Evening star., 1909-06-01
ANGRY TALK IN SENATE
DolIiver Would Not Be Told He
Read "lmporter's Brief"
INDIGNANT AT ALDRICH
His Recriminating Charge Denied BY
Finance Chairman.
COTTON GOODS CAUSE TROUBLE
Iowan and Rhode Islander Apologize
to Each other and Agree Not to
Say Harsh Things.
INDIGNANT AT ALDRICH
COTTON GOODS CAUSE TROUBLE

Some harsh words were INDUCED in this
morning in the Senate by Senator Dol
liver Of Iowa, one OF the leaders Of the
republican insurgents. and Senator AID
rich. chairman of the finance committee,
over the cotton goods schedule in the
Payne-Aldrich tariff bill.
An appeal to the rules of the Senate
was made by Mr. poliver. Mr.. Aid
rich charged him with reading the
brief of foreign imposter'' against the
committee amendments to the cotton
goods rates.
The Iowan declared he would not per-
init the chairman of the committee to
say that again. 1t was absolutely false.
he asserted.
Mr.. Doliver had observed sarcastical-
ly. that Marion Devries, chairman Of
the board of general appraisers at the
port of New York. had made the new
cotton goods rates which the commit
tee was seeking to have adopted. Mr.
Aldrich got angry and asserted that the
senator from Iowa had no right to make
any such assertions.
Mr.. Aldrich Explains.
Mr. Devries and other members of the
board had come here by direction of the
President, he said. and had given valua-
BILE assistance to the committee They
had never seen the provisions in question
until after they were completed by the
committee, he stated.
Furthermore. Mr.. Aldrich said, no one
had been consulted by the committee be-
fore it took action Of which Mr. Dolliver
was complaining of substituting graded
specific rates for the Dingley ad valorem
rates
The honorable senator from Rhode
Island retorted Mr.. Doliiver, with fine
sarcasm cares more for the reputation
of the chairman of the board of general
appraisers at the port of New York than
| he does for colleague in this chamber,
concerning whom he has used language
unbecoming in this chamber. and unbs-
coming in gentlemen In the service Of this
government
Mr. Aldrich replied that he had no in
tention of so addressing the senator from
| Iowa.
1 know it has become a habit with the
senator from Rhose Island" retorted Mr..
| Dolliver.
IL I have made any improper state
ments, / shall apologize and withdraw
them, said Mr.. Aldrich.
Mr.. Dolliver accepted the apology and
declared that if Mr.. Aldrich would agree
never again to charge him with holding
the brief of a foreign importer and credit
him with having spent many years study
ing the tariff question. just Mr.. AL
drich had. he would not again refer to
the action of the finance committee al
concocted by gentlemen in New York
All Fixed Up.
The chairman of the committee did not
reply. But he smiled, and the unpleas-
antness apparently pa ssed over.
The whole trouble came about because
Mr. Dolliver offered an amendment to one
dc
the Dingley p per cent ad valorem rate
on cotton cloth containing not more than
so threads to the square inch. He charged
the committee with having increased the
rate in 20 per cent Of the cotton schedule
by substituting a graded specific rate. and
then of denying it and trying to cover
lit up.
Mr.. Aldrich asserted that there was NJ
increase over the intent of the Dingley
act. Mr.. Dolliver replied that the table
of estimated revenues which the commit
tees experts had prepared itself dis
closed the fact.
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin agreed
with Mr.. Dolliver. and claimed that on
| some of the cloths In question the duty
had been increased 100 and 200 per cent
by the committees action.
Mr.. Dollver proposed to 60 through
the entire schedule and restore the ad
valorem Dinsley rate on this class of
goods wherever it had been stricken out
by the committee
Thread Amendments Agreed To.
Taking up the cotton schedule as the
first tariff matter for consideration to-
day, Mr. Aldrich proposed amendments
reducing from 25 to % per cent ad val
| odem the minimum duty that may be
charged on spool thread OF cotton, cro-
chet, darning, embroidery. cottons on
spools, ETC. and from 20 to Is per cent
the minimum on cotton thread and carded
yarn. etc. These amendments were agreed
to.
The clash between Senator Aldrich and
Senator Dolliver occurred almost as soon
as the senator from Iowa attempted to
obtain agreement to an amendment Of
fered by him to replace with ad valorem
rates line OF specific rates on cotton
cloth, not bleached. dyed, mercerized. col
ored, stained or printed.
Speaking on the cotton schedule. Sena-
tor Smoot sought to demonstrate by
elaborate argument that the amend
not increase the average equivalent ad
valorem duties contemplated by the
Dingley law. He declared that the cor
rectness of that statement in all its
most mathematical certainty.
Answering criticisms that the changes
had been approved by importers and
manufacturers Of cotton goods. Mr..
SmOOt said that the amendments pre-
pared under direction Of the finance
committee were in language meeting the
approval Of members of the committee
after a most careful consideration OF the
subject and without regard to who may
have suggested the' particular phrase
ology.
Pertinent suggestions were accepted.
he said, whether they came from manu-
facturers, importers, members OF fhe
ways and means committee of the
| House, customs officials or other ex-
| perts.
Dingley Law Evaded.
THE fact that manufacturers or inn
porters express satisfaction with exist
| ing laws in no sense controls the efforts
| of the committee" said Mr.. Smoot. 1t
REQUIRES no exercise of intelligence TO
know that such. in many cases, might
| prove absolutely fatal
Upon examinatio Of the cotton sched-
ule OF the Dingley law. as administered
today, il was found vastly different from
that contemplated by the Congress when
| enacted and as administered Tor sevefai
years Immediately after enactment
1T was ascertained by the committees
that, by q constant process OF eaimanA-
ton of certain Of its provisions IN th0