The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-09-15
TAWNEY GIVES AN
EXPLANATION.
Refuses to Father the Ten Per Cent
Discriminating Clause Which Affects
Commerce on the Pacific.

Congressman Tawney of Minnesota,
who arrived on the Australia yester-
day for weeks stay in the Islands,
denies the paternity of the 10 per cent
discrimination clause in the Dingley
bill, which has been attributed to him
by the eastern press. In the course of
an interview on the subject, the Con-
gressman said:
This misstatement first found its
way into print through a dispatch sent
by reporter in st. Paul to the Chi
cago Times-Herald. | have been told
that some official in Washington was
the originator of the canard. 1t was
entirely the work of imagination, ana
| suspect that State politics had some-
thing to do with it. At any event, the
publication brought down a storm OF
indignation on my head. Some persons
and papers even went so far as to de-
clare that | should be tarred and
feathered and ridden out of the State
on fence rail. At that time I was
absent on the great lanes with my
family, recuperating after my work in
Washington, and was for short time
in happy ignorance of the trouble
that had been stirred up. Upon my re,
turn, however, | made a specific de-
nial'in the Minneapolis Journal of the
statement that I had anything to do
with the drafting of Section 30 of the
Dingley bill, the one in question, and
gave a histo"- of the legislation.
'As passed by the house of represen-
tatives that section was the same as
in the tariff acts of 1890 and 1894. IT
imposed a discriminating duty of 10
per cent on all goods imported in for
eign vessels, except from those which
had treaties covering the subject, or
where by act of Congress a discrimi-
mating duty was not applicable. The
Senate amended this section by strik-
ing out the words 'or any act of Con-
gress.' That action gave the confer
ence committee complete control of
the matter on disagreement between
the houses. The effect of the amend
ment was supposed to be to take from
the President the Power which he had
heretofore exercised. under the Revis-
ed Statutes, to give to other countries
the privileges possessed by treaty ma,
| tions.
I'm the conference committee. OF
which | was not a member. the section
was redrafted and adopted, changing
the Senate amendment by adding the
words or convention and by making
the discriminating duty applicable to
goods imported in foreign vessels
through a country contiguous to the
\ United States.
"The statements that this was done
surreptitiously are entirely unjust. The
members of both houses and those
who were on the conference commit
tee in particular, had the bi as agreed
upon printed in such form thar no
| person could fail to identify every
amendment as decided upon in confer
ence. The bill as it passed the house
was printed in one kind of type-script
if | remember right-the Senate
amendments followed in each para
! graph in Roman type and the confer.
ence amendments in capitals. 1t was
impossible for any person who had ev.
er read the bill not to know what had
been agreed upon.
so far as the effect of the section
is concerned. I think it has been very
greatly exaggerated. It's supposed in
jury to commercial interests is almost
entirely speculative. The section car
only affect goods transported from
foreign countries, and, compared will
the domestic merchandise. the i'm
ported goods are insignificant il
amount and value. The comparative
rates of Canadian and American rail
roads will be fixed without referenc,
to the imported goods that the roads
may carry. To the extent that the
section encourages importation by
American vessels or the transporta
: tion of imported merchandise by Ame
rican railroads, Section 32 will prov,
a benefit to American interests.
II do not wish to deprive anyone O
the credit of drafting the conferenc,
amendment, nor do | care to assum,
an odium, if such there be, for whicl
am not responsible"