The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-29
THE SENATE


Several Important Schedules and the In.
ternal Revenue Clauses. Left Open, to he
Taken Up Wool. Silk and Tobacco
Schedules Completed Y~esterday-A Stub.
born Fight on the First Two. Bnt No
Concessions Secured.
Washington. June 25.-The senate to-
day completed the wool schedule the
silk schedule and the tobacco schedule
of the tariff bill and, with this accom-
plished. the tariff leaders had the sat-
isfaction of knowing that all The sche-
dulles of the bill and the free list a
been one over once. There now re-
mains only to go through the bill a sec
ond time, passing on the items passed
over. These are very numerous and
important, including hides, gloves, coal,
tea and beer. After that the internal
revenue features of the bill will be all
that remain. Progress was rapid to-
day, although every paragraph relating
to carpets was stubbornly contested.
The consideration of the silk schedule
led to a strong contest against the pro-
posed duties On silk fabrics, senator
Teller and Mantle joining with the
democrats in opposition. The tobacco
schedule vent through with little fric-
ton after the committee had advanced
the duty lightly On app and leaf
tobacco.
The resolution of Senator Hale, rela-
tive to restricting the privileges of eX-
senators on the floor of the senate to
those not interested in legislation and
claims, was referred without m
to the committee on rules.
The consideration of the wool Sche-
dule was resumed at paragraph $40,
relating to aubusson. administer. mo-
quette and chenille carpets, the COM
mittee rate being 6212 cents per square
yard and 40 per cen ad valorem-
agreed to.
Paragraph 81, (saxony, wilton and
tourney velvet carpets) was agreed TO,
with an increase in the specific duty
from SO to 81 cents per square yard, the
ad valOrem being left at 40 per cent.
IN paragraph 373(Brussels carpets,
figured or plain), the specific duty was
increased from A to As cents per square
yard, with 40 per cent. ad ValOrem in ad
dition.
On paragraph 373, (velvet and tapes
try and velvet carDets). the specific
duty was increase from 40 to Al cents
per square yard, with 40 per cent. ad
yalOrem in addition.
Senator Vest moved to strike out the
specific rate. This drew a brief but
emphatic protest from Senate Tillman,
of South Carolina. He disliked to diff
fer with the distinguished democratic
leader he said, but he continued, its
perfectly clear were beaten on every
one of these items, and Weel-its just
waste of time, that's ALL"
Senator NpSt'S amendment was re-
jected - to q.
In paragraph 314 tapestry Brussels
carpet, the specific duty was increased
from % to 20 cents per square yard,
with 40 per cent. ad valorem additional.
Paragraph 375, Creble in grain, three
ply and all chain Venetian carpets),
and paragraph $40 (wool Dutch and two
ply ingram carpetS) was agreed to as
reported.
senator Alison proposed a substitute
for paragraph 1851 providing that car
pets of every description, woven whole
for rooms, including oriental, Berlin
and Smyrna rugs, shall pay a duty of
10 cents per quare foot and 40 per
cent. ad valorem. This led to an ex-
tended debate.
Senators White and Vest criticised
the rates as excessive.
Senator Allison explained hat orien-
tai rugs were luxuries, some Of them
costing $40, 900. He also fired a shot
at the California seantOr (White) by
saying hat while the rates might be
high, they We're not as high as the du-
ties on n and Zante currents, the
! products of California.
Senator Vest insisted that these rugs
were not luxuries and had become the
most common of floor coverings. A
motion by him to strike out the spe-
cific rates was r~ejected-22 to %.
Senator Allison secured a new
amendment to paragraph 81 drug
gets, etc., striking out felt carpeting.
He also withdrew the committee
changes to paragraph $50, designating
the meaning of the word wool"
With these exceptions, all the re-
naming paragraphs of the wool sche-
dule were agreed to as reported, and at
l o'clock the senate entered upon the
silk schedule.
At the outset, Senator Vest tested the
attitude of the senate by moving to
strike out the specific rate on thrown
, silk. The amendment was disagreed to
without division and the consideration
of the schedule proceeded rapidly.
There was a halt. however, when the
paragraph on woven silk fabrics was
reached After Senator Allison had
perfected the paragraph in minor par
ticulars, Senator Jones spoke in oppo-
sitiOn to the rates. Senator Mantle. of
Montana, aid that while he believed in
a -" good stiff protective tariff, IS or 100
per cent. if necessary" yet he entirely
sympathiZed with this opposition to ex-
Cessive rates on Chinese and japanese
silks.
! The debate was further participated
in by nat Platt, of Connecticut,
White and Teller, when Senator Jones
moved a substitute paragraph scaling
| down the duties on all lines Of silk fab
| rics-rejected % to 26, Senators Man
tie, Pettigrew and Teller voting with
! the democrats in the affirmative. Sen
| atOr White moved a proviso that no
duty on silk fabrics shall exceed -
per cent.-rejected % to "a. Senator
| White renewed his motion, making loo
per cent. the limit Of duty on silk fab
rics-rejected % TO Is. He then tried
to limit the duties to 200 per cent
Senator Mantle appealed to his pro
! ectiOn friends" to accept this provisO
but Senator Plat declined, saying il
was a move TO embarrass the whole
| bill.
| Senator Allison declined. saving the