The Washington herald., 1909-04-23

Charging that cotton ard woolen man
ufaeturers practically had written the
schedules in TIE tarin Bill relating 10 their
products. Senator Dolliver. Of Iowa. yes
teTday sprung the Hrst sensation Of the
tariff discussion in the upper branch OF
Congress.
His accusations a-oused the ire o. the
Republican members Of the Finance Com
mittee. and time and again Senator AID
rich, the chairman, Senator Smoot and
other Republican leaders. sprang 70 thsir
feet and denied statements OF the West
ern Senator. who all the time declared
that he was q strict believer in Republi-
can principles Of protection when properly
applied.
Senator DOIIiver asserted that one rate
from the cotton goods schedule had been
rewritten in a way so as 10 change the
entire rate OF duty, and increase il sew
ersl hundred per cent He said ore item
had been increased so per cent aid that
the country had been led 10 beliess the
changes were slight.
Says He VIII Prove Stateme0..
Many Senator's expressed surprise and
Senator Aldrich declared Mr.. DoIliver vas
mistaken. Mr.. Dolliver answered that he
vas not mistaken, that he had reached
his conclusion with the aid OF an expert,
and was prepared 10 prove Il when the
Senate took Up the schedule in earnest
Did you not vote for the same rates
Of duty when they we're reported IN the
DingIey big" asked Senator Aldrich
The Iowan replied thaz he vas then
young in the business OF tariff schedules
and reluctantly accepted the dish pre-
pared for him by his more experienced
Republican colleagues. and under the
stress OF polTtieal conditions which ex-
isted in the House OF Representatives st
that time. Mr.. Doniver was member Of
the WAYS and Means COMMITTEES that
| considered and reported the bill.
! Senator Aldrich reminded him that the
/ late Senator Allison. Of Iowa. was never
! heard 10 complain Of these schedules. and
4 that he was a member Of the Finance
! Committee that considered and reported
! them in the Senate. To this Mr.. Dolliver
] sharply replied that he would not at
! tempt to quote the distinguished dead.
/ but he would go 20 the extent OF saying
that Senator Allison was not satisfied
with those schedules. and that during
his later years Of service IN the Senate
had been very restless under the c0ndi-
tons for which they were responsible.
Re4Ort 10 AIdrick.
Y am willing 20 put my own knoEl-
edge OF the views Of Senator Allison
against those Of the Senator from Iowa
said Mr. Aldrich with great delibe7ation.
But Senator Doniver insisted that.
granting what Senator Aldrich said was
/ true. the attitude OF Senator Allison was
/ not necessarily a guide. and he hoped TO
be able to show al the proper time that
i there IS something radically wrong with
the cotton and wooIen schedules, which
he characterized as excessive and unjust
Mr.. DoIIiver made the statement that
the late Representative Dingley. OF
Maine. had charged in writing that the
vrooIerl ard cotton schedules IN the VIII
son-Gorman law were drawn by the man
ufacfurers themselves. and he charged
that these benefciaries from New Eng
land had practically dictated the same
schedules IN the present BILL
This statement brought Senator Aldrich
to his feet with the assertion that the
I Finance Committee had not consulted a
I single manufacture. but had acted on its
owr information and that OF Official eX-
iperts. The Iowa Senator asserted that.
beginning in ISL the shepherds and
wOolen manufacturers had practically
dictated woolen schedules He said they
assembled IN Washington and decided
each 10 take a share and that they had
remained in undisputed possession OK the
situation ever since.
Senator Warren. one OF the largest
sheep growers in the West, and formerly
, president Of the National Wool Growers
Association. insisted that he had taken
an interest IN duty on wool long before
he entered public life. and was well IN
formed as to every movement made by
! the wool growers. and that such work
ing ARRANGEMENT as had been suggested
by Mr.. DOliiver was not within his o71
knowledge
Senator Aldrich suggested that Mr.. Dol
liver was repeating Democratic legends
and traditions in use for political puT-
poses f0- a quarter OF a century, which
had Ions ago been proven to be without
foundation.
Duty on Hides Promised.
senator's Dolliver and Nelson having
made the charge that the tariff bill had
been drawn in the interest OF New Eng
land. Senator Aldrich made a disavowal
Senator McCumber. q new member o.
the Finance Committee. acquitted tIs
r New England Senators Of the charge o.
: monopolizing the schedules in the inter
est Of New England. He declared thai
2 Senator AIdrich and his New England
/ colleagues had voted with the Western
members Of the committee 10 increas,
: the duty on agricultural products. soIei,
in the interest Of the farmers in thl
West ard Middle West. Senator BOl
: liver reminded Mr.. MeC1mber that h
q still was patiently waiting for a repOT
: from the coramittee as TO the duty ol
hides. and Senator Aldrich said ID
committee would probably report in
: few days in favor OF a restoration Of III
9 duty of l. Per cent given by the Dlngle-
5 law on hides Then the Rhode Isian'
} Senator told the genesis of the duty o.
2 hides. He reminded the Senator from
/ Iowa that il was the vote Of hiHsei
: (Mr AIdrichl in the Finance Co-aniitte
OF the Senate while the Dingley law va
being framed. in favor OF the duty o.