Mr. WARNER. I move to amend the 2nd section by inserting the following after line 8: On freestone.sandstone and granite. when in the rough and uncut to dimensions.35%. adoalomn, whenwrought or cut to dimensions. 40%. advalorem. I desire to say that my reason for offering this amendment is that under the present law the duty imposed upon the articles specified in the amendment is 20%., making a discrimination, as I understand it, against ta mechanic of this country and in favor of the mechanic in Nova Scotia. The present law makes no difference between stone cut to did mensions and ready to be used in building, and stone in the rough as cut from the quarry. This interest involves an expenditure of millions of dollars annually. Since the war a large amount of capital has been invested in Nova Scotia, where quite a number of quarries have been developed and are now being workreedeewnith great success. The committee will see that if this interest be left without any other protection than such as is afforded by the present tariff. the superior advantages of those engaged in this business in Nova Scotia will entirely destroy the domestic interest in freestone, in the quarrying and preparation of which so large an amount of American capital is invested. have knowledge of 3 uarries located in my district, which prior to tereciprocity treaty employed 1500 men and more than 60 vessels. Since the introduction of this material from Nova Scotia under that treaty, the number of employees in those quarries has been reduced from 1500 to 700, and there has been a corresponding decrease in the number of vessels en god. I fully agree with the opinion of e. chair man of the Committee of Way sand Means that building material should be made cheap, but the rate of duty which I propose will still leave these materials cheap as compared with some of the other articles specified Ill the bill. For instance, under this bill a certain description, of lumber will be protected by a specific duty much higher than that which is named in my amendment, and marble which this bill leaves to be protected by a specific duty of 50%. )er cubic foot and 25%. ado rem, is an article with which freestone comes in competition; and I think we are as much entitled to protection upon freestoue as less as another locality is entitled to protection upon marble. Besides, sir, I understand it to be our duty to protect labor. Where labor enters into the producton of an article to a great extent there should be a specific duty for the protection of that labor. As to the article of lumber, labor makes up 50%. of its value. In free stone, sandstone, and granite, the labor involved in the production makes over 75%. of the value; while in marble the proportion is only 50%. Let me remar, also, that if the object of levying duties be to provide revenue, the articles named in the amendment, not bein articles that rank among the necessaries of life, afford a fair subject for the imposition of duties, and can well sustain a duty of the amount which I propose. at me state further that agents in the city of NewYork, for the sale of the imported free stone, were informed by gentlemen who had in view the protection of the domestic interest in this artic e, that an application would be made to Congressfor the imosition ofaduty offifiy%., and they did not object to a duty of 35 or 40%.