The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-19
THE TARIFF BILL
Considered blythe Ways and Means Com.
mjttee-ExpIained by Members of the
acknowledgements Want Time to Pro.
pose amendments

mjttee-ExpIained by Member of the
acknowledgements Want Time to Pro.
pose amendments.
Washington, March 16.-The new tar
iff dill was considered today by the
ways and means committee. The morn
ing session lasted three hours. The
time was occupied principally in dis
cuSsing the several schedules and eX-
planning the reasons for various jim
creases. These explanations were made
by the members who were most con-
Vcrsant with the work. The suggestion
that the bill be reported Thursday met
with strong opposition from the minor
ity. The chairman diSclaimed any pur-
pose of ~Curtailing the opportunities for
Offering amendments, but pointed out
the necessity for getting the bill before
the house at the earliest moment. The
democrats insisted that they only de-
sired time in which to offer such
amendments as justice and logic de-
manded.
1t was explained that no special as
~signments Of York were made, but hat
the committee worked together as a
whole, except in case where certain
members, from their familiarity with
the subject, were given the practical
control Of a schedule. Mr.. Russell, of
Connecticut, it appears, was largely
responsible for the wooden schedule
which was explained by him Similar
1y the changes in the agricultural
schedule were interpreted by Mr.. Dol
liver, of Iowa. The iron and steel n
glass schedules were explained by Mr..
Dalzell, Of Pennsylvania; sugar by Mr..
Payne, of New York, and roo by Mr..
Tawney, Of Minnesota.
Mr.. DOlliver stated in reference tn tia
agricultural schedule that tn changes
were more in form than II substance.
The duty IN annals was less than the
Mckinley rate. SO far as oranges were
concerned, the duty was assessed by
the pound instead Of by the bulk in
order to secure a more equitable ad-
justment ia the collection of the duty.
The increased rate on broker rice was
made to prevent evasion of the present
law. ChicOry root. hitherto free, was
now dutiable at 3 cents a pound, mas
much as the industry had been recently
established in the west Of preparing it
as a substitute for coffee.
Mr.. Payne was asked as to the
amount of revenue the schedule
would produce. He could not say, but
thought the increase would be about
SIG, OOO, 900. Mr.. Robertson. of Louis
lana, estimated the revenue from SUI
gar to be $50, 600, 900 per annum.
Mr.. Wheeler,Of Alabama, referring to
the glass schedule, desired information
as to the increases in small glass.
Mr.. Dalzell replied that the commit
tee found that duty on small glass was
not protective and that an equalization
had been made by lowering the duty on
the higher grades.
There was some criticism from the
democrats of transferring cotton ties
from the free list to the dutiable list,
but it ELECTED NJ explanation from the
majority, although Mr.. Wheeler as
serted that we were now exporting
cotton ties in great quantities to
tries so remote as India.
The democrats criticised the increas-
ed rate on timber for spars and
wharves and for the construction of tel
egraph lines, to which the republicans
responded by stating the reasons which
had led to them.
1t was developed incidentally that
the tariff on 80 per cent. of the sugar
im%pOrtations will yield an ad valorem
duty of ~ per cent.
1t was decided at the afternoon meet
ing of the committee that an adjourn
ment should be taken from his even
ing until 10 o'clock Thursday morning.
The purpose of this was to permit the
ucIllOC dlIC IIlCIIlDCIS W oluuy IL olli
and to prepare the amendments which
they p offering when the COM
mittee re~-assembles The minority Will
tomorrow afternoon meet at the capt.
toll and decide upon the line OF policy
to be pursued by them, both in COM
mittee and in the house. 1t is still un-
decided If the bill shall be reported
Thursday, but the democratic mem
bers believe this to be the intention of
L. -- Nh - -
tina if the bill be reported Thursday
it will be at once taken up for consid-
Grafton without waiting for the demo-
cratic majority to report.
Some Of the republican members think
two weeks should suffice for debating
the measure in the house.
The liquor schedule was the first to
be considered this afternoon. Mr..
Evans, of Kentucky, who was prOml-
nently identified with it's preparation,
explained it's provisions. He showed
how the duty on brandy had been in
creased from $3.50 to $3.50 a gallon, and
pointed to advantages the wine pro-
ducers of France would gain If that
government should give this country
corresponding advantage on III ex-
ports. He showed that the rates in the
liquor schedule were substantially a re-
turn to those in the Mckinley law.
MT. w neeler, Oh Alabama, TeleTTeO 10
the enormous profits which the man
~ufacturers of a certain grade of liQ-
uors enjoy in this country owing to the
excessive protection which enables
them to sell a cheap article at enor-
nous profit.
Mr.. Russell. of Connecticut. was
questioned as to the various para
graphs constituting the cotton schedule
The schedule relating to flax and jute
was discussed by paragraphs n the
inquiries of the democrats were an
swered by Mr.. Payne, of New York.
Mr.. Hopkins, of Illinois, explained
the provisions of the wooden schedule.
Mr.. Russell was next called upon to
explain the silk and paper schedules,
which he did in eXtenso. The latter
schedule, he said, differed little if any
from the present law.
. When you are suffering from Catarrh
or Cold in the lead you want relief
right away. Only 10 cents is required
to test it. Ask your druggist for the