The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-12-21
OUR WASHINGTON
NEWS AND NOTES
ITEMS OF INTEREST BRIEFLY
CHRONICLED.
is GROWING MORE HOP. Full
Sugar Interests Think it Possible to
Defeat Sections of the Bill Provid-
ing for Reduction in Duty on Su-
gar and Tobacco.

las Tue hearings DeIOIe TIE HOUSE
Committee on Ways and Means on the
Philippine tariff bill progresses, the
sugar interests are growing more
hopeful of accomplishing the defeat
of those sections of the ball providing
for the reduction of the duty on sugar
and tobacco grown in the islands.
They declare it to be their intention
to put up hard fight in the House,
and if defeated there to continue the
warfare in the Senate. At present it
is difficult for the best informed men
at the Capitol to predict the outcome.
The majority view is that there is lit
tie hope in the House, but that the
chances In the Senate are more ia
vorable. Congressman from the
states in which sugar beets are grown
held conference to discuss outlines
for a campaign. Before the confer
ence they said they could muster thir-
ty-tive votes, but only twenty-five APP
peared at the meeting and nothing of
importance was accomplished. They
all agreed, however, to work tooth and
mail to start an insurgent movement
on the floor Of the House when the
bill comes up after the holidays. The
states represented at the conference
were: California, Michigan, MINES
sofa, Wisconsin and Colorado. Rep
resentative Babcock of Wisconsin, is
the only Republican of the Committee
on Ways and Means who is sure to
vote against reporting the bill from
that committee with the sugar and
tobacco clause attached. He is against
1t on account Of the tobacco interests
of his state. 1t is possible, the insur-
gents think, that Representative Need
ham, Republican, of California, will
vote with Babcock, and Representa-
tive Robertson is to vote against the
bill. AS the situation now stands, the
insurgents are confident of forty votes
counting four from Louisiana, when
the bill comes to a vote IN the House.
In the Senate no agreement has been
reported, but strong opposition to the
bill is looming up. Senator McEnery
said that he had learned from West
ern Senators that they would put up
a fight. The two Louisiana Senators
are the only Representatives in the
Senate Of cane sugar interests, and
they Will both fight the bill In the
last big fight against bill which hurt
the sugar interests the beet sugar Sen
ators gave way at the last minute
but it is thought they will stand fire
this time.
Assemblyman Cox, Of New York,
who is member of the Armstrong in
vestigating committee. called at the
White House with Representative AL
exander, Of Buffalo. Mr. Cox had a
long talk with the President about
the developments before the Arm
strong committee, and submitted some
views in regard to the possibilities Of
Federal regulation Of life insurance
companies. On leaving the White
House Mr.. Cox declined to say what
had passed between him and the presi-
dent and also refused to discuss the
Forthcoming report of the committee
further than to say that it will con-
tain a number of interesting recon-
mendations. Mr.. Cox says the report
will be finished early in January.
The authoritative statement was
made at the War Department that
upon the retirement in September
next of Gen. Corbin, who will succeed
Gen. Bates in April next as Lieuten-
ant General of the army, Gen. Mac
Arthur, the officer next in line Of
succession will be promoted to the
grade of Lieutenant General It was
also announced that Gen. Wood pro-
baby will succeed Gen. Corbin as
commanding General of the Philip
pines division, since he is the senior
general in the islands next to Gen.
Corbin.
The official register of the United
States, the "blue book" which is
about to be issued, gives recapitula-
ton of the employees In the differ
ent departments, the government print
ing office and the offices Of the Dis
trict of Columbia, showing a total of
25,481 persons in the service in the
city of Washington receiving an ag-
gregate compensation Of $27,145, 700.
Senator McCreary introduced bill
to reduce the tariff Of the United
States by providing that there shall
be levied upon all articles imported
from foreign countries rate equal to
three-fourths of the present schedule.