Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-29
Says South : Is Not Getting
Square Tariff Deal.
BOSSED BY NEW ENGLAND
Three Members on Committee Run.
ming Things, He Declares.
HER PRODUCTS ON FREE LIST
Southern States, He Declares, Are
Asking for Protection as Well as
Manufacturers Of the North.

Senator Elkins of West Virginia, who
wanted representation for his state on
the Senate finance committee. which is
dealing with the new tariff bill. and did
not get it, today made things lively in
the Senate by paying his respects in very
vigorous language to the way New Eng
land "monopolizes'' the business of the
country. and especially the tariff business
Of the Senate
The time had come. in his opinion, to
protest against the true conviction of
the south" He declared that he stood
for protection for all sections, and would
not stand quietly by and watch New
England protect her manufactured arti-
cles and place upon the free list raw ma
terials, such as coal. iron and hides,
which are the products Of the south
Mr.. Elkins accused the three New
England members of the finance COM
mittee Of making use Of the democratic
disposition in favor Of free trade in or
der to get certain so-calIed raw mate
rails on the free list and then turning
around and betraying them by refusing
to protect their industries.
Joining with the democrats. Senator
Elkins warmly attacked the method of
procedure now being followed by the re-
publican members of the finance commit
tee in their consideration of the tariff
questions. He agreed with the demo-
Gratis that the republican members of
the committee were shutting out from
the hearings now being held all of the
democrats. without sufficient justifica-
ton, and declared that even southern
and middle western republicans couldn't
get fair hearing from the committee.
Thrust at Mr.. Lodge.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts. who Is
one of the members of the finance COM
mittee recently appointed to fill a vacancy
that Mr.. Elkins wanted. got into verbal
mix-up with the West Virginian. He at
tempted to put Mr.. Elkins off the floor in
the middle of his speech by moving that
the Senate go into executive session. This
made Mr.. Eikins pretty hot. He called
England already had two members on the
committee Mr.. Lodge had to be put on
also. while senator's from other sections
were kept waiting When Mr. Lodge
made his motion, Mr.. Elkins sarcastically
remarked:
You see New England can't keep out
of it,
The whole matter was precipitated by
the introduction of resolution by Sena-
tor Hale of Maine, a member of the COM
mittee, the purpose of which was to pre-
vent all other legislative business than
the consideration of the census bill. until
the finance committee was ready to re-
port the tariff bill. Mr.. Hale did not in
his resolution and it went over until next
Thursday. but the match had been
touched to the powder. In explaining the
purpose Of the resolution he said the
finance committee was very busy holding
hearings on the tariff bill.
Does the senator mean to say
asked Senator Bacon of Georgia, that
the finance committee is holding hear
ings?'
Eyes" replied Mr.. Hale. adding as
of senator's who happen to sit on this
(republican) side of the chamber.
Mr.. Bacon suggested that subcom-
mittees always had minority MEM
bers.
Not on the tariff" remarked Mr..
Hale with a smile. Mr.. Bacon laughed
knowingly and nodded his head, as
much as to say, Il told you So
No Use to Object.
In Mr.. Bacon's opinion the minority
members Of the finance committee ought
to be given a chance to cross-examine
the witness. Mr.. Hale said the testimony
was being taken down In shorthand, but
that did not satisfy Mr.. Bacon. When 1t
was suggested by Mr.. Hale that the DEM
Ocrats had been consu ted about the ar
rangement Senator Money of Mississippi,
,l< tr hnYs nf I,a ,ar1att
marked that they had been notified of
what was going to be done by the re-
publicans and had decided that 1t was
no use to object.
1t was here that Senator Elkins broke
in. He started out by saying:
Il agree with my southern brother that
this Is an unheard-of proceeding. How
can the minority be heard under such all
arrangement? I come from the south
and there are four other republicans who
do. We were excluded from the COM
mittee and now the southern democrats
are being excluded. 1t looks as if
finance committee had been fashioned to
tie the southern democrats to the free
trade principle, while ! see signs of pro-
lection in the south, at least on their own
manufactured articles"
Then Mr.. Elkins said something about
rushing the bill through the Senate.
which caused Senator Clapp Of Minne-
well. don't know how" said Mr..
Elkins. quick flash, but New Eng
land always seems to get there. The
time to protest Is. at hand; the south has
about tWenty-four million people and
about one.fourth Of the wealth of the
United States. 1t ought to be consulted.
l understand how New England sympa-
thizes with the democrats in their free
trade doctrines, as far as raw materials
are concerned Coal and iron are raw
materials to New England. but in West
Virginia after they are mined they are
manufactured articles. / am an all
around protectionist and don't believe in
DISCRIMINATING
AZ don't believe that New England is
going TO change to free trade" inter-
jected Senator Gallinger of New Hamp-
this bill"
At this point. Senator Clay of Georgia
asked a question about the hearings. Mr..
Hale was on his feet at once to answer it
and Mr.. Lodge got up at the same time
There" said Mr.. Elkins, you see you
can't do anything without New England
getting into it; I Insist upon answering
that question myself"
And Mr. Elkins did answer it himself.
repeating some of the things that he had
already said and which Mr.. Clay had not
already heard.
Reads Over the List.
After the unsuccessful effort of Senator
Lodge to keep the discussion from going
any farther, Mr.. Elkins picked up list
of the members of the finance commit
tee. IT was headed by Senator Aldrich
of Rhode Island, Chairman Hale of Maine
and Lodge of Massachusetts.
"Aldrich Aldrich. Aldrich." drawled