Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-11

w ity of the Republican majority
" of the senate to uphold the
recommendation of the committee on
finance on the lead schedule which con-
tains the Dingley rates in the tariff
bill in place of the lower duties fixed
by the house, was fully represented To-
day when, by a vote of 30 to a. the
senate declined to reduce by one-quar-
ter of a cent a pound the duty on pig
lead. as recommended by the committee
on finance.
In this vote eleven Republicans voted
with the Democrats and two Demo
Gratis with the Republicans. BY viva
Voce vote the senate adopted the rate
of is cents a pound on pig leau, dS
recommended by the committee.
Chairman Aldrich said he regarded
the vote as an Endorsement OF tne
action of the committee and expressed
confidence that all the schedules OF the
committee would be upheld.
A tilt between Senators Aldrich ana
Reveridge was the opening feature to-
day The senate hau no sooner peeh
called to order than the senator from
Indiana took the floor. He spoke OF the
address of Senator Carter last Satur-
dav. in which the Montana senator re-
ferred to the abundance of information
to the pending tariff bill available TO
senators.
at think the senate understands this
speech" said Mr.. Beveridge, but III
order that the country may understand
# will ask the clerk to read an eX-
tract from the Congressional Record
The extract read was from speech
hy Senator McCumber, in which COM
plant was made that no Information
was available for senators showing the
comparative cost of articles In the tarltt
schedules in our country and abroad,
and If was suggested that bureau 20
provide such information should be
created.
Mr.. Beveridge then sent to the desk
another extract from statement py
Mr.. Aldrich to be read by the clerk,
the chairman of the committee on
finance being quoted as saying;
Doesn't Know Transactions
at have no. knowledge whatever OF
anything that transpired on the ways
and means committee" etc. MT. Al
drich said his statement had related
only to the hearings on orange mineral
under consideration when he spoke,
and did not refer to the hearings as a
whole, because he had read much OF
the report of those hearings
IT have given thirty years to the
consideration of these matters" said
Mr.. Aldrich "and while l may not
. have the ability Of the senator from
Indiana, yet such as L have L have
brought to this question, and if the
senator
to the consideration of these matters
that l have given he will serve his con-
stituency and the country better than
by proclaimng to everybody the lack
of information"
Mr. Hepburn had the floor and de-
clined to permit any further Interrupt
ton. He spoke at length discussing
the lead schedule, explaining mining
methods and the systems of treating
lead ore in order to demonstrate the
necessity for a dfferential duty on pig
ore and other products of lead ore.
All the industries of Idaho, said Mr..
Hepburn, encircle the lead mines, and
disaster to the mines would result in
general business depression. He claimed
that without protection to pig lead the
lead industry could not be continued
Senator Cummins offered an amend
ment fixing the duty on pig lead at
three-eighths of a cent a pound, in
addition to the duty of 11s cents
pound on the lead in lead ore.
In the opinion of Mr.. Borah no form
of legislation would hurt the lead and
smelter trusts. 1t was idle, he con-
tended, for any one to say there were
no such trusts. So thoroughly in
trenched We're they, he said, that they
easily could avoid the provisions of
the bill by transferring their bases of
operations.
Strenuous opposition by the Democ-
racy in the house prevented the refer
ence of the presidents message regard
ing certain legislation for Porto Rico
to the committee ON ways and means.
A motion by Mr.. Garrett of Tennessee
Br directing the speaker forthwith to ap-
point a committee on insular affairs,
which under ordinary procedure would
have charge of the subject, disclosed
that quorum was not present. Con-
sequently the message will lie on the
speakers table until Thursday. The
Philippine tariff bill was reported and
Mr.. Payne gave notice that he would
= call it up Thursday.
The principal changes made by the
house committee on ways and means in
the Philippine tariff bill are explained
in the report submitted to the house
today by Representative Payne of New
York
1t stated that the new tariff becomes
necessary because the free trade pro-
visions of the Payne bill will deprive
the insular government of about
1,000.0 900 revenue.
The export duties on Manila hemp,
copra, tobacco, sugar and shells, which
yielded a revenue of $743,98S in 1908,
are re-enacted in the new bill
new section provides that there
shall be contained on all articles i'm
ported from countries other than the
United States the internal revenue tax
assessed on similar articles manufac-
tured or produced in the Philippines or
imported from the United States.
Duties Are Reduced
The duties assessed by the bill have
been reduced in a number of instances.
Hides and petroleum and it's products
have been transferred from the dutiable
list to the free list. Certain machinery
and light weight steel rails for tram
ways have been given lower duties.
Numerous other changes have been
made in the phraseology to make the
bill conform with the Payne tariff bill.
Representative Mccall of Massachu
setts today presented protest signed
by four Filipinos residing in Boston
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