The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-03
COFFEE AND TEA TAX
STRICKEN FROM BILL
Committee Action Largely
Result of Speech by
Senator Root.
Continued from First Page)


hore and believe that relation will long
continue. There has never been any in
dication on the part of Brazil to impose
any discrimination against US, On me
contrary, she has already recognized
the United States as her greatest Gus
toner by discriminating in her tariff
law in favor of Us. 1 hope we may
not include in this bill a provision that
may seem as If We doubted her inten-
ton. The other cOuntTeS producing
coffee are on most friendly terms with
the United states. and Ghe same is true
as to the countries producing tea"
Senator McCumbers of The Finance
Committee, said il had never been the
intention that duty on tea or cO1se
should be imposed any more than any Of
the other maximum duties. II was
solely for the purpose Of reaching the
hearts and COnsCiences Of the countries
producing tea and coffee the more read
lily. and preventing anV discrimination
against the United States. Senator Aid
rich expressed the same view. and the
tea and coffee provisions were then
stricken out. Senator faIHnger gave
notice that IL the tea and coffee pro-
visions remained in the bill. he would
propose a Scent maximum On cocoa.
This. however. will not be necessary, in
view Of the action taken
Senator Daniel Speaks.
Senator Daniel Of Virginia was tho
first to speak when the provisions were
taken up He objected not merely to
the maximum duty on tea and coffee.
but also TO the vague and indefinite
language of the provisions. He pointed
out that the application OF the maxi
mum duties. % per cent ad valoren
above the ordinary duties, would be
made after March 81, 1910, unless she
President proclaimed otherwise on tie
ground that there was no discrimina-
ton against the United States. Z
amounted, he said. to specifying a con
dition of the Presidents mind as 10
whether the maximum should be on
or of
Senator Hepburn gave notice Of an
amendment for a bounty Of 10 cents
per pound on tea grown In the United
Senator Money proposed an amend-
ment 10 make the maximum not . per
cent ad valorem, but . per cent Of the
duty.
Culberson's Amendments.
Senator CuIberson took up the ques-
ton OF the tariff commission. He pro-
posed amendments to the maximum and
minimum provisions as drawn. He OBJ
jected that the Finance Committee had
not specified any fixed number Of ex-
perts or commissioners, whom the
President might employ. He proposed
q commission of seven. nOn-partiSan,
not more than four to be Of one party,
with pay Of $3.50 per year.
Senator Aldrich spoke against this
and so did Senator Root Bailey sup
ported the Culberson amendment.
Root thought the CuIberson amend
ment would defeat the very object of
the provisions in the bin which auth
Orized the President TO obtain the
assistance OF expert advisers and
would inject the element Of politics
Senator Bailey referred to what the
papers said about partisan appoint
ments i'm the Census Bureau, and
said If these reports were true he had
no confidence that the President
would make nOn-partlsan appoint
ments OF experts or commissioners
for the purpose Of securing tariff in
formation.
The Culberson amendment providing
for a non-partisan tariff commission
was defeated by a vote of 43 to II. Sen
ator Ia Toilette was the only Republi-
can who voted for II.
Senator Deliver introduced an amend
ment for q tariff commission TO the
/ same effect as that supported by Sena-
( tor Aldrich, Senator Allison, and other
Republican members Of the Finance
/ Committee in 1883.