The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-31

tDeIH-, MO asked uIdIltilOuo OOii0O4'
that the free list might be considere
in order that he might offer his amend
ment, putting those articles on the FIRE
list controlled by trusts in the Unite'
States, but Mr.. Payne (Rep., n. Y.
objected. The committee on ways ant
means took command of the situation
again and presented a number o
amendments agreed upon at thei
meeting last night, mostly intended Il
perfect the phraseology and to correc
slight omissions and errors.
Among them were these: Making
covered safety fuse dutiable at 40 pei
cent ad valorem; making the duty or
crude tartar or wine lees to be half {
cent a pound on the article testing
less than 80 per cent nitrate of potash
and 1 cent a pound on the article test
ing above that strength.
Reducing from 20 to Is per cent &C
valorem the duty on certain grades OF
hat and bonnet braids. Restoring the
language of the Mckinley law relating
TO moquette and similar carpets and
oriental rugs.
Mr.. Sayers (Dem., Tex), referring to
Mr.. Payne's statement last Saturday
that the hides imported into the United
States were principally from the hot
countries, such as did not come into
competition with those produced in the
United States, quoted from the treas
ury lists to show, as claimed, great
variance between the gentleman S
statement and the facts in the case.
Mr.. Cannon (Rep., Ill) followed in a
speech advocating a tax on hides. For
a quarter of q century free hides had
prevailed, and in that period the
leather Industries of the country had
prospered and grown until they had
practically conquered the markets of
the world Now he was satisfied a
duty could be imposed without inter
fering, seriously at least, with the
leather industry. He desired the at
tention of the Massachusetts members.
While he said that the proposed duty
would add at least 81 to the value of
every head of cattle in the country, he
was willing to take the bill as it came
from the committee on ways and
means, and if that committee could
see its way clear to recommend the
duty he would gladly follow its lead,
just as he would follow it in voting
for reduction of duties on products
of wooden manufactures, if the Massa-
chusetts gentlemen thought they were
too high. (Applause).
Mr.. Slayden Dem., TeX.) said the
people of his district and of all the
range country were interested in this
matter and demanded a duty on hides.
Mr.. Bell (Pop., Colo.) made a brief
speech in favor of a duty on hides,
saying it would confer more benefit on
the farmer than all the duties on the
agricultural schedule combined.
Mr.. Dingley (Rep., Me- said that
when the committee on ways and
means of which the present president
was the chairman. was preparing a
revenue bill in 1890 it made an ex-
haustive investigation to determine
whether or not duty on hides would
benefit the farmers of the United
States. They found the following state
CT facts:
l. That the great body of hides used
in this country were produced as a by
product and the price was made here.
2. AS to goat skins and a large num-
Der of other skins for tanning we
found that we did not have them and
that they must be imported.
3. That the importations of thick
hides, except in a few special cases.
were dry hides for sole leather and
largely used for export because of our
cheap tanning materials, thus enabling
us to reach foreign markets with this
Product.
From these facts we concluded that
under the special conditions obtaining,
and, further, that but twice in the his
tory of the countryside and 1852-had
no advantage would accrue to the
farmer from re-imposing a duty and
that a disadvantage would be felt by
those engaged in the export leather
trade. It was believed that a duty on
nides would shut off this export trade |
and prevent the tanning of hides here !
and drive it into Canada. In view of |
these facts the final conclusion of the |
committee was against imposing a /
duty.
Mr.. Dingley said no oneappeared be- /
fore the committee in 1896 to ask a |
luty: but the committee made an in
dependent investigation and found no |
.eason to change the opinion reached |
,y the committee in 1890.
Mr.. Livingstone criticised the COM
nittee for falling to include in the bill
schedule to raise revenue and to pro-
ect American industries, a duty on
hides. & 10 per cent ad Valorem duty
in hides imported last year would
ave produced S1,400,000 and a tax Of
cent a pound on goat skins would
AVE produced S560,000.
Mr. Hepburn (Rep., la also advo-
ated placing a duty on hides, speaking
eIight of the Democrats and a por-
ion of the Republicans.
iowa is more interested in this
roduct than she is in WOOL" he said.
We produce more than s., 000. 600 worth
{ hides. and 81, 900, 900 worth of wool.
t may be that there are reasons, val
able, economic and controlling, why
here should be no duty on hides, but
want to hear a better one than has
ct been given in the course of this
ebate. / believe in the protection
ystem, and in the general purposes of
his bill, but I believe that in framing
s provisions the committee has not
iven the consideration ii should to
ne interests that they should have.
cpe that the committee in the multi
licity of amendments which it is Of
sring, will find the opportunity to pre- I
snt one to put duty on hides and I
sst the sense OF the house on the .
uestion' fApplause.) !
After adopting a number of addi- !
onal amendments offered by the COM /
ittee on ways and means, the COM I
ittee of the whole was entertained by G
r. Perkins (Rep, Ills.), and later by I
r. Clark (Dem., MOI. Clark said Z
lat he had enjoyed no scene so much +
nee Senator Teller and his conferees
ent out of the st. Louis convention \
st June, as that in the house Yester- I
~ when the Massachusetts mem !
rs, Mccall and lowering, ran
muck through the bill, and n
rosvenor (Rep., o. and Rus t
II (Rep., Comm ran amuck through r
EN-, while the Gray Eagle of Worces- {
r (Walker, Rep, Mass.) swooped
'wn on the whole outfit. (Laughter) II
Re wanted to ask the members of r,
e committee on ways and means b
Iestion or two; first, he wanted to
low If this bill had been referred for
provai TO Lyman j. Gage. the
40 trade secretary of the treoc,,rx,