Norwich bulletin., 1909-06-24
TARIFF BILL IN SENATE,
 LUMBER, PINEAPPLEs, COAL,
Lumber Schedule Disposed of-Pine- apple Defeat for comnittee-coaI Rate Fixed.

Washington, June 23.-In unexpect- edly short order today the senate took up and disposed of the lumber sched- ule, and then, entering upon the dis cussion of pineapples, put behind them the provision regulating the rates of duty on those products.
 Calling up the tariff bill immediately after convening at 10 o'clock, MT. AL drich asked that the lumber schedule first receive attention. He had no sooner taken his seat than Senator McCumber, who in the interests Of the treeless northwest has been persist ent advocate of free lumber, arose and presented an amendment reducing the finance committees rate of $1.50 per thousand on sawed lumber to the house rate of $1 per thousand. This was generally recognized as test pro- posal, for sawed lumber has been the bone of contention from the beginning. The North Dakota senator did not find it worth while to enter into any argu- ment in support of his provision, but permitted it to go directly to vote. The result was against him and was another triumph for the Aldrich rates, the vote standing 24 in favor of and A against the reduced rate. Party lines were completely obliterated on this vote.
 Another test came on the proposal to make as rate of SIPS per thousand on lumber with general change in the differentials. and on this vote the finance committee was also literally supported. The entire wood schedule. making reductions of about 25 per cent. from the present law rates, and in cluding the house rates of the pending bill to about the same extent was then agreed to.
 The sailing was not so smooth when it came to pineapples. The contention in this connection was for higher rates and came from democratic sources. The objectors in this case were Sena- tors Taliaferro and Fletcher of Flori- da The house had fixed a duty of eight cents per cubic foot on pine apples in barrels and a duty of eight dollars per thousand, but the senate committee on finance reduced this rate to seven cents and seven dollars re- spectively, thus restoring the pro- visions of the Dingley law.
 MT. Taliaferro presented an amend ment restoring the house rate of eight dollars per thousand, but changed the other portions of the provision so as to require the payment of half a cent pound for pineapplesNin bulk
 The contention was for and against this increase and the fight was mainly between the Florida senators, repre- ScllllIl6 d plHSdpplc pIOuuClHB 5Jdbc. and Senators Smith and Rayner of Maryland, in whose state there are large pineapple canning establishments. Disavowing all championship of the canners, the Maryland senators had a strenuous fight on general principles against increase of the duty.
 After a debate lasting about four hours, the Taliaferro amendment was adopted, 34 to 30 This was a defeat for the finance committee, but the amendment was not strenuously resist ed by the committee and several of its members voted for it.
 The close of the da1r as well as the beginning of it, 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 it was passed after little more than an hours discussion. A new schedule was presented by MT. Aldrich as chair man of the finance committee reducing the house rate on bituminous coal from 67 cents a ton to SO cents and elimi- hating the house reciprocity clause.
 Numerous attempts were made to re- duce the rate and there was one effort to obtain free coal, but all were voted down and the committees scale was retained.