The herald., 1897-03-31
Would Quickly Make the
Nation Rich
STATESMEN TALK POLITICS
GIVING TARIFF SCHEDULES
THE GO-BY
The Bill Comes to Vote Today, One
Eighth of It Having Been
Considered
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, March S0.-Party
feeling ran high during the last day of
the tariff debate in the house. Political
speeches were wedged in at every OPP
portunity, and there was constant man
euvering for political advantage. The
opposition directed their efforts toward
stirring up dissention in the Republican
side. but they succeeded only in ex-
posing a single instance Of revolt today.
That was on the subject of free hidess
The Democrats pressed the question Of
a duty on hides for the benefit Of the
farmer with such vigor that Hepburn
was drawn into the debate and made q
strong plea for dutiable hides. He de-
manded that the house be given an op-
portunity to vote on this question, and
declared that every western Republics
an was in favor of it. Cannon of Illinois
also gave a qualified endorsement to his
demand.
The Republican leaders defended their
bill today with vigor. The ways and
means committee held the floor with
their amendments from 10 in the morn
ing to 4 in the afternoon. About thirty
five were offered and adopted. Among
them was one admitting free of duty
books, scientific apparatus, charts.
maps, etc." for scientific and educa-
tional purposes. After that five more
pages of the bill were read. making
twenty pages in all of the 1852 pages of
the bill. Tomorrow the bill will be open
for amendment until l o'clock, the at
tempt to extend the debate' having
| failed. after which an hour on side
will be allowed to close. The voting will
begin at o'clock.
| The Democrats displayed good deal
of anxiety today to get in an amend
ment to strike out the differential on
sugar, but they probably will be frus-
trated in this. The only measure they
may be able to secure vote on is to
recommit, with instructions.
This motion has been prepared IN the
shape of a resolution and is the Dock
cry amendment to suspend the duty on
articles whose prices are controlled by
trusts or combinations. Even this mo-
tion may be held to be out of order under
the special order. There is some talk OF
a number of Republican votes being cast
heard
Cannon of Illinois. Republican, pre-
faced his remarks with the declaration
that he was for the pending bill. He was
not pleased with all it's features He
never had been pleased with any revenue
bill. He appreciated that there must be
! a spirit of give and take. and he was
frank to say he thought there could
we'll be duty on hides, as the impress
sion was deeply grounded in the west
that the duty on hides would raise the
price of cattle 81 a head.
Slayden of Texas, Democrat, express-
ed qualification that the dormant Re-
publican conscience had been awakened
in spots. He proceeded to argue that
duty on hides would be Of practical
benefit to the cattle raisers of the plains
of Texas, Kansas and the Dakotas
Bell of Colorado. Populist. warned the
Republicans that if they passed this bill.
containing high duties, without impoe-
ing at least a revenue duty on hides, dis
tinctly product of the farm, they would
regret It. Why should the wool men OF
a few states be so generously dealt with
and the cattle raisers denied anything?
Dingley defended the action of the
committee, saying that when the act OF
1890 was being prepared the present oc-
cupant Of the White House made very
exhaustive investigation of tn subject
and found, first, that the great body of
hides produced in this country were Z
by-product from the slaughter Of cattle,
and that their price was made here; Sec
ond, that goat and other skins tanned In
this country were not produced here.
and, third, that the hides imported. ex-
cept in a few instances. were dry hideo
used in making sole leather. large pro-
portion of which was exported. We
could tan hides with our cheap material
for the foreign market Weighing ths,
balance of advantages, the COMMITTEES
decided against duty on hides. Our
tanning industry, he said, was adjusted
to free hides, and it was decided that
a duty on hides would not be of adNan-
tage to the farmer and. would. be a disad-|
vantage to our export trade.
Hepburn Qowa, Rep.) then came for
ward with vehement speech In favor
of a duty on hides. Hepburn declared
that the wool interests dwarfed In con-
trast with the vast cattle interests of :
the country Iowa was more interested
in hides than in wool. She marketedlan-
nually sao0O,000 worth OF hides and not
ten per cent of that amount OF wool. He
demanded that the ways and means
committee allow the sense Of the house 3
to be taken on this question. and a1irn-
ed with great positiveness that every )
Republican from the west favored : 4
duty on hides. 4
I'VE insist" he shouted, "thot 2 > \
tanning and leather industries o. Noua
York, Pennsylvania and New EnGior
should not be allowed to stifle m
mands of the weet' OemooEo1i
plaRse.) \. y. 5; &