Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-05-11
CLAY AND ALDRICH
CLASH IN DEBATE
BY Ralph Smith


WASHINGTON, ID c.. May S.A spir-
tied colloquy between Senator Clay and
Senator Aldrich today enlivened the de-
bate in the senate over the lead schedule
of the tariff bill. and the Georgian more
than held his own with the chairman OF
the finance committee.
Senator Clay attacked with considerable
vigor a statement by Aldrich to the ef-
feet that the finance committee accepted
the testimony of interested mine owners
in preference to the evidence Of others in
fixing the lead schedule.
IF the same rule was applied in other
instances" said Senator Clay, the
finance committee was governed by the
sugar refneries in fixing the duties on
sugar, and by the wishes of the manu-
facturers of wool in fixing the tariff on
wool.
IF we have reached the point in this
country where we are to listen simply to
those interested in a particular schedule
and are to be governed entirely by the
views of special interests, the time has
indeed arrived when the masses of the
people are not being regarded at all"
Senator Aldrich replied by attempting
to qualify his original assertion. He
said the views of lead producers had been
accepted in preference to the views OF
importers of lead. He added that the
same rule had been applied to all other
I schedules of the bill, the producers and
manufacturers being given preference
over the importers. This was not what
he said originally, but Senator Clay at
tackled the qualified explanation. He
said:
| Il do not agree with the senator from
Rhode Island that in fixing tariff bill
we are to give particular force to the
testimony of those deeply and vitality in
terested in advancing their own interests
In my opinion we ought TO consider the
needs of the government, the amount o.
revenue required TO support the public
institutions, and under no circumstances
ought we be governed by the individual
views of those interested in advancing
their own fortunes"
! Mr. Aldrlch shifted ground slightly anC
attempted to draw a parallel case BY
likening the lead producers to members
of the senate.
| He said he would accept the testimony
/ of senator and the witnesses of a sen
ator relative to a tariff schedule In pref
erence to the testimony of persons who's
interests were antagonistic.
| The rejoinder was a weak EFFORT a
evasion, but it offered Senator Clay al
opportunity to define his view of tn
Iduties of senators concerning the tariff
I
are presumed to consider what is jus
and fair to every interest in that state
The senator from Rhode Island ought L
give great weight to what a senator say
about a particular schedule relating 4
his state. A senator does not represen
1.-THE lumber interests solely Of his state
He does not represent tie textile interest
| simply of his state. He represents tn
agricultural interests, the textile inter
ests, the lumber interests and every othe
interest and he Is responsible to his con
| stituents. There Is quite a difference be
tween a senator making a request In re
gard to q schedule relating to his stat
and a particular person representing
particular business.
I'm the one case the senate represent
the entire interest of his constituents ant
is presumed to be impartial In the othe
case the party appearing before the com
mittee is an interested party, having II
view his individual intel est, and is unde
no obligations to the public.