The Washington herald., 1909-05-30
Congressional.

cong TSSSLOHOt.
A battle OF OratOTy had begun over the
lumber schedule on the presiding Satur-
day. when Senator Elkins. OF West Vir-
Einia. took the floor again 10 voice his
opposition TO the McCumber amendment
plae!aE lumber on the free list and call
ing II blow 10 the South 10 ignore
lumber. coal, or oil in adjusting rates
OF duty. he said that Canadian lunber
admitted free would destroy the lumber
industry of the South. Senator McCum-
Der, in reply. said: we stood by the
protective system when lumber jumped
from 81 TO $40 d thousand. but VIZ you
wanted 20 raise II 20 $50 a thOusa-d We
came out in favor Of placing il 60 the
free list" On such prices the industry
had produced many millionaires- No vote
being taken, the battle was resumed on
Monday last, when Senator's Root. Hey
burn. DOiliYeT, and Borah defended the
higher duties on lumber, while Clapp
and McCumber opposed them The lum-
Der duty was defended also by Senator
Bailey for the minority. The free lumber
amendment was voted down, 55 10 .,
fifteen Republicans kicking over tie
traces Of regularity TO support the amend
ment, while seventeen Democrats voted
against IL
II the course OF this lumber discussion
Elkins was proposing 70 make trade
with MCCumbeT by voting for certain
South Dakota interests IN return for q
duty on lumber when Aldrich asked II
Elkins was trading with him or with Nc
Cumber Elkins quickly replied that he
was trading with the majority lead
er. whereupon the Senate laughed.
and Bailey called attention TO this sys-
TEN OF trading by which this bin is being
made" Aldrich retOrted that as the COLI
slderation Of the subject proceeded. the
trading would be apparent on the Demo
cratic side Bailey then proposed 10
have a bill passed at once, with reason
able duties OF revenue on all articles eX-
cspt the necessaries OF life Prior TO
this Senator Culberson. the Democratic
leader. had eloquently defined his party's
position as being for neither free trade
nor protection. but for q revenue tariff
and an end 70 the cO-partnership With
The special privileges and the trusts
Leader .Aldrich on Monday renewed his
request for an agreement TO FIX day
for the final vote on the entire bill. but
this was opposed both by Democrats and
insurgent Republicans Bailey wanted 60
have q vote first on his income tax
amendment but 10 this AldTich would
not consent There they locked horns
and the stream OF talk flowed onward
To hasten the end the Senate began hold
ing evening sessions and meeting each
day al II a N.
During the consideration OF the sugar
schedule Tuesday Senator Beveridge. OF
Indiana. quoted at length from the
speeches OF President Taft. in which the
declaration was made explicitly that the
Republican party was pledged to gen
eral downward revision He told the
stand-pat Republicans that the worst enc
niles OF the protection system we're those
who opposed any reduction Of duties 70
meet changed conditions
Senator. Shiveley. Of Indiana. made his
maiden speech ln the Senate. and startled
that body By the assertion that the maxi
mum rates provided for in the bin would
be the prevailing duties when the law
should Be passed and Dut into effect.
Senators Foster and 3IcEneTy. OF Lou
isiana. pleaded for sugar protection Sen
atOr Stone. Of Missouri. in answer 10 an
interview with y. J. Bryan criticising
those Democrats who had voted for the
iron ore duty. said that he had 50 voted
for II as a revenue tariff. pure and simple.
On Thursday the Senate refused by a
vote % & TO IS 10 accept the amendment
proposing TO strike out the Dutch stand
ard after Senator Root had submitted
a signed statement from the independent
reiners saying that they mad nothing IN
common with the sugar trust. Senator
Cummins 5nd others in opposition 10 the
committee declared that the interests Of
the beet sugar growers were being sacri-
feed 10 the cane sugar interests.
Near the end Of Thursdays debate
when Senator Bailey insisted that a vote
should be taken at once on his income
tax amendment the motion OF Senator
AIdrich TO postpone consideration until
the tariff schedules were all disposed OF
prevailed, 50 to 3, only six Of the In
surgent Republicans voting with the
Democrats. These were Bristow. Borah
Clapp. La Toilette. Cummins. and Dolliver.
Chairman Aldrich was thus shown 10 be
stin in complete command Of the field.
In the course Of his discussion, Thurs
day. Senator Bailey had taken occasion
70 repudiate an article sent 70 the New
York Times. asserting that he was the
leader OF the Democrats IN secret league
with Senator AlCr1ch- He denounced the
writer as a liar After the session the
Senator was accOsted by ". S Manning.
reporter for the Times, who said that
while he had not the honor" OF having
written the article in question, he wanted
20 say that Il was not inspired By any
Republican. but was based on the record
of the Senator. Bailey Jared up, and the
two men came 10 blows. being separated
before either was much hurt
The House on Monday by a vote OF I2s
to % passed the Philippine tariff bill de-
signed to raise revenue for the insular
governments by fixing duties on trade
with countries other than the United
States II imposes an export tax and
places oil on the free list.