Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-05

Washington. Aug 4.-Small interest
was shown in the tariff debate in
the Senate today, but a night session
was necessary to allow progressive"
senators an opportunity to express
their views on the tariff bill Most
of the speeches today were heard by
only q handful of senators. while tn,
galleries had but d sprinkling of Wis
itors. interest now seems to Cente
OH the vote on the conference re
port. which will be taken at > P NJ
tomorrow.
Conferences among senators wer
numerous. Several times Vice Pres
dent Sherman found it necessary t
call the body to order and to insis
that conversation be discontinued.
The effect of the maximum and min
imum provision of the measure a
agreed upon by the conference, wa
the chief subject of discussion thi
afternoon. Senator Beverdge, quot
ing the remarks of Chairman tAldrich
undertood to show Mr.. AldriCh had in
terpreted the language as reported b.
the confeteeS as practically guaran
teeing all the results that could b
obtained through the instrumental q
tariff commission.
Senator Hale argued at great lengtl
that exactly the opposite purpose wa
in the minds of the House conferee;
whose views had been adopted. II
insisted that they carefully avoided
giving any authority to the PreSiden
by which he could gather information
on which another revision of the TART
could be based.
From the committee of finance. MI
Aldrich reported a concurrent resolu
| ton by which. as soon as the CONFER
| ence report has been voted upon, tht
hide and leather schedule will be cor
| rected 1t is intended to meet the
views ow Western senators who dc
manded lower duties on products man
ufactrrcd from leather.
| IT looked as if the Senate had gont
on a strike" when the hour to re-as-
semble arrived tonight Vice Presi-
dent Sherman raped the body to or
der at O'Clock and Senator Smoo'
a. once called for a quorum as the
| first business of the evening.
There was but a sprinkling of sena-
tors on the floor and the reading
clerks proceed very slowly in calling
the roll in order to give senators time
to come in 1t was the first time during
the long tariff debate that difficulty
was experienced in obtaining a quo
rum.
| When the suggestion for night SEES
sion was made by Senator Bailey. pos
sibly for the purpose of permitting IN
Surgent" senators to voice their criti-
cism of the tariff bill, Senator Aldrich
and other senators did not take kindly
to the idea of sitting up late to heal
these Speakers.
At o'clock the Rhode Island sena-
was noted.
After nearly half an hour had passed
with quorum still lacking. Senator
Nelson moved that the sergeant-at
arms be instructed to send for alb
sentces Some difficulty was encounter
ed in getting a quorum at the nigh
session. Finally at $40 o'clock the ser
geant- arms was instructed to bring
in the absen:ees. For more than hal
an hour senate employees had been tel
ephOmng to residences of senators t
induce their attendance. but will
small success. In several instances thu
ONLY information that could be obtain
ed was to the effect that senators tel
. ephone had been temporarily detached
Senators entering the chamber mad
a quorum and the order to bring in tn
. absentees was countermanded.
The tariff has been reduced. MI
5 Cummins said, on iron and steel prod