The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-05-15

PARTY LINES IGNORED
AND SENATE MUDDLED1
Distinguished Senators Are Max
ing Hard Fight Against
+ n Aldrich Programme. 5s

ing Hard Fight Against
f n n Aldrich Programme. 1sS
B Especial to the Labor WORLDLY
WASHINGTON, May 13.-With the
southern democrats lining up for high
er< protection and western republicans
demanding downward revision, the tar
1T situation in the senate is muddled.
Almost anything is possible as an OUT
come. Senator Aldrfchs program is
to force throughshis bill, without addi-
tfon and with little important amend
ment, at as early a date as possible.
lie is still talking Of the possibility OF
the tariff legislation being completed
by the middle of June, but present
Indications do not bear out his pre-
diction. The Aldrich program has been
frankly outlined. It is to do nothing
about income or inheritance taxes or
other means Of raising revenue, and to
revise the SDingley schedules on pure
ly revenue basis, with the idea Of rails
Ing more money. The Rhode. Island
senator realizes the seriousness Of the
western rebellion, and that republican
senators from the; states that have
adopted the direct primary will be
forced by public demand for down.
ward revision to vote against his bill.
even at the cost of preventing any
revision. He hopes, however, to put
through the bill with the aid OF dem
ocratic senatorsrswb are willing to
stand for any thing else so long as
cotton, sugar, peanuts, rice, pineapples
and lumber are highly protected.
f. Republican Tariff Insurgents.
Beginning their campaign with q
broadside against the lumber schedules
delivered by Nelson of Minnesota and
McCunber Of North Dakota, the rep
ublican tariff insurgents are carrying
the war into other parts Of. the tar
iff. Dolliver OF Iowa, riddled the cot
ton. and wool schedules in a two days.
speech, and La Toilette, Cumins. Borah
and Beveridge are making a running
fight against the whole program.
Confusion IN House.
n the house; during The special ses-ss
Sion, the democratic party fcormation,
went fairly to pieces. Bell Of zGeargia,
the. democratic whip, and Griggs OF
Georgia, former chairman OF the dem
ocratic ressfonal scommittee, voted
with the Cannon machine on the rules,
as did the entire Tammany contingent
excepting: Billy Sulzer, and Clayton
of Alabama, chairman of last summers
democratic national convention, voted
with the republican standpatters at
least once on the lumber schedules
The democrats lost their whip on the
rules and the chairman Of their nation
al convention on lumber" explained
republican member, "and it's lucky
for them their national leader was not
in congress, or they might have lost
him on the hides schedule I
~ ~ ? Confusion in Senate
In the senate the lines Of cleavage
are as about confused so far as the
party IS concerned. The only tariff
features the democratic caucus has
been able to agree. on are an income
tax and tax on trading in futures:
Between the republican regulars led
BY Aldrlch and the republican .'insur
gents" led by La Toilette and Cum
minis, the issues are clearer. The Al
drich contingent is against any mater
ial reduction in any duties. The Elm
surgents" are for a genuine downward
revision in Keeping with the pledges
made in last falls campaign. f:s
According to Senator Aldrich,s own.
figures, the pending bill proposes max
ing the average duties 2.04 per cent
higher than the present Dingley rates.
In only feur schedules, lumber, metals
earthen and glassware, and tobacco
earthen and glassware, and tobacco
are small reduction made by the Al
BIZ Senator AIdrichs sophistry.
Downward tariff revision has been
and is urged on behalf Of the consum-.
er. In offering his bill Mr.. Aldich has
tried to make it appear that the duties
have been arranged to put the heaviest
part OF the tax on 1uxuries used only
by the rich. Yet the sugar tax stands
almost at the top Of the list. All the
United States, Hawaii and Porto Rico
grow the less than half the sugar used
annually In this country. Everybody
usese sugar. The per capita consump
tion is 81.17 pounds Tor each man, wo-
man and child. Allowing five to a.
family, the average family sugar bill
for each household is $21.30, and under
the present tariff IS Of this price is
paid in taxes, eother to- the govern
ment or the highly protected sugar
trust. AS compared with the taxes
on articles used only by the rich, the
tax on sugar Is as follows:
b 1Ad Valorum Duty.
Sugar !. ]. 3. 80 per cent
Champagne =. i. =. !. Sc. IL per cent.
Automobiles 80. J. J. !. ~ 45. per cent
Fufs s.. - per cent:
Painting and statuary 30. Per cent.
Diamonds /. =. s J. 10 & per cent
The Lumber Tariff. i
The tight on the lumber tariff gets
hotter almost daily. It Is urged by the
big lumber Interests that q ntinuancef
OF the tariff is necessary to prevent
the American marke being flooded
with cheap Canadian lumber. Oppou-s