Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-08-05
Democrats andRepubIicans
Of Senate Discuss Il.
Various Opinions asio Outlook
After Change In Tariff.
The Metal Schedule Taken Up and
WooIsn Schedule Debated.

Washington, Aug 4.-Democrats and
Republicans of the Senate fenced, to-
day, over prosperity and the business
outlook. discussed the wooden schedule
of the tariff bill at length and made
some progress on the metal schedule.
Colloquies over the probable effect of
the pending tariff arose when Senator
Stone of Missouri read into the record
quotations from the manufacturers and
merchants, stating that the industrial
outlook was very favorable. despite
the proposed tariff reductions. Senator
Gallinger expressed assurance that
present prosperity was due to Repub
lican policies, not to coming Demo-
cratic laws and also that history would
repeat itself and depressing times come.
Senator Williams. addressing the Re-
publieans, asked why, if they were so
certain of the result they did not
cease demurring and. let the bill go to
the country for a test.
I'VE shall continue to demur,'' replied
Senator Gallanger, until we have made
made a record that perhaps may Id the
Leorle in understanding the situation
when the effect Of this bill is felt. Sem
ator Meyers of Montana in lengthy
analysis of the wool schedule, declared
that the people of his part of the West
favored free raw wool and that a CEN
tury of protection had failed utterly to
hid the wool industry of this country
His speech led to general discussion
Of shoddy and wool. participated in by
Senators Warren and Smeot for the
Republicans and Senators Meyers.
Walsh and Marine for the Democrats.
When the metal schedule was taken
up, with Senator Stone in charge, SEN
ater Cummins of Iowa submitted
substitute which transferred to the du-
BILE list many free list articles in
the Underwood Simmons bill noteably
pig iron and blast furnace products.
Senator oliver of Pennsylvania open
ed discussion of the metal schedule,
questioning the wisdom of the Senate
finance committee in putting pig iron
on the free list. The senator said he
did not have much hope of amending
the bill because the Democrats seemed
to have determined to pass it as 1t
stands, although small manufacturers
were dependent upon protective tar
if to manufacture pig iron. In Penn
sylvana, he added, there were 40 blast
furnaces, only AZ of which were con-
trolled by the United States Steel Cor
roration.
A new competitor of the United
States in the steel trade more to be
feared than all others. the senator as
serted, was China, which already was
supplying much of the pig iron now
used on the Pacific coast.
Senator Cummins said there should
be reasonable protection for American
products of pig iron and advocated a
duty of about 81 ton. He thought the
House rate of 8 per cent. little too
high.
Senator Smith of Michigan deprecated
putting iron on the free list Just at a
time when the ore mines of Cuba were
being opened up thus depriving the
government of revenue which he said
would naturally and easily flow into
the Golfers of the treasury.
Senator Thomas of the finance COM
mittee majority declared that pig iron
produced in this country, last year.
was valued at s1s5. 100000 and that the
imports were neglible less than 100, 900
tons AS to Chinese pig iron, Senator
Thomas said. there was no pTesehV
prospect of serious competition.