The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-07
LONG IS CRIEVED.
Senator Disappointed Over
Action of the Senate.
Expected Some Action on Philip
pine Tariff Bill.
ONLY TWO WITH HIM.
But Three Republicans Favored
Proposed Measure.
Bill Was Defeated in the Com
mittee Meeting.

Washington. March THE refusal
/ of the senate committee on the Philip
/ pines to take any action whatever on
| the Philippine tariff bill was a sore
disappointment to Senator Long, who
! had been strongly in favor of the pas
sage of this legislation.
The bill, which sought to reduce the
/ duties on sugar, tobacco, and rice, en-
terlng the United Sta ties from the
Philippine islands, to 25 per cent of
the duties fixed by the Dingley act,
has been before the senate committee
for several weeks. Extensive hearings
have been held; the secretary of war,
William H. Taft, appearing many
times, and giving strong reasons why
the legislation should be enacted, for
the benefit of the islands The bill
thas excited much comment; was
strongly favored and recommended by
the administration; and violently OPP
posed by beet sugar people, on the as
sertion that 1t would ruin their bust
ness. Other opposition was by stand
patters of the ultra type, who believed
the sacred walls OF protection would
be undermined.
When the vote was taken in COM
mittee, only three Republicans favor
ed favorable report-Senator Lodge,
chairman, and Senators Beveridge and
Long They We're Joined, however, by.
two NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Carmack Of
Tennessee, and McCreary of Kentucky.
Eight members, however. five OF
whom were Republicans, opposed a
favorable eport-Senators Hale of
Maine. Burrows of Michigan; Dick, of
/ Ohio: Brandagee, of Connecticut; and
Nixon. of Nevada Standing with
them were three emocrats=Dubois
of Idaho; Culberson, of Texas; and
Stone of Missouri.
When. by a vote of to 8. the com
mittee had refused to report favorably
the bill, an effort was made to secure
4
mendation. Senator Dick of Ohio
Joined Senators Lodge, Beveridge,
Long, and their two Democratic allies
on the proposition. This also failed,
and another motion was made to re-
port the bill unfavorably. the idea be-
ing to get it into the senate in some
manner. On this motion, Senator
Nixon of Nevada Joined the friends of
the measure, but as Senator Dick went
back with the opponents, even this did
not carry.
This ends the Philippines tariff bill,
unless an effort is made in the senate
to discharge the committee and bring
the bill into the senate anyway. This
/ is rather doubtful, thought it may be
done. r~E
There are several reasons why the
/ bill was defeated IN committee One
IS that there was great opposition to
/ it. administration measure though it
was, because it was a measure which it
| was claimed invaded the rights of the
1 beet sugar men. The fallacy of such
/ an argument was repeatedly shown
! throughout the hearings on the bill in
/ committee. Yet il was sufficient to
/ cause Senator Nixon of Nevada to lend
/ his vote to the defeat of the bill until
mately- Another reason was the
/ claim that 1t endangered the protective
Il tariff Such an argument came from
] such standpatters as never did. and
/ probably never will, realize that all
| tarin schedules are not fnviolable and
sacred.
Possibly the fact that the tariff bin
| was an administration measure had
something to do with its defeat Sen
/ ators not on the committee were op-
! posed to the president and to the sec
rotary of war. Doubles their in
huence would have been material had
/ the bill finally got into the senate; but
it is doubtful whether it cut any great
figure so far as the committee proceed
| ings were concerned.
Senator Hale of Maine who vigor-
ously opposed the bill in committee
does not, and never did, though he is
the leader of the senate, believe in the
Philippine island policy of President
Mckinley and President Roosevelt.
This accounts for his vote. Senator
Burrows comes from Michigan, a
great beet sugar state, and organized
the contest against reciprocity with
Cuba four years ago. Senator Brand
agee, of Connecticut, comes from q
fearful Of the consequences. Senator
Dick was bonn barded with kilograms
and letters from manufacturers in
Ohio of beet sugar machinery, and
could not stand UP under the fire
Senator Nixon was a puzzle through
out the hearings. but finally landed
with the opponents OF the bill.
Senator Long, who took a leading
part in the hearings and in the investf-
cation made by the committee, and
questioning of witnesses who ap-
peared. does not believe, and never
has, since the famous Cuban reel
procity contest, 3tF1at. until such time
as the United States and Hawaii and
Porto Rico produce sufficient sugar an
nuaIly to supply the home consump-
ton, there is the slightest danger to
the beet sugar industry by lowering
the tariff on sugar from Cuba and the
the entire contention of the beet peo-
pie to be absurd and unwarranted. He
was strongly for this measure; seeing
as he did last summer when on -
Taft party to the Orient, the con dition
of the Philippine sugar situation, and
the announcement needed. He lent
his best effort to the success of the
/ measure to reduce to 20 per cent. OF
Dingley duties, and is disappointed a
| the outcome.
One thing which undoubtedly con.
tributed largely to the result is the
overshadOwing and l-absorbfng con
test over railroad rates. Until the rail-
road rate question is settled, much
needed legislation viii be showed aside
While the minds of statesmen are alb
sorbed with the rate problem, Philip
tory matters, and what not, are liable
J n nav the mana lf1v ~f heinz "a e-fo ell IA