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Show PLAYING GAME OF PETTY POLITICS IN SjATE SENATOR BURKETT SAYS THIS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE. Assertion Is Made In Reference to Cigars Recommended to Be Imported Im-ported Free of Duty. Washington. June 15. That the senate committee on finance has been engaged In playing "a game of petty politics." was today definitely charged in the senate by Senator Burkett of i Nebraska. The assertion was made iu connection with a report of a committee, commit-tee, reducing 150,000.000 to 70.000,000 the number of cigars which may be im- ported free of duty annually from the Philippines. "This change has been arrived at by the committee at a meeting held today and was tho result re-sult of representations of Senator Burkett of Nebraska. The assertion was made In connection with, a report of a committee, reducing 150,000.000 to 70.0on.000, the nuruber of cigars which may be Imported free of duty annually from the Philippines. This j change has been arrived at by the committee at a meeting held today and was the result of representations of Senator Bulkley. of Connecticut, ' with an Important product of whose state the Philippine tobacco importation importa-tion would conflict. Senator La Follette had previously prehented an amendment reducing the number to 75.000,000, and the Nebraska Nebras-ka senator found In the action of th committee a discrimination in favor of Bulkley against La Follette. As soon as the committee had brought in Its amendment, Senator La Follette took the floor. Expressing gratification that the finance committee had reduced the number of free cigars to the extent of five million less than was called for by his amendment, Mr. La Follette" said he was encouraged to change his amendment so as to provide for the admission of only 60,000,000, and he did so. Mr. Burkett declared that the action of the finance committee, in making changes In the Philippine amendment, was sufficient to cause senators to lose confidence iu it. Tho amendment, he-said, he-said, has been brought into the senate as approved by the president, and in face of that fact the committee had brought In its recommendation for a reduction of five, million . below that celled for by the La Follette amendment, amend-ment, and In this circumstance found cause for complaint. "This," he said, "is a matter too important im-portant to juggle with, and it looks to me. like a game of petty politics." "There is no mystery about it," protested pro-tested Mr. Aldrich, "and no politics except a desire on the part of the committee com-mittee to do x the right thing and, above everything else, to pass this bill." Senators Dick, Gallinger and De-pew De-pew defended the committee, Saying he had intended to vote for a decrease of the number of free cigars ci-gars from the Philippines, "without regard to the source of that suggestion," sugges-tion," Senator Oliver said he proposed to vote for amendments without regard re-gard to whether they came from the committee or anywhere else. An extended colloquy between Senators Sen-ators Aldrich and Bacon occurred with reference to the duty that would be lost because of the free entry of 70.-000,000 70.-000,000 cigars into this country. Mr. Ald:ich said he did not believe anything like 70,000.000 Philippine cigars ci-gars would bo brought into this country coun-try uuder the allowing of their freo entry. Mr. Bacon asked why It was thought necessary to make such a provision, if the ciga.-a would not actually be brought Into the country. Mr. Aldrich replied: "It Is to encourage a people who are under the United States flag."' Estimating the loss of revenuo that would result from the free entry or cigars from, the Philippines to tho United States at $3,500,000 annually, the loss from free sugar at $10,000,-, 000, Senator Newlands declared that It would be' better to make a direct appropriation for the benefit of th Filipinos. He-declared the tariff cou" rcssdons would benefit the great Philippine Phil-ippine tobacco trust chiefly. i |