Mr. EDMUNDS. I ask the indulgence of the Senate for a few moments to submit one other amendment, which may possibly meet the same fate with some of the others, but which is nevertheless just. On page 86, section 13, line 49, I move to strike out the words “ 50 cents” and to insert “one dollar;” and in line 50 to strike out the words “and 20%. advalorem;” so that the clause will read: peOrn all other marble, in slab or block, one dollar cubic foot. Mr. President, when this subject was under consideration the other day it was stated as an effective argument, by my friendfrom Maine, against this provision which was agreed upon in the House and sent to us, that the marble interests, as he understood it, of Vermont were not suffering, and he called upon me to state whether they were or not. Not having information of a reliable description upon that subject I would not say that they were, because felt it to be my duty to the Senate to be careful, as I trust every other Senator is, in stating any matter of fact upon which the Senate is to act, to state it within bounds. Since that time I have had a conversation with an eminent and highly respectable gentleman of that State engaged in the business of quar rying and working statuary marble of the description that comes under this clause that I am seeking to amend, and who, although he has a complete knowledge of the whole subject has no interest in this description of marble. This gentleman tells me that at the Present rates of duty and with the Present competition of Italian marble, introduced, as it undoubt edly is, at a false valuation, at only 60 cents or thereabouts per foot instead of 65, as I stated the other day, the marble production of Vermont is absolutely in distress, and that the stock of marble produced of the veined description is accumulated on the hands of the quarrymen and the marble workmen. He also states, what I stated before, that under the present tariff increasing the rate from the old w the increase of revenue has been very considerable. He also states, what I was in error in stating otherwise the other day, that not only is the revenue increased but under this Present increased rate the importation still continues to increase above what it was before. We have, therefore, this case for the candid consideration of the Senate: here is an interestin which millions of dollars are invested; and a very large number of persons are engaged in labor in making this capital invested productive. The product, this veined marble which comes in competition with the cheaper descriptions of the Italian marble at the Present rates, with the Present internalrevenue tax, with the Present price of gold, being nearly 100 cents lower than it was when the last tariff act was passed in 1864, is unable to compete with this foreign production, and therefore the foreign importer sells his blocks of the veined marble, which comes in compar tition with this description of which I am now speaking, at a rate which enables him to command the market against the home producer. Now, upon these facts, which I am willing to vouch for myself, because I know so well the honor and integrity of this gentleman, who lives in the marble district and states the fact to me, I submit it to the candid judgment of the Senate whether it is right when you have increased the duty almost up to the House rates, and increased it on everything above the old law almost, that you should still leave this one single interest just as the Present law is. Is it right? Is it just? Is it doing that justice to one description and one class of industry which has been done and I am glad it has been done to other classes of industry that needed it? I was not able to say upon my knowledge the other day that this class of industry did need it in the face of the statement of my friendfrom Maine, that these gentlemen had more orders than they could fill. As applied to the white or statuary marble, which is superior to the Italian altogether, it is true; because that description of marble is somewhat scarce and therefore the orders for it are as great as can be filled. As to this veined description of marble which makes your table tops and your wash stands, and most of your mantels and that sort of thing, the truth is otherwise. Now, upon this state of facts I think it right that the Senate should extend to this branch of industry the same protection which you have extended to other branches of industry, and to give us that protection which, while it increases your revenue, as your experience so far has shown that this increase of duty does, will protect in some measure this large branch of industry.,