The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-12
that DUTY ON COAL
Senator Aldrich Intimates That It
Will Be Taken Up in the
~ House. En-
Mr.. Vest Vigorously 0bjects-Mr
Stewart Working on His Coal
Investigation.

Washington Jan. 12.-There was con-
ference on the floor Of the senate to-day
participated in by Senators Aldrich, Alli-
son, Spooner and Lodge and Chairman
Payne Of the house committee on ways
and means. q
After this conference Senator Aldrich
announced in the senate, when the Vest
resolution for the removal Of duty on coal
came up. that he had reason to believe
that there would be action elsewhere re-
garding the removal Of the duty
It had been the contention of Senator
4Aldrich that the senate had no power to
initiate such legislation. II,
Mr. Vest vigorously objected, saying
that he had no assurance that anything
| would be done in any other place. S5
'.Circumstantial evidence he said, ''is
| strongly against any such assumption. No
| action has been taken and no suspicion
| Of any action has been seen anywhere and
therefore under existing conditions to al
low this resolution to go into the uncer-
tain and nebulous future. would be equiv
alent to its defeat =. u
| Mr.: Vest referred to last Thursday
debate and. declared that the only par
tizan feature of 1t came from Mr.. Aldrich.
In all his experience, he asserted, he had
never seen such unanimity of public SEN
timent on any subject. He called atten-
ton to the action of the Legislature of
Rhode Island Jan. 8, unanimously voting
| for the removal Of the duty on coal, and
had read newspaper reports commenting
! on the action. Mr.. Vest said he did not
want to embarrass the senator from Rhode
Island. who was amply able to defend
himself. but his desire was to place be
fore the senate proof of the sentiment
for free coal now existing. n
Mr.. Carmack (Tenn.) charged that
reciprocity has. been "strangled by pro-
lection at has been murdered in cold
blood by protection said he. The bene-
ficiaries Of the protected manufactures
and. the protected trusts, he said, have
appropriated to themselves every particle
Of the tariff duties provided in the Ding
ley acts ., ,,
Mr. sAldrich said the remarks Of the sen
lator from Missouri and the senator from
Tennessee only confirmed his former state.
ment that the resolution was for no othel
purpose than to discuss questions outside
the coal question. :.:.... p ,-..---.
Referring to the newspaper report
which Mr.West had had read, Mr.. Aldricf
said the people of Rhode Island fully un-
derstood his position on the tariff. ques-
ton. There has been no disguise in
/, the past ~,E .. ....-'- -..'s-. ~ 49,
Mr. Aldrich then took up the statement
attributed to Mr.. Dingley regarding reel
procity and declared that the bill was If
print and had been prepared nearly q
month before the conversation is alleged
to have taken place. -.., 49,
4 =; The resolution went over until to-r11or-
I row. when Mr.. Aldrich win continue his
! remarks. +s =. IT.. @:.<.-z.s
! Chairman Payne Of the house said, afte1
the remark of Senator Aldricla in the sen
ate, that the ways and means commit lei
/ would meet Tomorrow and consider tn,
coal bills. Several bills have been referred
Ito the committee, some providing for {
suspension of the duty for a fixed period
some for rebate and others for the re
noval of the duty without limit. Mr.
Payne said he thought the connmitte
. would take some action, either for a sus
pension Of the coal duty or a rebate.