The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-25
SENATE

Items to be acted Oh IOuay-An Amend.
ment to rat Cotton Ties on the free List.
The House in Session.
SENATE
Washington, June 21.-The senate
made giant strides on the tariff bill to-
day, covering ffty-six pages and es-
t~ablishing a record for ogre during
this tariff debate. The last two sched-
ules Of the dutiable list, covering pa
per and manufactured sundries, were
completed, with the exception Of the
paragraph on hides, gloves, coal and
some lesser articles. This advanced
the senate to the free list, which was
taken up at 2 o'clock p. m, and COM
pleted in three hours. Early in the
day the wool and silk schedules went
over, with an agreement that wool
would be taken up tomorrow. After
that the tobacco schedule, the reciproci-
ty provisions and the internal revenue
portions of the bill, as well as the many
isolated paragraphs passed over, re-
main to be considered. The gre
today was so marked, however, that
IDT lie IlTSl lIliic llcIt was d Ieell0R
that the end is not far off.
There was little debate today, the
main topics of discussion being matches
and fuses. On the latter item an
amendment by Senator PettigreW re-
ducing the rate to 10 per cent. came
within a vote Of passing, against the
protest Of the nance committee, the
vote being a tie-24 to "a.
While the free list was under con-
SlderatiOn, Mr.. Bacon, of Georgia, gave
notice Of an amendment placing cot
tor ties on the free list and Senator
McLaurin, of South Carolina, gave no.
tice Of another amendment taking raw
cotton from the free list, thus repeal
ing the action heretofore taken of plac-
Ing a duty of 20 per cent. on cotton.
When the match paragraph, sundry
schedule, was reached, Senator Alli-
son moved to disagree to the commit
tee amendment of 20 per cent. ad valO-
rem and to agree to the house rates,
with changes making the rate 8 cents
per box, in place of 10 cents and q
cents per 1000 when imported in bulk,
in place of I cent.
Senator Vest and Senator Gray OPP
posed the rates, the latter stating that
the business was enormously profitable.
Senate Allison explained that the
change from ad valOrem to specific
was made on the recommendation of
treasury Experts and that the rates in
part offset the advance on the raw ma
terials, including lumber. In response
TO the suggestion Of a match trust,
Senator Allison stated there We're
thirty to thirty-five independent match
companies. He said one of the con-
Germs had recently established a factO-
ry in Liverpool and il the business was
to be retained in this country, the rates
proposed must be given as a means of
sustaining the American industry.
In reply. Senator Smith, of New Jer-
sey, stated that he had a letter from
the proprietor of a large match on
Germ at Camden, N. j., saying no in
crease tOf duty was desired and that
the increase was in the interest of the
Diamond match trust.
Senator Allison responded by reading
from the hearing before the ways and
means committee, showing that the
match Factories. except the one quoted
by Senator Smith, desired increased
rates.
The changes proposed by enator AL
lison We're agreed to, and Senator
White, of California, then moved to
substitute 20 per cent ad valorem-dis-
agreed to, 20 to &c.
III paragraph III, ptICuSSlOu caps,
etc, Senator Vest moved to reduce the
rate on blasting caps from 1886 to $2.O7
(the Wilson rate) per 1000 capS-re-
jected.
Senator Pettigrew moved to add a
clause fixing the rate of safety fuse
at 10 per cent. He said these fuses
were used in mining operations and
that the article was controlled by a
trust. He submitted letters and state
rOpptc chnu-inp tho aytont nf thn a.
legged fuse trust and it's division of ter
ritOry for the purpose, he said. of plum
dering the country. He said he pro-
posed to place senators from the min
ing states on record. to see if they IA
vOred giving this bonus to the trust as
against the Miners.
After a short debate on the amend
ment, a vote was taken which resulted
yeas. "a; nays, "a. a tie, and the vice
president declared the amendment lost
Senators Mantle, P~ettigrew, Stewart
and Teller, silver republicans. voted in
the affirmative with the democrats.
The paragraph relating to jewelry.
precious stones, etc, was agreed to as
reported. at 60 per cen Pearls in
their natural state" was changed to in
clude half pearls" and was agreed to
as reported.
This brought the senate to the leath-
err paragraphs. The first paragraph. on
hides, went over at the request of Sem
atOr Allison. The next paragraph on
MANUFACTURED leather was entered
upon, but enato Vest said it would
all hinge on the treatment of hides. and
Senator Smith. of New Jersey, asked
that it go over. This was agreed to.
The paragraphs on plows n other
agricultural implements 20 per cent,
brought on a brief contest. Senators
Vest and White criticising the commit
tees action. In this connection, Sena-
tor Allison stated that the assertion
by Senator Vest during previous de-
bates that the American factories We're
selling goods abroad cheper than at
home had been disproved. to which
statement senator Vest demurred. say
ing his position was amply upheld
Senator Vest o to strike out the
paragraph. leaving these articles or
the free list-disagreed to. "a to 90.
This unexpectedly brought the sen
ate to the free list, all of the customs
features of the bill having been either