Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-05

sessions the senate today la
bored on the cotton schedule.
Mr.. LaFollette completed his long
speech, attacking changes in the Ding
ley rates recommended by the senate
finance committee, and replied to Sem
ator Penrose's charge last night that
he was shamming illness as an excuse
for his absence from the night session
He said he was not i'll, but very tired
and was resting to be in better shape
to continue his speech today He de-
clared Mr.. Penrose might perform a
greater service for the country and his
state if he would account for his own
time when not in the senate.
At the night session Chairman AL
drich replied to Mr.. LaFollette's as
saults on the work of the finance COM
mittee and made a general defense of
amendments which he asserted were
necessary.
throughout the day the temperature
in the chamber was sweltering. 1t is
said another effort will be made to
obtain a vote on the cotton schedule
tomorrow. Mr.. Aldrich told the SEN
ators he proposed to make statement
explaining the committees amend
ments and "to correct any misappre-
hension instilled in their minds by
torrent of misnformation and mis-
representation"
Mr.. Aldrich reviewed the history of
the cotton schedule, saying that in no
tariff act have there been fixed rates
so low as in the schedule pertaining to
the cotton cloth and cotton manufac-
lures generally. He said cloths val
ued at from cents to 20 cents now
pay specific rates and these have not
been changed by the senate bill.
Reviewing various court decisions In
reference to the schedule Mr.. Aldrich
declared the government has paid out
as much as $5,000,000 as refunds or
duties on account of the differences
resulting from the ambiguity of the
Dingley law. He said recent decision
of the supreme court would require
the government to make refund OF
$4,000
At 4:53 p. m. Mr.. LaFollette conclud-
ed his speech, after having had the
floor for nearly six hours The senate
then went into executive session.
Cannot Be Figured Accurately
Mr.. Aldrich said that estimates Of
ad valorem equivalents p of specific
rates could not be accurately figured
when the value of the goods ranged
from to 80 cents a square yard. He
said the committees rates were lower
than those intended by the Dingley
law, although they might be higher
than those under which certain goods
are now admitted because of misrep-
resentation in the courts
He declared nobody but importers
have protested against the senate bill
rates as being too high. He read a
letter from an appraiser in the New
York customs house stating goods af-
fected by the decision placing certain
cotton cloths under the paragraphs for
cloths assessed according to the count
of threads amounted to 10 to IL per
cent of importations.
Declaring the menace to the Ameri-
can cotton goods industry will be the
manufacture of those goods by JAPAN
Mr.. Aldrich said that Japan today has
four large cotton manufactures in op-
Grafton and that it would be hard to
say what would be the result If in the
next ten years Japan should go exten-
sively into the manufacture of cotton
Calls Attention to Cheap Labor
He called attention to the cents a
day labor in Japan and to the ability
of Japanese in decorative work. He
predicted, however, that the United
States would become the greatest pro
ducer and manufacturer of cotton
goods in the world if it's interests were
properly protected.
He reviewed the progress of the
southern states in the manufacture of
cotton goods, declaring South Carolina
has become second only to MaSSachu-
setts, that North Carolina is third and
Georgia fourth.
He predicted when another bill is
drafted the south would have three
fourths of the cotton mills.
Mr.. Aldrich read the following let
ter dated June 4, signed by four of the
general appraisers, including William
II. Parkhill, whose figures were quoted
by Senator Dolliver and Senator La
Follette
1--WE all agree that the average rates
imposed by paragraphs 313, 314. 316 and
317 of the bill as reported from the
senate committee on finance are not
greater than those imposed by the act
OF 1897, as originally construed on the
merchandise now in those paragraphs
in the senate bill"