The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-24
First Attention Is Given to LuTn-
 Der in the Session
ALDR!CH RATES PREVAIL
Debate Is Lively on Duty on Pine apples Because Florida Raises Them and Wants Them
 Fully Protected.

Washington, June 23-In unexpectedly short order the Senate today took up and disposed of the lumber schedule, and then entering on the discussion of pineapples, put behind it the provision regulating the rates of dut yon that article.
 Calling up the tariff bill immediately after convening at 10 o'clock, MT. AL drich asked that the lumber schedule should receive first attention. He had no sooner taken his seat than Senator Me Cumber, who, in the interest of the tree less northwest, has been a persistent ad- vocate of free lumber, arose and present. ed an amendment reducing the finance committees rate of $1. 50 on sawed lumber to the House rate of S1. This was gen. orally recognized as a test proposition. as sawed lumber had been the bone of con- tention from the beginning. The North Dakota senator permitted his provision to go directly to a vote. The result was against him, and was another triumph for the Aldrich rates, the vote standing M for and A against the reduced rate. Party lines were obliterated. Another test came on the proposition to make a rate of $1 .25 per thousand on lumber with general change in the differentials, and on this vote the finance committee was also lib erally supported. The entire wood sched- ue, making reductions of about 20 per cent from the present law rates and in- creasing the House rates of the pending bill to about the same extent were then agreed to. The sailing was not so smooth when It came to pineapples. The conten- ton in this connection was for higher rates and came from democratic sources The objectors in this case were Senators Taliaferro and Fletcher of Florida. The House had fixed a duty of 8 cents per cubic foot on pineapples in barrels and of $S per thousand, but the Senate committee on finance reduced this rate to cents and S respectively, thus restoring the provisions of the Dinglay law.
 MT Taliaferro presented an amend ment restoring the house rate of $S per thousand but changing the other DOT tions of the provision so as to require the payment of half a cent a pound for pineapples in bulk. The contention was for and against this increase and the fight was mainly between the Flor ida senator, representing a pineapple pro- ducing state, and Senators Smith and Rayner of Maryland, in whose state thege are large pineapple establishments. Dis- avowing all championship of the canners the Maryland senators made a stren- uous fight on general principles against the increase of the duty. MT. Rayner charged the republican party with bad faith in promising to lower tariff du- ties.
 After a debate extending over about four hours the Taliaferro amendment was adopted, 94 to 30 This was a defeat for the finance committee, but the amend ment was not strenuously resisted by the committee and several of it's mem- bers voted for it.
 The close of the day as well as the beginning of 1t presented its surprise in the completion of the coal schedule.
 It had been expected that this sched- ule would be debated at great length but 1t was passed after lttle more than an hours discussion.
 new schedule was presented by MT. Aldrfch as chairman of the finance com mttee, reducing the House rate on pi- luminous coal from 67 cents per ton Ito 60 cents and eliminating the House reel procity clause. Numerous attempts were made to reduce the rate and there was one effort to obtain free coal but all were voted down and the committees scale retained.
 Tha Seuete a6iourued at I o'clock