The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-06-03
W ork of Congress



NAL consideration of the sugar sched-
ule, but did not approach vote upon
1t. Instead, the time allotted to this
schedule was entirely given over to
speech-making, and strange to say, the
two speeches on the subject, while
made by Democrats, were in strong adj
vocacy of a high tariff on sugar of all
grades. The speeches were by Sena-
tors Foster and McEnery of Louisiana.
Mr. Foster laughingly deprecated the
application of the word protection" to
his attitude, but Mr.. McEnery boldly
espoused the protective theory and
openly advised his Democratic friends
TO follow his example He declared
protection to be in the line of Demo
cratic policy. The lumber schedule
was temporarily put aside in order to
permit the committee on finance to
make changes in it.
For more than seven hours Wednes-
day the Senate was engaged in the dis
cussion OF sugar as that subject is in
volved in the pending tariff bill. Be
ginning with an effort by Senator Nc
Emery, the Louisiana Democratic pro-
tectionist, there were four set speeches.
Three of these were in support of the
sugar schedule as reported from the
committee on finance, while the fourth
was plea for material reductions.
Senator MnE,nn 10 ,o1a
for stiff protection, not only because Of
the necessity for such a policy in the
interest of the revenue, but because, as
he declared, such course would rem
der the United States independent of
other countries. He asserted that there
had been change of sentiment in the
South on the subject of protection
Senators Burrows of Michigan and
Smoot of Utah, both members of the
finance committee, also spoke in sup
port of the committees action. rhe
Michigan Senator charged the sugar
trust with an attempt to establish a
reputation for fair dealing by pretend
ing to be in alliance with the beet
sugar interest, which. he said, was not
the case. He asserted that a reduc-
tion of duties would destroy the beet
industry, and thus render it necessary
to send S1O0,O00,000 a year out of the
country for sugar. Mr. Bristow, the
new Senator from Kansas, was the
only advocate Of reduced rate. He
presented an amendment eliminating
all reference to the Dutch standard
in determining the grade of sugar. Re-
ferring to the attitude of the so-called
progressive" Senators, Mr.. Bristow
declared that, instead of wanting to
destroy the sugar industry, they were
the best friends of that interest, as
they were of the protective policy.
Their desire, he said, was to prevent
graft and greed on the part OF the
trusts. The House was not in session.
-
By the decisive vote of so TO SO the
Senate decided Thursday to postpone
until June 10 the further consideration
of the income tax question in connec-
ton with the tariff. Two amendments
to the sugar schedule were debated.
One eliminated the Dutch standard
test from the tariff schedule and the
other lowered the duty on refined
sugar from 100 cents to S1.S212 cents
per pound On the first vote eleven
Republicans voted with the Democrats
for the amendment, on which the vote
was SO to AZ. On the second only five
Republicans broke ranks, the vote
standing 80 to 3d. Porto Rican affairs
were again thrashed out in the House,
the remarks being based On the bill
taking from the Legislature of the ISL
and certain powers now vested in it
and providing for other reforms which
it is designed to inaugurate. The ac-
ton OF the Porto Rican assembly in
refusing to pass the appropriation bill
was characterized by Mr.. Douglas
(Ohio) as revolutionary. The Porto
Ricans had as their champions Messrs.
Martin (Colorado), Garrett (Tennes-
see) and Larrinaga, their resident
commissioner. Mr.. Martin protested
against the Porto Ricans being made
the servants of "a carpetbag govern
ment."
The senate Friday adopted the re.
mainder of the sugar schedule and the
tobacco schedule as proposed by the
finance committee. Mr. Aldrich agreed
that the sugar schedule should be TAX
en- up again later if Mr. Clay should
desire to press his amendment cutting
the duties in two. Seneator Bradley
of Kentucky advocated the removal of
the internal revenue tax on tobacco
in the hand Debate on the bill
amending the organic act of Porto
Rico was continued in the House. 1t
was the expectation when the session
began that consideration of the meas
ure would be concluded, but the mem
bership gradually dwindled away until
there was no quorum, and final action
on the bill was postponed. The prin-
cipal speech was by Mr. Borland of
Missouri, who upheld the Porto Rican
house of delegates for refusing to yield
its legislative rights and pleaded for
a territorial government for the Porto
Ricans The House adjourned until
Tuesday noon.
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