The Washington herald., 1909-04-08
BLOW is DIRECTED
AT STANDARD OIL



Continued from Page One.
that the Standard Oil Company could
get 1t back on hundreds of thousands Of
barrels annually Mr. Cooper said:
They say the provision is in favor Of
the Independents. but tell YOU OF whom
IL is in favor: Il is in favor OF the Stand
ard Oil Company. Mr. Campbell says the
Independent men were responsible for in
serting thhe coUntervailing duty on pc
troleum products. III tell you the infiU
ence that got II in-the influence the gov
ernment is now trying to crush in the
courts OF St Louis
Speaker Cannon. who was sitting near
Mr.. Cooper. spoke in reply 10 the Wis
consin member. He said he felt il his
duty 10 say a word in regard TO the ref
erences made 20 him. He declared there
are 1900 soil owners In his state who draw
royalties froom the wells on their prop
erty. and that IS per cent OF them are
Independents He defended the counter
vailing duty provision, and said il was
an attempt on the part OF the United
States 10 treat others as they treat us"
Expected Feature Lacking.
MIR. Cannon was expected to make
defense Of the drawback provision OF
the bill. in behalf of the independent pro-
ducers. but his speech was conspicuous
because this feature was absent.
The vote was then taken on the Norris
amendment providing for striking out the
eOuntervalling duty 'on all petroleum
products, and there were only a few
votes cast against it. Telers were not
demanded.
The defeat Of the countervailing duty
provision Of the bill kills the odious ef-
fects Of the drawback clause so far as
II relates to the oil schedules. say the
Democrats. and it is over this fact that
the Democrats are most iubilant Nearly
all Of the export oil business done in
the United States is in the hands OF the
Standard Oil Company. The independents
expert practically nothing.
Under the provision OF the bill as IL was
reported by the committee. the Standard
OH Company could import crude petro-
leum from the fields in Old Mexico. and
refine H. Then ii could be exported and
the duty paid on the impOrtatiOns col
, lected back. The Standard oil Company
exports about 100000 barrels OF oil an
nually. and the drawback provision
would allow It to import this amount
practically free Of duty. as the duty paid
would be returned when the exports were
made. II was not even necessary, under
the Payne bin in its original form 10
identify the importation as the export
to collect this duty. and this gave even
wider chance 70 the OIL monopoly New.
the oil monopoly can ship it's finished
product 10 the United States from the
Mexican fields
II had been cOntcnded by Speaker Can
non and ether members Of the House that
the drawback provision. aided by the
countervailing duty on oil. was in the
interests Of the independent producers.
but a great many Republicans and Demo
Gratis claimed they saw the boss joke
Of the bill in IT,
On Record Against Trust.
While II is certain the 1 pei. cent duty
on petroleum products VIII remain in the
BILL so far as the House is concerned il
is believed by many that the Senate will
come 10 the rescue Of the organization
and replace the Payne duty. or impose
a similar tax. However. the opposition
to the Standard oil Company in the
House regard il as one OF the greatest
victories Of the session. and. as many say.
lit places the House on record as being
against the monopoly"
After an hours fight in the House. the
plan 10 Increase the duty on barley from
l. 10 . cents was defeated Other at
tempts were made 20 increase the duty,
but the House organization seemed to
have things we'll in hand. and ever,
move was frustrated.
If had haa, frra-r4e.a C-f.~s,,rr-- .t-----,
Representative Tawney. Of Minnesota
that the cha1-- ir. the bin would be
MADE as "OTmi.te- amendment. and il
was much tC his surprise when the rule
was brought in p";viGing for a separate
vote on tn, clau-e.
Yesterday. a. soon as the House con-
Vened, the amendment offered hv Repre-
sentative Miller. OF Kansas. providing for
a p per cent duty. was taken up. This
was defeated and Mr.. Tawney tried TO
get through an amendment providing for
a 20-cent duty. but this was defeated
also.
II is now hoped by the Westerners that
the duty can be increased tomorrow.
when separate vote viii be taken on
this provision in the House after the bill
Is reported from the Committee of the
Whole.
COhee Duty Stricken Out.
The committee amendment providing
for free tea, instead Of a duty Of s cents
a pound. was carried without opposition
The committee then passed its amend
ment, striking out the countervaiIinp
duty on coffee
Tuho Larrinaga. the resident commits
sioner from the Philippines. offered n
substitute for the committee amend
ment, providing for a duty Of 8 cents a
pound on higher grade coffees. such as
are used in the majority Of the homes of
the country. Or. Larrinaga's stand
caused considerable amusement. He said
his amendment would not work a hard
ship on the American people, as II would
not tax the breakfast table Of the poor
man"
In answer 10 questions. ne explained to
Chairman Payne. Tt will not impose a
duty on the poor man: il Will oniv af.
feet the coffee such as you and I drink. ="
Mr.. Payne saw the joke. however. and
said; I am one Of the poor men the
public is trying TO defend
The members laughed but Dr. Larri-
naga could not see why the public should
complain II the poor men" were taken
care OF.
The House then restored the Dingley
duty on glue. and increased the duty on
barytes from 70 cents 10 $50 a ton
BIG STORES ON WARPATH.