The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-06

fared by Democrats, but only upon
lt7. resared an tho more importa mt were
recorded votes demanded. The Re-
cord shows that out OF this It3 yea
and nay votes. Senaton Martin failed
TO vote upon rs. On q number OF the
comparatively few on which he did
40 upon record he voted with the
Republicans Three of those votes
were most amazing, and from . de-
morrs,ic standpoint, absolutely mex
plicable and In defensible.
Under the Mckinley Act the duty
on spruce pine was s2.o0 per thousand.
and upon white pine 800 per thou.
sand The Dingley bill. when laid
before the Senate, provided for q tax
OF s2.o0o per Thousand IN rough lum-
Der. On June Tth, Senator vest Of
fered an amendment to except white
pine from this s2.0o tax. Senator
Martin voted with the Republicans
against this amendment. Again on
July ist. Senator Teller offered a sim
liar amendment taking all duty of
white pine. For this amendment
every Democrat including Senator
Daniel. except Martin ard two others.
voted.
THE vote was q ayes 10 80 nays:
SO that had Senator Martin voted with
his party. and not with the Repubii-
cans. the amendment would have been
adopted by one vote. and white pine
thus placed on the free list. Hav-
ing failed In having white pine placed
on the free list, Senator Teller i'm
mediateiy moved TO reduce the duty
upon II to x1.0e per thousand feet.
This amendment was adopted by
the narrow vote OF 9 ayes TO 3 nays.
but Senator Martin voted nay with the
Republicans and the same two other
Democrats. Senator Daniel voted with
hrs party. From this il will he seen
that Senator Martin defeated free
white pine and very nearly defeated
the reduction OF the duty anon 1t.
People Pay Tribute.
1T has been well said that food.
clothing and shelter constitute the
three elementary necessities of human
we'll being. The tax upon white pine
under the Mckinley Act Was, as /
have said $500 per thousand. Sena-
tor Martin insisted by his vote that
II should he placed at s2.00 per thou
sand, just double the Mckinley rate.
In the debate upon this PROPOSE
| ton. Senator Gray, OF Delaware. ask
ed Upon what theory OF public
morals will not say political econ
| omy--can such "a tax be Justified
And | ask why should Senator Martin
| have attempted to force the people
! of Virginia to pay tribute to the own
ers of the white pine forests OF Wis
/ consin, Michigan and Minnesota; for,
! in those three States, Is TO be found
! practically all the white pine timber
| In the United States?
Il do not wish to be understood az
/ 81 va hat In of ha
votes out OF the 143 had upon the Ding
ley bill did Senator Martin vote to re-
duce a tax lie voted among other
votes to reduce the tax upon distilled
| spirits. upon whiskey and brandy. from
| 90 to 10 cents per gallon.
And he voted upon All amendment
proposed by Senator Mills, Of Texas
| imposing an internal revenue tax OF
per cent on all amounts in excess OF
$4,000 per annun. manufactured II,
the United States, from iron, steel, cop
per, nickel, brass. lead, zinc. cotton
wool. hemp, silk, flax, and sugar; but
he did not vote with his party. He
voted along with only one other Demo-
crat With the Republicans But upon
amendments to reduce the duties upon
drugs, window glass, china, crockery
| spectacles. eyeglasses. cotton ties, tin
plate iron and steel chains, cutlery
guns, horseshoe nails, wire nails
screws, salt. cotton cloth. oilcoth. bur-
lap bags for grain and fertilizer mach.
es, mowers, reapers. plows. carpets
watches. and many other articles OF
prime necessity, he utterly failed &c
vote at all.
| Martin Denied Charge.
"As long az twelve years ago I charg.
ed in o public speech that Senator Mar.
tin had lodged important votes upor
amendments offered to the War Reve-
nue. bin when that measure was under
consideration in the Senate. In q
statement subsequently published pur.
porting TO be "a reply to this charge
Senator Martin said, I never dodget
a vote in my life I have
examined the Congressional Record
and / have failed to find single in.
stance during the consideration of ths
| War Revenue measure In which l die
not either vote. or have my vote pro.
tected by my general pair with Mr.
Mantle
Senator Martins memory was either
very treacherous. or else his examina.
J ton Of the Congressional Record coult
not have been IS careful as he declared
il to have been. for have In my hand
IL copy OF the Record containing hi:
votes. and have not had the least DIFF
ficuIty in discovering those which h
lodged.
THE Record conclusively shows tia
upon three very important amendment.
he did not vote. and thar Senator Man
tie did vote. More than this. 1t shows
that the Republican senator with whom
he claims TO have had a pair which
i amply protected him. voted. wonderful
to say, for more Democratic amend
4Inents than did he.
Let me say here that IL must no.
he inferred from anything l have said
or may hereafter say. in regard &c
Senator Martins propensity for vote
lodging. that ] would maintain the
absurd proposition that every failure
to vote on the part OF member OF
Congress constitutes in itself a sub.
ject OF Just criticism. What l dc
maintain Is that the astonishing ant
quite exceptional frequency with
which Senator Martin failed to &c
upon record upon important meas.
ures-espscially such as involve grea,
corporate interests--is the subject OF
legitimate criticism.
The Marine Commission.
/ In the year 1904 there was ere.
ated what Is known as the merchant
marine commission. 1t was charged
with the duty of investigating the
causes leading TO the decay OF oui
ocean merchant marine, and Of rec.
ommendiny such legislation ~ II wat
hoped might lead to its rehabilitation
1t was composed Of ten members. fivt