The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-31
FEW MEMBERS
PRESENT WHEN
DEBATE BEGAN
useless Discussion of Tariff
Rates Proceeding in the
Lower House.
SENATE WILL FINALLY
MAKE THE SCHEDULES
REPUBLICANS TAINTED WITH
THAT FACT BY MR.. KITcHIN
INA SPIRITED SPEECH.

Washington. March 3O.-The tariff
debate waxed warm in the house to-
day. A revival of the discussion of the
oil and lumber schedules was like set
ting a match to both products, for the
subjects proved of absorbing interest
to the members, who entered generally
into the debate. To Mr.. VTeeland of
New York was accorded the privilege
of explaining the position of the indie
pendent refners, Who want the coun-
tervailing duty on crude petroleum re-
tanned. while Mr.. Kitchin of North
Carolina, i'm an exhaustive treatment of
the question, pleaded for free lumber.
At O'Clock the usual recess for two
hours was taken.
The tagging interest in the tariff dis
cussion was made manifest when but
dozen members were in their seats
upon the converting of the house, and
for the most part these were the ones
scheduled to speak There was such
an emptiness that when the speaker
pro tenn, Mir. Perkins, called the body
to order, the sound Of his gaveI echoed
and re-echoed throughout the chamber.
Cox Opens the Ball.
Today's debate was opened by Mr..
Cox of Ohio, who pleaded for a reduc-
ton in the duties on sewing machines,
bicycles and computing machines. He
argued that by reason of the favored
nation clause Germany was enabled to
manufacture and ship sewing machines
and bicycles into Russia, France and
other continental countries at about
ilalf the tariff imposed on the same ar
ticles of American manufactures Be
cause of this fact, the American manu-
lecturer was handicapped in extending
his foreign trade. Unless the tariff was
reduced. he said. the manufacturers Of
the products mentioned would be forced
to build factories abroad which would
result in throwing out of employment
IN this country many skilled workmen.
The maximum and minimum feature
of the bill he declared to be not worth
the paper il was written on. Referring
TO various witnesses before the ways
and means committee, Mr.. Cox said:
7 An Emphatic opinion.
"A protective tariff inspires such
lust for gain and gold that these men
come here and swear their souls down
to the gates of hell iii order to get the
government license to rob the people"
Mr.. Cox said there was a large measure
Of public belief that President Taft
would follow policies quite contrary TO
the Republican leaders.
The action of the committee in re-
moving the duty on hides was disap-
= proved by Mr.. Sterling of Illinois. Mr..
\ WeiSse OF Wisconsin replied that the u
per cent duty so Disseminated against
the American tanner and leather man
ufacturer that they lose So worth of
business on every hide, and labor loses
S1.50 on days work
Tine bill does not remedy the Situa-
ton, said Mr.. Sterling. He charged
haf Mr
the foodgates and let ins cheaper hides
from South America and other cOun-
tries, and cause the American farmer
to suffer.
Mr. Hughes of Georgia contended
that the history of tariff legislation was
"one continuous performance Of trag-
edy for the farmers"
John DIS Man.
Reiterating that he was partly re-
sponsible for retaining the countervail-
ing duty on crude and refined petrole-
UNI. Mr.. Vreeland of New York said
that while to many people oil and
Standard Oil seemed synonymous, there
were $4,000 American citizens bringing
to the surface every day nearly $500. 900
worth of crude petroleum who had no
more to do with the Standard Oil COM
pany than has the farmer Who raises
wheat to do with the miller to whom
he sells it.
Mr. NTeelsnd said the schedule was
based on hundreds of petitions from in
dependent oil producers. and that the
removal Of the cOuntervailing duty
would not benefit the Standard Oil
company, but would surely injure the
business of the Independents.
AIr- Vreeland said the countervailing
duty had resulted in material modifi-
cation of oil schedules of foreign coun-
tries, and that Russia was not an oil
competitor of the United States His
remarks were interrupted by Speaker
Cannon, who pointed out that in his
CCannon's) district, and that of his col
league Mr.. Foster. there were thirty
two farmers, small shOpkeepers and
others, owners of small tracts, who
l Continued on Page 7.