The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-23
SENATE.

ne9OIuL1O0 00 10 our EOF0lRn TOBACCO
Trade.
SENATE.
Washington, July 21.-The senate
concluded the formal reading of the
tariff conference report today. The de-
bate was spiritless in the main. Early
in the day Senator Jones, of Arkansas,
made a contest against the conference
committee on the ground that it had
exceeded it's authority in so amending
the paragraph relating to printing
paper as to place a retaliatory duty
against the countries paying an export
bounty on wood pulp. His point Of
order was debated at much length, and
finally overruled by Vice President
Hobart. This removed the only obsta-
Gle thus far encountered by the report.
The reciprocity amendment, and the
abandonment of the stamp tax on
bonds and stocks, developed much crit
icsm.
When the amendment relating to
hides was reached, Senator Allen, of
Nebraska, asked why the conferees
had provided drawback of duty on
leather exported, made from imported
hides.
Senator Aldrich explained that the
house had insisted on the proviso and
he felt that the drawback was payable
under the law without reference to this
provision. He thought about s500,00O to
$3.50 900 of revenue would be obtained
from the duty on hides, and probably
about half of this would be paid in
drawbacks.
Senator Allen, of Nebraska, spoke
against the bill as whole, and Incl
dentally referred to the present coal
strike, contrasting it with the promises
of prosperity. The strike would be ar
bitrated, 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 the policeman and the
bayonet of the tin soldier.
Senators Teller and Vest criticised
the hide amendment. They were re-
piled to by Senator Aldrich.
The conference amendment omitting
from the free list scientific books and
periodicals brought out sarcastic
speech from Senator Vest. The derided
democracy had, in the Wilson bill,
placed paintings, statuary and scien-
tific books on the free list, thus con-
ferring a benefit on all our people by
inviting to this country the best pro-
ducts of art and science. Now, how
ever, the grand old party, the party Of
culture, refinement and progress, took
a backward track and attempted to
exclude these articles.
The reciprocity amendment OCCASION
ed lengthy debate. Senator Teller in
quired why the president had been re-
stricted to two years in making re-
ciprocity treaties.
Senator Allison explained that it was
desired to have our commercial rela-
reasonable time. 1t was believed this
could be accomplished within two
years.
Senator Teller said his first thought
was that the committee were afraid to
trust the next president.
Senator White criticised the provis-
ion that reciprocity treaties shall be
"apprOved by congress-" Congress had
the power to raise or lower duties with
out waiting to approve a treaty.
Senator Allison explained that con-
gress had no means of negotiating with
foreign governments, so that treaty
was essential before any reciprocal
plan of tariff reduction could be ex-
ecuted.
The conference amendment striking
out the provision for a stamp tax on
bonds and stocks also led to discus
sion. In answer to inquiries, Senator
Allison said the point had been raised
that an excise tax must be levied on
a class of articles as a whole, while
the senate amendment expressly ex-
cepted bonds of building associations
and other classes of bonds.
This objection was felt to be we'll
taken, and the bond provision was
abandoned.
Senator Allen declared that this was
another humble submission to the
money power.
Senator Morgan asserted that there
were many reasons beyond the one as
signed for the abandonment of the
bond tax. The main influence was the
favOritiSm shown to capital 1t was
this favoritism which was making con-
verts to the porulist party. Another
influence was the sugar trust, which
had been instrumental in having the
bond tax abandoned, as it would af-
feet the tremendous stock transfers of
the trust
The formal reading of the conference
report was completed at 5:25 o'clock,
and the senate at once went into ex-
ecut1ve session, adjOurning soon after
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI---
When the house met today, Mr.
Evans. republican, Of Kentucky, from
the committee on ways and means,
reported a joint resolution, requesting
the president to make such investiga-
tions as will elicit all the facts in refer
ence to the restrictions put upon the
sale of American tobacco in foreign
countries under what is known as the
''regie,' or government contracts. It
also authorizes the president to enter
into negotiations with the governments
of those countries with view to OBJ
tanning modification or removal Of
these restrictions.
The resolution was considered. and
Mr.. Clardy, democrat, of Kentucky,
explained the necessity of it. He said
that a great surplus of tobacco was
raised in Kentucky, Tennessee and Vir-
ginia which must find a foreign mar
ket. England and Germany were the
oGly countries where tobacco could be
shipped: to any Of the other countries
it could not be shipped, except through