Evening star., 1909-06-06
OU PONT STEPS DOWN VICTORY FOR ALDR|CH
Retes as Delaware State Senate Adopts Amendments to
Republican Chairman. Cotton Schedule.
ILLNESS GIVEN AS REASON lCLMAX TO LIVELY DAY
Hints However, That Powder Com Every Inch of Ground Fought
pany Induced His Action. by "Progressves"
SENATOR DU PONT SENATORS IN BITTER DEBATE
able
Vice Chairman.
CLIMAX TO LIVELY DAY
Every Inch of Ground Hard Fought
by "Progressives."
SENATORS IN BITTER DEBATE
Dolliver and La Toilette Scathingly
Arraign Finance Committee
and Chairman


Another complete victory was won IN
the Senate yesterday afternoon by Sen
ator Aldrich and his thigh protection"
forces. Votes were taken just before ad-
journment at $50 pm on the finance
committees amendments to the cotton
goods schedule Of the tariff bill. and the
republican "progressives'' were routed.
with the usual ten or eleven votes to
spare.
It was the end Of the hardest fight that
the insurgents have yet waged against
the Aldrich-Payne bill. An entire week
had been devoted to the battle and every
inch of the ground was fought over under
the leadership of Senator La Toilette OF
Wisconsin and Senator Dolliver OF Iowa.
The sensational and bitter attack on the
committee by Mr.. Dolliver. which occu-
pied most Of the session, brought the con-
flict to a brilliant close.
When the smoke had cleared away 1t
was seen that the insurgent republicans
had not gained any ground. nor had they
lost any.
The ''stepladder specifics" as Mr. Dol
liver has christened the Aldrich changes
in the cotton goods schedule, were adopt
ed by two votes Of 80 to % and one OF
80 to %. the smaller negative vote in
the last instance being due to the fact
that one democratic senator left the
chamber.
Foster and McEnery Of Louisiana were
the only democrats who voted in the af-
firmative. The republicans who voted
against the committee were Bnstow.
Brown, Burkett. Clapp. Crawford. Cum
Minis. Dolliver. Gamble. La Toilette and
Nelson. Senator Beveridge announced
that he would have voted no" but did
Senator Flint of California, a member OF
the committee, who was absent
A vote was also taken on q committee
| amendment consolidating the paragraphs
| on the cheapest grades OF cotton cloths
and fixing a rate Of cent square yard
on unbleached cotton cloth OF hfty
| threads to the inch. OF Ia cents on
bleached cloth. II valued at not more
colored and valued at not more than II
1 cents. The amendment carried. ~ TO 80.
The Point at Issue.
| It was on the question Of substituting
specific for ad valorem rates that the
whole fight turned. The committee
claimed that the specific duties were the
exact equivalents OF the Dingley ad
valorems and would prevent undervalua-
| ton by foreign importers The insur-
gents claimed that the substitution really
amounted to an increase OF rates, and.
Furthermore, that It would not prevent
defrauding the government by undervalu-
alton.
Mr.. Aldrich defended the committees
rates on the further ground that by de-
cisions Of the courts the original intent OF
the Dingley law was destroyed II was
this that made it appear, said he that
the proposed rates were increases. The
insurgents laughed at this contention.
claiming that the courts had sustained
the original intention Of Congress in pass
ing the Dingley law and had merely over
turned the ridiculously high rates which
had resulted from erroneous constructions
of the law by the custom mouse omclals
in New York city.
After the first three votes on the COM
mittee amendments Senator Bacon OF
Georgia suggested that as all OF the COM
mittee amendments to the cotton goods
schedule involved the same question-the
substitution of specific for ad valorem
rates-the remainder might as we'll be
voted on at the same time. This susges-
tion was followed. with the same result as
before.
Then the amended paragraphs were
agreed to on a viva voce vote
Senator Dolliver concluded his scathing
ments and his bitter personal attack on
Senator Aldrich little before pm
A few minute later Senator La Foliette
again took the floor to deliver parting
go into detail in the case of every In
dividual amendment proposed by the
committee. and demonstrate that II was
an increase. or no change at all from
the present rate. He referred repeatedly
to the ''Dingley rates." meaning the
rates in force since the decisions Of the
courts heretofore referred to.
Mr.. Aldrich Retorts.
ITO all Of these statements I merely
answer that these are not the Dingley
rates." asserted Mr.. Aldrich.
IF the senator had been in the cham
Der this morning. snapped Mr.. La Fol-
lette, angrily, ''he would not say that"
.I do say It." retorted Mr.. Aldrich. with
heat, "and it is understood by every
man who knows anything about 1T in
this country.
The knowledge Of the senator from
Rhode Island has been so often i'm
peached," shouted Mr.. La Toilette, that
it is no longer Of any value In this
body and will not be held to be valua-
ber.''
A moment later Mr.. La Toilette re-
ferred again to the ''Dingley rates.
meaning the same as before.
They are not the Dingley rates, In
terrupted Mr.. Aldrich. this time with
show of real anger.
They are the Dnsley rates. bs Mr.: La
tors dictum no longer stands"
Mr.. Aldrich resumed his seat ooserv-
ing under his breath:
We'll see.'
..Oh. / know the senator has the votes.''
replied Mr.. La Toilette. This bill was
passed when the Senate empowered the
senator from Rhode Island to appoint
the committee on committees"
Then Mr.. Tillman got the moor ana
said he didn't like sham battles. he said
he had watched the conflict In the Senate
for the past few days. Friday night, he
declared. MIR. Aldrich had proved to his
own satisfaction and that of his Mace
donian pfalanx' that no Increases were
nroposed in the cotton goods schedule and
Saturday Mr.. Dolliver, from the same
witnesses, had proved that there were
increases.
Il know it is impossible to break this
phalanx which the senator has welded
together with lead beet sugar and Steel"
declared Mr.. Tillman, dramatically, land
I don't see what's the use OF this sham
fighting any longer. / don't see why the
senator from Rhode Island doesn't hurry
this vote and let US get through and go
home
The South Carolinian next paid his re-
spects to Mr.. Aldrich for appealing for
democratic votes to protect southern in
dustries.
I'VE are invited to vote for increases"
he shouted but when it comes to reduc-
ing the duty on cotton baggfng and ties
we can't have anything because OF the
steel trust and the bagging trust"
He recalled that Mr.. La Toilette had