The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-24
.ALDRICn UPHELD
ON LUMBER DUTY
Senate Votes to Increase House
Rates, but Reduces the
Present Tariff
Finance Committee Defeated on
Pineapples, but Its Coal
Schedule Is Adopted

WASHINGTON. June 23.-In unex-
pectedly short order the senate today
took up and disposed of the lumber
schedule and then. entering upon the
discussion of pineapples. agreed upon
the provision regulating the rates of
duty on that article.
Aldrich asked that the lumber sehed-
ule should receive first attention He
had no sooner taken his seat than
McCumber. who has been a persistent
advocate of free lumber, arose and pre-
Sented an amendment reducing the
finance committees rates of $3.50 per
thousand on sawed lumber to the house
rate of 81 per thousand
This was generally recognized as a
test proposition, as sawed lumber has
been the bone of contention from the
beginning. The North Dakota senator
did not find it worth while to enter
into any argument. The result was
against him and was another triumph
for the Aldrich rates, the vote stand
ing "a In favor of and Al against the
reduced rates.
Another test came on the proposition
TO make. a rate of $1.25 per thousand
on lumber, with a general change in
the diTerentials, and on this vote the
hnance committee was also literally
supported The entire wood schedule
making reductions of about % per
cent from the present rates, and in
creasing the house rates of the pend
ing bill to about the same extent, was
then, agreed to.
The sailing was not so smooth when
1t came to pineappIes The conten-
ton in this connection was for higher
rates and came from democratic
sources. The DIRECTORS were TaIiaferro
and Fletcher of Florida. The house
had fixed a duty of S cents per
cubic foot on pineapples in barrels
and of So per thousand, but the senate
committee on finance reduced this rate
to cents and 81. respectively.
thus restoring the provisions of the
Dingley law.
Taliaferro presented an amendment
restoring the house rate, but changing
the other portions of the provisions so
as TO require the payment of half
cent pound for pineapples in bulk
The contention was for and against
this increase and the fight was mainly
between the Florida senator's repre-
senting pineapple producing state. and
Smith and Rayner of Maryland, in
whose state there are large pineapple
canning establishments. Disavowing
all championship OF the Gamers, the
MARYLAND senators made strenuous
fight on general principles against the
increase of the duty. Rayner charged
the republican party with bad faith in
promising TO lower tariff duties
After debate extending over about
four hours time. the Taliaferro
amendment was adopted-34 to so
This was a defeat for the finance com
mittee, but the amendment was not
strenuously resisted by the committee
and several of its members voted for it.
The close OF the day. as well as be-
ginning OF 1t. presented its surprise in
the completion of the coal schedule
1t had been expected that the sched-
ule would be debated at great length.
but it was passed after. little more than
an hours discussion. new schedule
was presented by Aldrich, as chairman
of the finance committee. reducing the
house rate on bituminous coal from 81
cents TO 90 cents and eliminating the
house reciprocity clause.