Evening star., 1909-06-16
ROOT ON OTHER SIDE
Philippines Amendment Pass
ed Despite His Vote.
SUGAR TRUST ACCUSED
Stole City Water, Violated Rate Law,
Cheated Customs, Says Gore.
ZINC SCHEDULE IS TAKEN UP
Amendment to Put Ore on Free List,
Offered by Senator Stone,
Is Defeated. =

BY vote of AZ to % the Senate this
afternoon adopted the Smoot amendment
to the tariff bill admitting free into this
country 100000 cigars and 100000
pounds of filler tobacco and 1000 tons
Of sugar annually from the Philippine
Islands.
The amendment also makes all for
eign sugar and tobacco imported into the
islands pay the same duty as that import
ed into the United States. and provides
for the collection and administration of
Internal revenues in the islands.
This Is the amendment which in its
original form. when 1t allowed the adj
mission Of 15O.00O.O00 cigars and 1900
900 pounds of filler tobacco. was strong
ly advocated by President Taft.
Root Votes Against It.
Senator Root. formerly Secretary of
State. opposed the reduction. Although
it was agreed to by the finance commit
tee. he voted against the amendment
along with five other republicans. Borah,
Bristow. La Toilette. Clapp and Craw-
ford. All of the democrats voted no"
The Smoot amendment was discussed
for another two hours this morning. chief
ly by Senator Foster of Louisiana, who
opposed 1T in the interest of the sugar
producers of this country, and by Sen
ator Gore of Oklahoma, who charged that
it was making a gift of eight or ten
millions of dollars year to the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining Company.
Mr. Gore declared that he desired Ito
arraign the American Sugar Refining
Company before the bar of the Senate as
a colossal thief
He said 1t was convicted several years
ago of stealing water from the mains Of
Brooklyn, n. Y, and of violating the
anti-railroad rate law. and recently con-
fessed to stealing about 100000 from
the United States Treasury by means OF
customs frauds In New York.
This amendment is merely adding to
the loot of the sugar trust, he claimed
Other Amendments Voted Down.
An amendment by Senator Fletcher OF
| Florida for the purpose of retaining the
present rate on all Philippine products
| imported into this country was defeated.
| twenty-six to forty-three. Clapp. Dixon.
La Toilette, Borah and Bristow, repub-
licans, voting aye with the democrats
Another amendment offered by Mr..
Gore to make the operation of the Smo0t
amendment automatically expire July 1.
1911, was lost twenty-five to forty-three,
Clapp, Bristow, La Toilette and Cummins.
republicans. voting in the affirmative with
the democrats.
On viva voce vote an amendment Of
tobacco from the proposal was rejected.
Zinc Schedule Taken Up.
AS soon as the Philippine amendment
was disposed of the zinc schedule was
brought up by Mr.. Aldrich. He offered a
committee amendment substituting a
graduated scale of rates on zinc ore in
place of the duty of one cent a pound as
provided in the House bill.
The substitute admits zinc-bearing ores
containing less than 10 per cent zinc free
of duty. On zine ore containing from IL
per cent to 10 per cent the rate is quar-
ter of a cent pound on the zinc con-
tanned therein. On zine ore containing
from 20 per cent to - per cent. one-half
of d cent per pound on the zinc and on
ore containing more than % per cent. one
cent per pound
A substitute for the committee amend
ment was offered by Mr.. Stone, which pro-
vided that all zinc in pigs or blocks. oxide
of zinc old and worn-out zinc. fit only to
be remanufactured. and all manufactures
of zinc should be placed on the free list.
Zinc Trust Heard OF.
What is commonly known as the zinc
trust in New Jersey has been persistent
in advocacy of Tree zinc ore. Others have
joined them in this contention said Mr..
Stone in supporting his amendment. L
agree with their views to the test.
Mr.. Stone said he was willing to have
zinc ore continued on the free list If the
products of zinc were also placed on that
list. He explained that the zinc mining
business requires large capital and said
that zinc mining was a precarious voca-
ton.
Mr.. Kean desired to know il any ono
had suffered from the free entry of zinc
ore under the present law and contended
that there was not sufficient zinc pro-
duced in this country to supply the de-
mand.
Mr.. Stones amendment was lost by .
vote of Is to 30
Mr. Burton, in offering an amendment
to strike out the duty on zinc ore, said
that the tendency of those European
countries which have made the greatest
progress in economic questions has been
toward free raw materials and low du-
ties on articles of food.
Declaring that there existed no good
reason for a protective duty zinc ore.
Mr.. Burton said that the proposed duty
was not only an incongruity, but an abb
surdity. He asserted that the ad valorem
equivalent of the committees proposed
rates on zinc ore was 81 per cent, while
on the duty on spelter it was only a little
more than 20 per cent.