The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-08
WORST DEFEAT OF PARTY
 IN HISTORY OF THE HOUSE
Champ Clark Engineers the Move ment to Defeat Clause of Payne Tariff Bill Which Favors
 Standard Oil.
By PATTERSON sTEALEY.

Washington, April Special )- Standard Oil lost it's grip on the House of Representatives today. The sttua- ton was so desperate that even the speaker of the House took the floor and made speech in favor of the commit tee amendment imposing a duty of 25 per cent. He was absolutely unable to hold the House in line and the amendment offered by Representative Norris of Nebraska cutting down the present duty giving the Standard Oil company, variously estimated 100 per cent to 200 per cent to 1 per cent was passed. For the first time during ina tariff debate the democrats stood solid ly together.
 Representative Broussard of Loufs- 1ana, who can now hardly be described as a democrat. was the only man to cast his vote with the republican or ganization.
 u Is to this democratic unity that the victory was won as enough repuhli- cans from the west and middle west joined the democrats to mako c1aar ma jority.
 One Test Vote.
 There was but one test vote. That was on the motion to sustain the decision of the chair which had held an amendment to the regular committee amendn1eut out of order
 Among other clear speeches made to show that the amendment was in or der, was that of Representative Sherlev of Kentucky
 When the vote was taken the ruling of the chair was overturned by A vote of 16S to 136 and on the final viva voce vote hardly a handful of republicans responded in the negative, regardless of the impassioned plea of the speaker for the 25-cent duty.
 The opinion tonight Is that the vote will stand, even in the event of g record vote on Friday.
 The House organization went up against one of the worst defeats in it's history
 Experts say that the action of the House today if it could become. law. would work more injury to the Stand ard oil company than would occur through its loss of the present legal proceedings in St. Louis.
 The enormous tariff granted the Standard oil company in the Dlngley bill has been the prime factor in se- curing for it practical monopoly of the oil trade and enabling it to charge any rate 1t pleased. The speech of Speaker Cannon was made ostensibly for the benefit of the independent oil fa glrn as to doubt that it is the Standard oil company rather than the Independents who are injured by the action of the House today.
 Few Independents.
 The general belief is that there are mighty few independents" and that the Standard oil virtually owns all of them.
 The relationship existing between John D. Rock efeller and Senator Ald- rich insures that the Senate will in crease the 1 per cent given In the House.
 As the republican House members of the conference committee will also be In favor of this, it is obvious that the conference committee will so agree.
 It Is stated tonight. however, that the House will decline to accept such a report When it is all over 1t will likely be found that a compromise un- der 25 per cent will be reached. ls
 It is probable that Senator Aldrich will report the bill from the finance committee with heavy duty in the interest of Standard oil and then the trading will commence.
 OH Schedule Brought Up.
 Washington, April 7.-The oil schedule was considered today Mir Vreeand of New York promptly offered an amend ment striking out the countervaIling duty on. crude petroleum and it's products, and fixing the rate of duty at 20 per cent ad valorem Immediately MT. Norris of Nebraska presented amendment fixing the rate at per cent ad valorem.
 Point of orderi'' shouted Mir. Dalzeli of Pennsylvania and then dozen mem- bers were on their feet.
 '1s that schedule sacred you cannot amend 1t at all?" inquired MT. Clark of Missouri.
 MT. Dalzel answered that that was the situation.
 Well" lnterjected Mir. Clark "I will try it any way" He then offered an amendment putting crude petroleum and it's products on the free list.
 long wrangle ensued over the right of any one to offer amendments other than the one by Mir. Vreeland. which. it was stated by MT. Dalzell, was covered specifically by the rule.
 In elaborate decision the chair sus- tained the point of order saying that the Vreeland amendment was in line with the rule. The Norris amendment. in consequence. was barred.
 Appeal From Decision.
 From the decision MT Clark of Missouri appealed with the result that on division -~~~~---~>>-----~ --~~~~-~>~--~>--~---