Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-06
AGAINST FREE LUMBER
Tawney Amendment to the
Tariff Bill Rejected.
WORKING UNDER new RULE
Countervailing Duty on Lumber
Stricken Out:
IN A PARLIAMENTARY sNARL
De Almonds Substitute Providing
for Free Admission From the
Western Hemisphere Rejected.

The House of Representatives this after.
noon. by vote Of 176 to ITO. defeated the
motion Of Mr.. Tawney to place rough
lumber on the free list. Party lines went
to smash in the vote. Republicans from
the protection states such as Iowa. Kan.
sis and Minnesota. voted with Mr.. Taw-
ney. while democrats from such othes
states as Virginia. North Carolina, Geor-
| ga, Louisiana and Florida voted against
free lumber.
| AS the bill now stands, rough lumber
pays a duty of 500 per 1000 feet and
| finished lumber remains as provided In
the Dingley bill.
| The House Of Representatives today
adopted the Fordney amendment to the
Payne tariff bill striking out the provision
for counterva1ling duty on lumber.
Immediately after converting the House
took up the tariff bill for amendment un-
der the rule adopted yesterday. When ad-
journment was taken last evening there
was pending the Fordney amendment. A
parliamentary snarl at once was encoun-
tered as to whether or not other amend
ments would be permitted under the rule
adopted yesterday.
The point was raised by Mr.. Clark
(Mo.), the minority leader.
number Of members were immedi-
ately on their feet endeavoring to put
| their construction upon the rule. and to
allay the impending excitement the chair
had the rule read for information.
Messrs. Fitzgerald On. ", and Dalzell
(Pa.). both on the committee on rules,
contended that individual amendments,
under the rule, could be offered.
After further argument the chair ruled
that other amendments could be offered.
but that the committee amendment Of
The situation again became clouded by
the offering of a substitute amendment by
Mr. Clark. who desired to speak to 1t,
but the chair ruled that Mr.. Fordney
was entitled to the floor. The substitute
was not read.
Mr.. Fordney's Regret.
Mr.. Fordney said he had introduced his
amendment with great regret, as the
provision 1t sought to strike out was .
meritorious one.
rs the gentleman in favor of or against
the amendment Mr.. Fitzgerald inquired.
The response of Mr.. Fordney caused
Il am offering It and will vote for IT,
in doing so.''
When Mr.. Fordney had consumed his
five minutes Mr. Tawney !Minn.>. Jumped
and Mr.. Clark claimed the floor. and
when the chair ruled in favor of Mr..
Clark. Chairman Payne protested. saying
the ruling was not fair to the republicans.
since nie democrats were opposed to the
bill.
The Clark substitute was read and pro-
vided for amending certain sections Of
the lumber schedule by placing lumber on
the free list.
On the point being made by Mr.. Taw-
ney that two paragraphs could not be
covered in one amendment, the chair rec.
ognized Mr.. Tawney, who offered an en-
tire substitute for paragraph 1917. the lum-
Der schedule. modifying. but retaining the
duty.
The chair promptly sustained point Of
order Ivy Mr.. Fitzgerald that the Ford
ney amendment had precedence.
Free to Western Hemisphere.
Against the protests Of Mr.. Tawney. the
chair recognized Mr.. De Almond (Mo.). for
an amendment as a substitute to the coun-
tervailing proviso providing for the free
admission from all parts Of the western
hemisphere.
Mr.. Tawney received another setback
when the chair overruled his point that
the De Almond amendment was not in or
der. because 1t transferred to the free list
an item on which a duty was imposed.
The point was characterized by Mr.. De
Almond as "unkind and ungentlemanly."
He said the amendment would protect
Americans against the pauper labor Of
Europe. Asia and Africa.
Both Messrs- Needham and Payne de-
clared the amendment violated the most
favored nation clause Of many treaties.
but De Almond held that Congress
had q right to 50 violate 1t.
The majority leader protested against
the ruling whereby Mr.. Clark was recog-
nized for his substitute because the Mis-
souri, member was the ranking minority
member Of the committee on ways and
means. He said that various members on
the republican side had amendments to
cause they intended to support the bill.
Mr.. Mann OF Illinois denounced the De
Almond amendment as violatfve of the
governments treaties and as I'm violation
Of all the rules Of decency In legislation. -
1T means nothing except bill buster"
declared Mr.. Fordney, who urged the
voting down OF the amendment.
An amendment by Mr.. Hardy Of Texas
Almond amendment was voted down. The
vote then recurring to the De Almond
amendment. II likewise was lost-131 to
17S. thirty democrats voting with the re-
publicans.
Fordney Amendment Adopted.
The Fordney amendment was over
whelmingly adopted by a viva voce vote.
and Mr.. Tawney at once reoffered his
amendment.
Mr.. Tawney explained that. II adopted
his amendment would take the duty OH
all lumber Included In paragraph 1917 of
the bill except finished lumber. the duty
on which would be materially reduced.
He would later. he said. offer an amend
| ment placing rough lumber on the free
| list.
The amendment and the proposed
amendment were vigorously attacked by
Mr.. Fordney who charged that Mr.. Taw-
ney forgot that the raw material Of the
planning mill was its finished product
The amendments. he said. affected 30, 600
saw mills Of the country. employing
100000 men. II Mr.. Tawney was fair
he added. he would demand free barley
for the brewers.
Tawuey's Republication Questioned.
In his opinion. Mr.. Tawney was not q
good republican. The Minnesota mem
Der. he said. once was a protectionist
| but that he was a free trader on lum-
| Der today.
Applause came from both sides of the
| chamber at this remark. and again II
| broke out among another group when
| Mr.. Clark OF Missouri announced himself
| for the Tawney amendments.
| II you cannot get a whole loaf" he
remarked. take half a loaf"
| MessYs. Pou (democrat) Of North Caro-
lima and Cushman (republican) of Wash.
ington opposed the amendment vehe-