The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-17
TARIFF UNDER FIRE
= GIVEN THEIR FIRST
CHANCE TO CRITICISE THE
NEW MEASURE.
THE OPPORTUNITY EMBRACED.
MINORITY MEMBERS OF THE COM
MIT'TEE NOT SLOW IN Ex-
PRESSING VIEWS.
THE OPPORTUNITY EMBRACED
NO LONG DELAY IS ANTICIPATED
Hhe Opponents of the Bill See M
Reason to PrOIOng the Com
test Over 1t.

| WASHINGTON, March 16-Tba
democratic members of the WAYS and
| means committee received their FIRST oF
hclal information on the new tariff hill
today when the bill was considered at
a secret session of the full committee
chairman Dingley announced that he
desired to report the bill to the house
when 1T meets at noon Thursday Mr.
McMlliln (Dem., Tenn) complained
that this plan would not give the DEM
ocrats sufficient time to analyze the
measure and prepare a report. The
democrats contended that they had
treated the Republican members mora
generously when the Wilson bill WAS
framed Half an hour was consumed
In sparring over the point, and no def
| nIte conclusion was reached Three
hours were spent in an analysis of the
OH by sections The Republican mem
bers of the committee who had been
most active in the preparation Of the
various schedules explaining the
changes made from existing rates and
comparing the proposed duties with the
Mckinley act.
Chairman Dingley and Mr.. Payne, of
schedule; Mr.. Dolliver, of Iowa. the
agricultural schedule; Mr.. Tawmey, of
Minnesota, lumber; Mr.. Payne, sugar,
and Mr.. Dalzell, glass, earthenware
and metals. Mr.. Wheeler, of Alabama,
and Mr.. McMillin took the leading part
in the discussion by the Democrats.
Concerning the sugar scedule, Mr..
Payne asserted that it was practically
return to the law Of 1888 He repre-
scented that the proposed rates would
be equivalent to an ad valorem dirty of
Y per cent on 95 per cent Of all the
sugar imported. He said that the
schedule contained no concealed differ
entail between raw and refined, such
as the Wilson bill had. While the
revenue which sugar would yield had
not been actually calculated, it would
bring from SIG, 000 900 to SIS, 900 900 more
into the treasury than under the Will
SON law. Mr. Robertson, Of Louisiana,
a Democrat, gave an opinion that $780,
100000 could be expected from this
sugar schedule.
In the consideration of the agricul-
tural schedule, Mr.. Dolliver explained
that the countervailing duty on fish
to offset bounties paid by foreign gov
ernments was directed against Franco.
ing of a duty Of Il cent on fresh water
fish, which are now on the free list.
They also contended that the proposed
rates on seeds are double the McK1n-
ley rates. The Southern members took
an interest in the rice paragraphs. 1t
was explained that the increased rate
on broken rice had been levied TO dis
courage the growing practice of break
ing rice, which Is brought in for the
Use of brewers, before importatiOns,
for the purpose of securing the advan-
tage of the cheaper rates. The duty
of cents a pound on chicory root,
which is now on the free list, and
which is used as an adulteratiOn OF
coffee, Mr.. Dolliver explained was for
the benefit of the Middle West, where
chicOry growing is a new industry.
When the glass schedule was reached,
Mr.. Wheeler criticized the increase in
duties on cast polished plate glass
16X24 from to 9 cents, and 24X30 from
10 to Is cents, the increase being over
the Mckinley rates. Mr.. DalZell said
that it had been demonstrated that the
Mckinley duties on plates of these
sizes were not protective, but to offset
these increases the rates on plates Of
higher grades had been reduced.
The imposition Of a duty on cotton
ties. now on the free list was also
opposed by the Democrats. Mr.. Wheel
er said the American manufacturers
were able not only to supply the home
market, but to fill large orders for In
dia without any protection on the ar
ticle.
It was contended by the Democrats
that the additional duty Of Il cent on
all articles Of steel finished cold would
prove very far-reaching in it's scope.
The average rate on cutlery was stated
to be about per cent. The Democrats
oppose also the proposed duty Of 81
a 1000 on white pine, which is double
the Mckinley rate. They also critl-
cized the paragraph placing telegraph
and telephone poles and railroad ties
of cedar and all other woods under o
20 per cent duty. The other woods are
not now dutiable, and the opponents
Of the new bill asserted that they con-
stitute the most extensive class. The
Democratic members of the committee
will offer amendments to the bill in
the committee meeting tomorrow, as 4
matter Of form. Their amendments
will, of course, be rejected by the Re-
pubIicans.
In its second session Of the day the
committee finished the review Of the
bill. but did not go so much into detail
in the last schedules. Mr.. Evans, Of
Kentucky, explained the spirits and
wines schedule. The Democrats oppOs-
ed the advance on brandies from
$3.50 to $3.50, on the ground that it en-
coUraged the placing on the market Of
spurious goods, limitations of standard
brands.
Mr.. Russell, of Connecticut, explained
that the cotton schedule was practical
ly the Wilson rates reduced from ad
valOrem to specific. 1t was remarked
by Democratic member that Senator
Aldrich Of Rhode Island, and not Mr..
Wilson, was the author of the cotton
1T l.
ed in the Wilson bill. Mr.. Payne said
that the hemp, flax and jute schedule
was practically that of the Mckinley
act with the blanket clause on hemp,
fax and ramie increased from So to
50 per cent The Democrats criticized
the restoration of duties on cotton
bagging, which Is now on the free list.
The other schedules were gone
through informally. The Democrats
criticised the transfer Of many articles
from the free list to the sundries sched-
ule, with duties, but were disposed to
acquiesce in the action of the Repub-
licans in placing a duty Of 81 ton on
peat moss, at the instance Of Mr.. Dol
liver, to encourage an infant industry.
The committee adjourned until
morning, but the Democratic
members will have conference tomor-
row to outline their policy. Mr.. Bailey
CTex.) the recent Democratic candidate
for speaker, said in the committee that
the Democrats were anxious to hasten,
rather than delay the passage Of the
bill, both to stop the possible rush OF
imports into the country and to give
the Republicans an opportunity to DEM
onstrate that high tariff could relieve
the country of financial depression.
Kentucky Futurity.
LEXINGTON. KY. March 1o.-The great