The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-22


disposed of, and the formal reading OF
the report proceeded. During the early
hours the discussion was purely formal
most of that time being given to iden-
tifying the numbered amendments with
the text of the senate bill.
The first contest arose over amend
ment $50, relating TO printing paper
The conference reported a retaliatory
proviso as follows:
If any country or dependency shall
impose an export duty upon pulp wood
exported TO the United States, there
shall be imposed upon printing paper
when imported from such country or
dependency an additional duty Of one
teuth of one cent per pound for each
dollar of export duty per cord so i'm
posed and prOportionately for fractions
of a dollar of such export duty
Senators Vest. Jones (Ark.) and Tel
Ter vigorously protested against this
amendment, saying IL was new pro-
vision, not acted on by the senate and
house and beyond the power OF the
conference committee
Mr.. Teller criticised such a confer
ence as an outrage, as the committee
acted arbitrarily and came before the
senate saying in effect, What are you
going 10 do about it?'
Mr.. Jones finally made a direct issue
against the conference committee,
making a point of order against the
retaliatory clause, on the ground OF II
being new matter He said he would
ask for a ruling from the chair on the
regularity of the conference action.
Mr.. Chandler On. HI referred ito the
broad latitude given conference COM
mittees in the practice of both houses
10 a
ing MIR. Jones that he had swallowed
two tribes of Indians on conference
report in one of the Indian apDrOpr1a-
ton bills.
Mr. Aldrich (R -, one of the con-
ferees, defended the retaliatOry clause,
saying it was strictly within the rights
of the conferees, as the general subject
was indifference between the senate
and the house. The conference bill must
be accepted or rejected as a whole. said
Mr. Aldrich. and the main question
could not be diverted by appeals for a
ruling from the chair.
Mr. White (Cal.) referred TO the Sc
cret sessions of the Republican confer
ees and ironically read Mr.. Chandler's
remarks on the Wilson bill, where the
New Hampshire senator declared that
the bill had been brought forth in the
dark and should be blasted by legisla-
tive lightning.
A lengthy discussion followed on the
powers of the conference committee.
Mr.. Morgan argued that the commit
tee had exceeded its powers and that
il could not arrogate to itself the right
to originate new amendments. The SEN
ator branched off to the partisanship of
the bill The man who would lift the
tariff out of politics, he said. would be
another Thomas Jefferson, as a bene-
factor to his country. The present bill
was framed on purely partisan lines,
declared Mr.. Morgan, and was designed
to give benefits 10 party favorites.
Mr. Morgan referred to the reports
that the splendid and ponderous
speaker" of the house of representa-
tives had secured a house victory on
the sugar schedule. The senator
thought there must be some mistake
about the speakers success, for not
withstanding his ponderosity, the har-
der he sits down on a thing, the mar
der il rises; Notwithstanding his sit
ting down on the sugar schedule, I'D
go prices. II he can't work the safety
valve better than that he had better
retire from politics.
Vice President Hobart then an
nounced his decision on the point of
order holding that it was not well ia
ken. 1t was not. he said. for the chair
to determine whether the matter in a
conference report was new or was rel
evant. All such questions We're for the
senate itself on the question of ac-
cepting or rejecting the report.
On hides Mr.. Allen of Nebraska asked
why the conferees had provided a
drawback OF duty on leather exported,
made from imported hides.
Mr.. Aldrich explained that the house
had insisted on the proviso. and he felt
that the drawback was payable under
the law without reference to the pro-
vision. He thought about $500. 900 to
$3.50, 900 of revenue would be obtained
from the duty on hides and probably
about half OF this would be paid in
draw backs.
Mr. Allen of Nebraska spoke against
the bill as a whole, and incidentally
TO the present coal strike, con-
trasting it with the promises of pros
perity. The strike would be arbitrated,
he said, and arbitrated in but one
way. namely. in favor of the coal baron
and against the miner and if the miner
protested he would be met with the
baton of policemen or the bayonet of
the soldier.
Mr. Teller and Mr. Vest criticised
the hide amendment. the former say
ing that the drawback clause was in
the interest of eastern manufacturers,
as the western tanners Who did not
export leather, were getting no draw
back
Mr.. Aldrich answered that the east
and the west stood on the same basis
so far as this legislation was con-
cerned. 1t was Impossible to build a
battleship at Omaha. but that was due
TO the geography Of the country. and
not TO any legislative discrimination
against Omaha and the west Mr.. AID
r-fs10 nf he
ferees were from the west, and he holly
reDudiated the statement that New
England and the east had been unduly
favored by the conferees.
The conference amendment emitting
from the free list scientific books and
periodicals, brought out a sarcastic
speech from Mr.. Vest. The devided
Democracy had in the Wilson bill
placed paintings, statuary and scientific
books on the free list, thus comforting
a benefit on all our people by inviting
% this country the best productions OF
art and science. Now. however. the G.
D. P, the party of culture, refinement
and progress. took the backward track
and attempted to exclude the articles.
The reciprocity amendment OCCASION
ed lengthy debate. Mr.. Teller INQUIRED
Why the president had been restricted
TO two years in making reciprocity
treaties.
Mr. Aldrich explained that it was the
desire TO have our commercial relations
definitely established within a reason
aIole time. II was believed this could
be accomplished within two years. Mr.
Teller said he Thought that the COM
nittee was afraid to trust the next
president.
Mr. White criticised the provision
hat reciprocity treaties shall be ap-
proved by congress. Congress had the
power to raise or lower duties without