New-York tribune., 1909-06-02
MR. LODGE EXPLAINS
COTTON SCHEDULES
HOLDS SENATE IN CLOSE
ATTENTION.
Says Republican Party Did Not
Promise ReJision DOIcnzcdrd- -ur.
Root Defends appraisers.
From Tbs Tribun. Bureau

contributions the tariff debates Of this Con-
gress furnished to-day when Senator LOdgs
addressed the Senate the schedule relating
to cotton manufactures. For more than an
hour the Massachusetts, Senator held the close
attention Of his colleagues. He was in splendid
form, and his clear cut. analytical and logical
explanation of OF the most intricate tarin
schedules was in striking contrast to the home
consumption oratory which has wearfed the
Senate and tho country and delayed progress
on the bill Few interruptions marked the
speech. and the fact that Mr.. Lodge was not
| diverted from orderly presentation OF his
argument contributed materially to the ersc-
tiveness of his address.
In beginning his speech Mr. Lodge said that
he preferred not TO yield to Interruptions, but
would be glad to answer questions at the close
| Of his remarks. He desired to have SEM
blance OF continuity in his remarks instead OF
| "a rivulet OF argument meandertns through \
meadow Of pleasant but wholly irrelevant con-
versatiou-' The cotton schedule, according -
Mr. Lodge. fair example OF proper re-
vision OF the tariff He declared that his for
mer statement that the Republican party had
| not promised downward revision was an ezsCE
/ truth The Massachusetts Senator then pro-
ceeded to review the work OF the Chicago con-
ventIon, reading from the platform the speech
| OF Senator Burrows. the temporary Chairman
| Of the convention, and the acceptance speeches
Of President Taft and vice-President Sherman
| to show that the official utterances Of the Re-
publican party at the beginning OF the cam
| paign did not commit the party to a revision
| downward.
| WORK OF COMMITTEE 0IISREPRESENTED
Revision. Mr. Lodge said. meant going over
/ the whole subject. reviewing il and making
changes In improper rates and leaving untouched
rates which were protective and proper Ii was
| undoubtedly true that most people expected
/ there would be more reductions than increaSsz-
| and as matter Of fact the revision in Doth the
| House and the Senate bills was downward re-
| VISION for majority Of the changes we're re-
| ductIons Asserting that the work Of the Fi-
| nance Committee had been misrepresentsd, the
| Massachusetts Senator said that that com
rnittee's bill made $40 reductions from the Ding
| ley law and only thrty-three increases. practi-
/ calIy all the increases being on luxuries and
| agricultural products. He called attention TO
1 the fact that many reductions had been made
since the bill was reported 20 the Senate. men
| tioning those made yesterday salt
| ample. Little attention paid TO these r.
| ductions the Massachusetts, Senator said, bur
| when the COMMITTEES attempted to cure q mis-
leading classification by imposing proper rate
they were charged with negiectins the pledges Of
| the Republican party
when the Finance COMMITTEES took 10 the
cotton schedule NIr- Lodge continued. "vs
| found goods Of the highest value paying the
lowest rates of duty Goods Of the lowest vaIus
were paying the highest rates and goods Of TIE
same value wsre paying different rates. This
was due to technical defects in the wording %
the law and We sought 70 correct them
INTERRUPTION BT MR- ALDRICH.
Mr. Lodge then went to point ont why
specific rates were substituted for al valorsm
ones in many cases, and Mr.. Aldrich interru2tsd
with the statement that specific rates on cotton
goods were imposed in every tariff bill sincs
1851 and were in the tariH laws OF every com
naerciaI nation of the world After pointing out
that the average rates in the cotton schedule
we're IS per cent when the Dingley law wa
passed and that they had been materially
lowered by construction the Massachusetts, Sen
ator reiterated his assertion that the Fiusncs
Committee had rearrangsd the rates, but had
not increased them
Referring TO N1r- Delivers charge that csr-
tain amendments had been suggested by cotton
manufacturers. Mr.. Lodge said he thought II
just as proper TO take into consideration ths
recommendations Of American business men al
to follow the wishes Of the importers who d.
sired to break down the protective system
When the Massachusetts, Senator began his
explanation OF the process OF mercer1zattoD h
offered for inspection various exhibits OF mar
cerized and unmsrcerzed cotton cloth Sena-
around his desk 10 examine the exhibits and -
ask questions concerning them Mr. Lcdzs
called attention to the extremely pretty pat
terms and Mr.. AIdrfch observed that practically
no u1ercerized cloth was manufactured IN tbs
limited states prior to the enactment OF the
DfnzIev law Mr.. Lodge furnished ela5orats
tables Of statistics, showing that the coNt Of
nercerization ranges from % 70 II cents
ward. The additional duty mercertzed cloth
is 1 cent a square yard. "a very reas01abis
duty Mr. Lodge asserted He then went IN
show that under the DingIey act msrcerizsd
cloth was unfairly valued saying that this was
the reason certain importers protested 50 vigOr-
ousIy against the pending paragraph
NO TRUST SAYS SENATOR LODGE
Taking up the charge that the cotton manu-
facturers are making exorbitant profits. SIr.
Lodge said that the net increase in wages in the
cotton mills was 221a per cent since the enact
ment of the DiugIey law There is no trust
OF combination in the cotton manufacturing
business in this country" he said "On the
contrary there is very sharp competition" He
was amazed no said. when a statement vas
made in the Senate alleging that gigantic profits
were made by cotton manufacturers He had
procured the official figures. and they show ed a
very different condition of affairs II vas ur-
fair TO take one OF cotton mills and say
because their profits were large, that the same
condition prevailed throughout the entire indus
trv From the official statistics OF Massachu-
sstts Mr.. Lodge read figures showing that In thu
last ten years thirty-two Of the Fall River n,iIIz
had made an average annual profit of per
cent
In the same period ten New Bedford mills had
,,a5a an averaSe annual uro6t os III Ak ~ -s,t