
throwing the law and requiring the state
to reopen the barrooms. The resolution
then directs the judiciary committee to
consider and report what legislation is
necessary to restore to South Carolina
its right to regulate the liquor traffic in
its own way.
Mr.. Tillman spoke briefly in support of
the resolution, saying the public impres
sion that the dispensary Jaw was a money
making device, was erroneous and that it
had accomplished much in regulat-
ing the liquor traffic.
Mr.. Falkner of West Virginia, felt that
the Senate should not be committed to
the lengthy preamble reciting the effect
of the law, etc.
Mr.. Tiliman modified the preamble so
as to avoid the term Judiciary legisla-
tion'' in characterizing the recent decision
and substituting judicial interpreta-
tion."
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts,, chairman
of the judiciary committee, proposed a
substitute omitting all the preamble and
simply directing the Judiciary committee
to consider and report by bill or otherwise
what legislation, if any, is necessary to
carry out the statute Of 1890 relating to
commerce between the states.
| Mr.. Tillman accepted the substitute
and it was agreed to.
| The South Carolina senator secured the
| insertion of the dispensary law in the
record for the information, he said, OF
senators.
The first formal notice of a tariff speech
was made by Mr.. Mantle, Silver Repub-
dress the Senate on Friday on the wool
schedule
The tariff bill was then taken up.
Mr.. Aldrich, who had been in charge
thus far, was not present, and Mr.. ALI
son of Iowa, and Mr.. Platt of Connecti-
cut, sat together and directed the course
of the bill
Mr.. Stewart preceded the debate by
offering an amendment proposing the
maintenance of a treasury reserve of $125,
100000 and the retirement of bonds, out
of the surplus. Mr. Stewart stated that
a previous amendment offered by him
might lead to injecting the silver ques-
tion into the tariff debate SO that he
preferred to strip the question of every
fh hauOnd ,f fta t7.oo
reserve.
The consideration of the tariff bill then
began with schedule G, relating to the
| metals and manufacture of metals. The
first paragraph on iron ores, etc., went
| over at the request Of Mr.. Quay.
| The paragraphs on iron, in pig and on
| bar iron, were the same in the House
| and Senate bills. Mr.. Jones of Arkansas,
took occasion, however, to make a state,
ment to show the absurdity, he said, OF
keeping up taxes on these products when
the amount produced had absolute con-
troll of the market and we shipped large
quantities abroad.
Mr. Jones reviewed the dissolution o1
the steel rail combination. This reduced
the price of steel rails so per cent, he
said, and why should law protect pro-
ducers who could by combination double
of the effect of this combination, and that
on wire nails, in raising the price to
American consumers, while the same
goods were being sold at lower prices
! to foreign consumers. 1t was condition
| he asserted, which should arouse the people
from ocean to ocean, until they stamped
to pieces these combinations.
| Mr.. Caffery, Democrat of Louisiana also
/ spoke generally against the rates of the
metal schedule. He maintained that oul
manufactured iron goods were being
shipped in enormous quantities and that
the tariff on the raw material embarrassed
| this trade.
| Progress on the bill was then resumed
and the paragraphs were agreed to Oh
round iron in coils or rods; beams, grid
ers, etc.; boiler or other plate iron OF
steel; anchors, etc.
| A discussion arose on paragraph 125 re
lating to hoop, band and scroll iron, in
cluding the bands used in baleing cotton
Mr.. Vest counted out that the Mckinley
rate was 2-10 cents; the Wilson bill had
made cotton ties free, and the Senate bill
now proposed to make the rate 7-10 cent
per pound. Cotton was SO depressed that
| tha restoration Of dIltv WAS NOT warra p+