The evening times., 1913-05-02
TARIFF DEBATE
CONTINUES WITH
SANE OLD V|cOR
Agricultural Schedule, One
of Opposition Vehicles, Not
Finished Last Night.
MURDOCH WANTS A
"REAL" COMMISSION
Says He VIII Propose Appointment of
Tariff Body that VIII not be "Sham"
Many Amendments Voted Down
Observation-Disclosures in Fight.

observation-disclosures in Fight.
Washington, May 1.-The fight over
the proposed reduction Of duties on
citrus fruits opened the debate on
the. tariff bill in the house today.
Despite the pressing of the bill as
rapidly as possible by the democratic
leaders, the agricultural schedule.
perhaps the vehicle of the last vigor-
GUS opposition by the minority. had
sion. Attempts by the California rep
resentatives. to raise the rates on figs.
raisins and olives failed.
Representative Murdoch, the pro-
gressive leader, gave notice that when
teh administrative provisions Of the
bill were reached he would propose an
amendment for the creation of a real,
not a sham" tariff commission.
81 Sugar Fight Up.
The fight over the sugar schedule
was one Of the warmest of the day.
The republicans were stirred to en-
thusiastic cheers when Mr.. Broussard
declared that the sugar rates pro-
posed by his party would rebound
only to the benefit of the sugar trust.
The test vote on sugar came on an
amendment offered by Minority Lead
er Mann to strike out the provision
years. 1t was lost, So to 1s6. Repre-
sentative Hardwick of Georgia. de-
Tended the rates for the majority. de-
scribing Americas sugar industry as
OF the "hothouse'' variety, unable to
stand on its own feet, and exactins
excessive taxes from the people to
support it.. Representative Mann OPP
posed the rates and Representative
Underwood closed the debate.
does not know" said Mr.. Mann, that
the price of sugar in this country to-
day would be hundred to two hun.
dred per cent higher than 1t is were
1t not for the beet sugar supply pro-
duced in this country and yet you
propose to strike down this industry
in the United States.
make the most Of Your opportun-
ity: the Ecot1ntry is ready to say your
opportunity the people have will be
the last. upportunity you will have:
ts}Uhderwocd Comes to Defense 7Fr'
Representative Underwood analyzed
the sugar rates in the proposed bill,
described the Louisiana cane industry
as one that could not survive. and
asserted that the rates in the bill
would not affect the beet sugar indus
try.
"Beet sugar in this country can be
produced on an equality with Euro
pean rivals with no possibility Of
competition within a reasonable zone" !"
he said. What the western beet
sugar people seek is to tax the Ameri.
can people in order to bring their beet
sugar to the Atlantic seaboard and
drive out all competition. 1t is sim
ply a question of freight rates."
Long Discussion Over Agriculture.
The agricultural schedule precipi-
Underwood held 1t down with frequent
motions to cut off debate on success
sive paragraphs. Arguments were Of
fered to increase the rates on cattle,
sheep. hogs, on wheat, oats and other
grains and nearly every other item
in the bill, but all were rejected.
On this schedule the session again
went far into the night. though the
opposition gave evidence Of having
largely spent its force.
Attempt No Filibuster.
Last night there were indications
that republican leaders would not un-
bill much longer. Representative
Moore of Pennsylvania. who has been
active in Offering minority amend
ments, voiced this view. He said the
republicans would not attempt to fill
buster, and that they had been ''ham-
mering away at the Underwood bill
for four days without making single
dent in it,"
The fact that many who claim their
publicans to hasten matters in order
that they may "readjust their affairs, :"
Ia said to be partly responsible for the
minority attitude.
Would Abandon Sugar Crop.
Representative Hardwick in closing
the sugar schedule debate, declared
that the American sugar industry was
"a hothouse industry" Averring that
undeE any circumstances the cane
sugar industry Of Louisiana could not
possibly survive dozen years, Mr..
Hardwtck urged the Louisiana people
to abandon sugar growing and plant
other crops on their rich soils. He
asserted that IL the Louisiana plant
ers would plant cotton instead of sugar
they would have to get step ladders
to harvest the crop. the stakes would
grow 80 high. In Louisiana the cost
Of producing sugar, he argued. was
,S-4 cents a pound, nearly double
the cost Of production in Cuba, Porto
AsASo osssN AAo"oHs "hAo shO e hIlp.
pines he asserted, when modern ma
chinery is procured and better trans
portation afforded, can produce all the
sugar for the whole world at lower
price than 1t Is furnished today. The
planters Of Louisiana, he said, had
invested In sugar only $11S,000.00
and compel the American people to
pay tax OF $140,000,000 a year to
support the industry: 1T is not fair"
said Mr.. Hardwick. 1T is unr.ghte-
Gus; 1t 10 unrigfteous."
Hawaiian Opposed Sugar Rates.
Delegate Kalaninole. representing
Hawaii. took advantage of his prixi-
lege of debate to oppose the proposed
sugar rates.
when we came into the United
States," he said, ''the treaty by which
We We're 4nnexed promised US the
same prosperity we had enjoyed as an
Independent nation. Now you propose
to cut the throat Of Hawaii 20 far as
the sugar industry Is concerned" !" q Z.
Mr.. KAlaninole declared the bill
would drive American labor from the
island and turn Hawaii into the hands
Of the Asiatics.
The Fordney amendment to restore
the Payne rates finally was defeated
BY q vtve voce vote.
Among other rejected amendments
10 the agricultural schedule are:
NeAgesen Amendment Rejected,
e BY Representative Kent OF Califor-
mi tContinued on Page u AS !, 3 B