The news & observer., 1897-06-19
A POLITICAL DEBATE
Little Progress Made on the
Tariff Bill.
RACON AND VEST SPAR
THE INCOME TAN Is MOI
REPEALED.
ATTENTION CALLED 10 THIS
.slf We Are TO rave this Stealing want
my Part tor South Caroi'na'
Said Senator iilmaT,

SAID SendkOE
washington. u. c.. June 1S,-The tar
Ss hin cane to n halt in the Senate to-
a. las tban one mage of the tiaX%ched-
,lc he;pp disposed of. The debate drfted
into political channels, Senators baeei'
Vest. Jones arkansas ana llliihah '"N
ing part in an exposition OF oehiocr"'iS
doctrine on the tariff. 1t led 10 seVer"i
lively exchanges, during when the clean-
Snr of political dirty linen was ire
ouently referred to. Late IN the DAY MI
Morgan proposed a sweeping amehuhieh'
to place a 10 per cent ad Vaiorem uuty Oh
sll articles now on the free list, with ie"
stated exception. In supporting .he
amendment Mr.. Morgan called attehtloh
to the singular fact that the income TAX
feature of the Wilson bill is not repealed
and can be enforced by change IN the
personnel of the Supreme court OF the
United States.
Owing to the interest in the Hawalian
snnexatien question Mr.. Davis (Minne-
Sotal secnred an agreement for the print
ing of 5000 copies of the treaty anu
ether documents.
The consideration of the tariff bill was
then resumed. a: schedule j, relating TO
fax. hemp and jute and manufactures
thereof. Mr.. Vest ,-4issourD made test
contest at the outset, moving TO strike out
Ahe first paragraph, flax, straw, at % per
son. He said the whole flax schedule was
hased ON the idea that we could produce
tho fax hut he denied this. The amend
mont was reiected-1S to 2S-Mr, Nc
Emery voting with the Republicans.
Mr. Allison uowa), in charge of the
hill. withdrew the Senate amendment on
Nar not hacked or dressed, leaving the
House rate of l cent per pound standlhg'
Ha also withdrew the committee amend
nant on dressed flax, leaving the House
cate of 3 cents.
In further criticizing the flax schedule
Mr. Vest ironically referred to that era
of nrosperity which had been officially
and enthusiastically announced in a re-
cont prayer by the chaplain of the Sen
ata s.an emissary Of providence
Mr.. Vest declared that such faith could
move mountains, and that the ordinary
e;t;zen. mot accredited by the Almighty
had not observed the advent of prosper
ay~
Mr.. Davis. (Minn), said the flax pro-
duction of the northwest was demon
Of the article, produced III Minnesota
Michigan and the Dakotas.
Mr.. Pett;grew, Is. D., declared thal
the proposed rates ought TO be doubled
as an encouragement TO the hourlshlns
aax industry of the northwest. Inc
committee had raised the duties on man
pfactured fax from 30 to 1O9 per cent
said the Senator, but ON the raw ma
terial of flax they had given duty eq'li'
xalent to only IL per cent. Mr.. Peiti-
grew derided the result of placing nuty
en- raw cotton. Southern Senators mad
done this to keep out Egyptian cotton,
snd vet the New England manufacturer
had been given compensation DUTY 10
bring in Egyptian cotton. So that, de-
elared the Senator, all that was accom-
plished was to help eastern Repubhcans
break up the Solid South.
This brought response from Mt.
Bacon, (Georgia), who took the lead In
the contest for a duty ON raw cotton.
He did not believe the cotton manufac-
turer should receive compensatory duty
20 offset the duty ON raw cotton as the
manufacturer already had ample pro-
lection.
The committee was most sensitive IN
seeing that the manufacturers mad re-
asaxed speedy conpensations, but there
vas not the same sensitiveness in look
ing after the producers Of raw materials.
There was fragrant discrimina tion, be
said, between the raw product OF the
farmers of the South and those of the
North. the cotton bagging and cotton
ties used by the South being taxed while
the binding twine used by the North
vas free.
ME Allison interjected the remark that
she committee was celebrating on these
questions and he hoped before the Sen
ate was throught with the bill that q
just equilibrium would be established.
Mr. Bacon had some sharp and good
aatured sparring with Mr.. Jones and
Mr.. Vest over their proposition thai
tarif rates should be limited to revenue
purposes. And yet, he said, these Sena
tors believed in compensatory duties tt
the manufacturer which were not baseC
an revenue, but were purely an add
tional protection.
Mr. Vest Immediately declared his op
position to compensatory duties.
Mr.. Jones said that he opposed tai
sn raw materials, but when such a tai
was imposed then the manufacturer was
bound to have compensation.
But ought they to have it?' persisted
Mr.. Bacon.
Mr.. Jones responded that they ough
not to be robbed any more than any
one else should be robbed. To a direc
question on compensatory duties, Mr.
Jones said he opposed anything no
based strictly on the revenue principle
Yhere was an exciting interruption
when Mr. Bacon criticised the position
Of some of his associates in not favorin,
revenue duty on raw materials.
Mr.. Vest sprang to his feet and witt
great vehemence exclaimed: "This j
very delectable to Republica. senators
Their hearts are cheered and / can Sc
their eyes gleam." He had refraine
thus far, he said, from exposing Demo
cratic discords, but since the Senate
srona Georgia had gone into "this lava
tory for washing Democratic dirt
EnenS' he Vest would ask his associate
few questions. Mr.. Vest was abou
fo nlst a series of sharp interrOgatorie