Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-22
SENATOR SEES
TARIFF BILL
in Defeat
CONTINUED from page one,

but action of that kind is improbable.
The leaders can take no chances on
arranging their own funeral.
Porto Rico In Line.
With the purpose of opposing the
passage by the senate of the sugar
schedule as passed by the house on
the basis that such a schedule will
work hardship for the working people
of Porto Rico, delegation from Por-
to Rico is in Washington to see Presi-
dent Wilson and prominent members
of the senate. The delegation Is COM
posed OF Jose de Diego, speaker OF
the house of delegates of Porto Rico:
Martin Trayieso, Jr., president of the
fnsular. executive council; Carlos
Cabrera. prominent planter and H..
n. Scovrile, wealthy fruit grower.
The delegation, whose duty 1t also
will be to look after the other inter-
ests of the people of Porto Rico in
their relation to the proposed tariff
revision, will present its case before
a subcommittee of the senate and will
hold a conference with the president.
The Porto Ricans will be here for
about a month. They unanimously
declare that the passage of the sugar
schedule will be the heaviest blow
that. could be dealt the working class,
es of the island in that it will reduce
wages and not decrease the cost of
living.
senator Penrose has given a bit of,
cheering opinion calculated to height
en- the hopes of those who want
speedy tariff action. He predicts 1t
will be the middle of August before
the bill is voted on in the senate.
The following communication,
anent the tariff situation, has been
received by a local personal friend of
Senator Poindexter of Washington:
On my return after an absence from
the city, have yours of 9Th ultimo
and have read with very sincere in
terest your observations and views
On the sugar industry in the Hawaiian
Islands in relation to the tariff.
value your opinions in this regard be-
cause I believe they are disinterested
and in that respect in contrast with
The great mass of letters we have on
Tariff questions.
| do not know what situation will
develop in the senate on the tariff bill.
rhe principal fight will be made there
Ind the crossing and combination OF
interests with the varied political ele-
nents and narrow majority make the
outcome very uncertain. am very
strongly of the opinion that 1t is a |
mistake to put sugar on the free list
" provide that it should go on the
rec list after a three-year period as /
he bill provides, although substan-
isl reduction in the tariff should be
made following generally the lines OF |
he amendment proposed in the last
congress on this subject by Senator
,ristow of Kansas When the item,
lowever, is incorporated in a general
ill covering all the interests in the
ountry, it cannot in its final presen-
alton receive judgment on its merits
s it is entitled to do.
This simply illustrates what | have
for for long time and
ope to be able to urge in the near
lture, namely, the Importance of a
igh-class tariff commission with
over to adjust rates under a rule
lid down by Congress so that they
an, upon thorough investigation,
Ike up one item at time and act
pom it on its merits free. of the log
bling influences which now control
riff making and also without upset
ng the entire commerce and business
the country by a general overturn-
q of our whole fiscal system.