Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-03
TARIFF DEBATE likely
Dolliver Says War Tax Reduce
ton Bill Will Be Debated
in Senate.
Senators Will Take Opportunity
to Discuss Revision Of
Dingley Law.
Babcock Anxious to Have the
i Matter Taken Up in the
House.
Special to Tilnes-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
1 Washington, March 3.-Congressman
Baboock, of Wisconsin, may discover
the hoped-for opportunity to inject his
tariff reduction bill into the Legislative
arena, after all. He has publicly an
nounced that if that opportunity pre-
sents itself, he will instantly seize upon
the advantage.
Senator Dolliver intimates that If
Mr.. Babcock is seeking an opportunity
of this sort he may find it when the
/ senate has concluded it's labors with the
wartax reduction bill which passed the
house ten days ago by unanimous vote.
Senator Dolliver does not undertake to
make a statement to this effect. but he
| says this That the war tax reduc-
| ton measure was not permitted to come
before the house in form permitting
amendment and general debate; that q
measure of this character should be
we'll considered from various points of
view and that the senate will proceed
sition and debate it exhaustively. The
rules in the senator rather absence
of rules-perrnit wide range of action
and the house bill is likely to feel the
effects of. the carving knife and the
mallet. There will be amendments, the
nature or number of which no man can
forecast. When the senate has conclud-
| ed its labors and the war revenue re-
duction bin has been nodded and shaped
according to the senate pattern, 1t will
be passed back to the house for APP
/ proval.
While the measure is under discus
sion in the senate it appears quite prob
| able that the debate will follow some
what along the tariff lines, and one of
the amendments may involve some &C
| ton ON some of the schedules of the
| Dingley act. When the bill is reported
/ back to the house, carrying the senate
amendments. motion will be made to
concur or non concur in the amend
ments. 1t may be at this point that Mr..
| Babcock may secure an entering
wedge.
This will be question for the mem
bers of the house to dispose Of Natur-
| ally the ways and means committee--a
majority of the membership be vio-
| lently opposed to concurrence or debate
! upon the proposition of the senate. The
| house has a convenient way of having
rules to fit each particular and indiyid-
ual bill, presented to 1t, and as a gen.
! eral thing the republicans vote to sus-
| tain the action of the committee on
rules, composed of the speaker. Repre-
sentatives Dalzell, Grosvenor, Richard
| son, of Tennessee, and Underwood, the
| last two mentioned being democrats.
| 1t is a notorious fact that while the
republicans do vote to maintain the
rules presented from time to time BY
the committee there Is a considerable
number of republican members many
of them veterans of influence, who pri
vately damn the system up hill and
down, threatening one of these days to
kick over the traces.
| 1t is stated that combine of these
republicans acting in conjunction with
the minority, could sweep the house and
compel the adoption of rules more
elastic. Naturally the kicking repub-
| leans dislike to resort to such pro-
cedure. yet they contend there is and
will be no other method of securing the
relief they seek.
/ Just what Mr.. Babcock will do is
known only tic himself At the time of
the adoption of the rule cutting off
amendments to the war tax reduction
/ bill considerable uneasinesS was felt
| that Mr. Babcock might force the issue,
/ but he announced he would offer no OBJ
/ lection at that time. but gave the house
| to understand that he was awake TO the
/ situation and later would press his
claim. 1t is ntimated that he may
seize upon the time of the submission
# the senate bill referred to. as the OPP
perfume one to force republicans to
show their hands upon the tariff prop
osition.
I If Mr.. Babcock is able to muster
| twenty-five republicans who will follow
his lead he will be able to cause the
high protectionists vast amount of
trouble. The minority would vote as a
unit with him and the twenty-five re-
| publicans would hold the balance of
! lower.
Upon straight-out proposition 10
amend the tariff schedules so as to
modify the duties on iron and steel, 1t is
thought the Iowa delegation in the
house would divide quite evenly
Speaker Henderson has defined his
views touching revision over his own
signature and is opposed to action on
this line. So also are Congressman
Lacey, Hedge and probably Cousins.
Mr. Hepburn stated that he could see
no good reason for interfering with the
existing laws. Mr.. Haugen and Mr..
Smith occupy conservative positions, as
does also Judge Conner, altho it is
thought these gentlemen would favor
modification of the iron and steel sched
ules Congressman Hull is favorable to
the Babcock bill and Messrs. Rumple
and Thomas have decided inclinings
that way
However,, the action of the Iowa
delegation will depend largely upon cir
cumstances developed when the matter
comes up. 1t is thought that the
sentiment in favor of modification of
iron and steel schedules has rather in
creased In the delegation, the express
sions received from Iowa tending to in
fuence members in that direction.
However, weeks will elapse before the
senate disposes of the war revenue re-
duction bill and Mr.. Babcock may have
found his opportunity before that time
arrives.
Senator Dolliver is spending great
deal of time in amassing facts to be
employed in the debate upon the oleo
,el fnaa