The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-02
DELAY FOR
TARIFF BILL
IS POSSIBLE
Will Not Be Ready for Presi-
dents Signature Before
July 20.
BITTEREsT FIGHTS WILL
Be ON PASSED SCHEDULES

Steel and Sugar Items Will be the
Centre Around Which a Battle Of
Words Will Be Waged- Finance
Committee to Defend Position.
Washington, June 2.-If the current
reports are correct that President
Taft is arranging to have the tariff
revision bill signed by July 8, so he
may leave the city on. his vacation,
evidences are accumulating to prove
that he will be disappointed man.
Chairman AldMch adheres to the
opinion, although not expressed with
that confidence that he displayed two
weeks ago, that the bill will be
passed early in July. That opinion is
not shared by other leaders in the
senate, nor even by some of Mr.. AID
rich's colleagues on the finance COM
mittee.
On the contrary, date between
July 15 and 20 is now set down by
careful observers of the situation as
probably more reasonably near the
time of the completion OF the session
than Mr.. Aldrich would be desirous of
having the country expect, or than
President Taft hopes to see realized.
At the beginning of the present week
Chairman Aldrich expressed the opin-
ion that the bill would go through the
senate before June 20. That he must
again modify his prediction is be-
lieved to be certain.
Although on the face of the situa-
tion some progress was made up to
the close of yesterday, it should not
be forgotten that while four days
were spent in considering the sugar
schedule, for which not more than
two days were assigned by the Re-
publican leaders, the sugar schedule
is not yet finished as the fact has been
disclosed by the amendments to be
proposed, debated, and voted upon aft
er the bill has passed the committee
Of the whole and is considered in the
senate proper.
Plan Fight on Sugar.
1t was made clear by the statements
of Senators Clay and Bristow that the
consideration Of proposed amend
ments to the sugar schedule, after the
bill reaches the senate, will not be a
perfunctory matter, but will be ac-
companied by elaborate technical ar
guments intended to show that if
there is schedule in the bill in which
opportunities are presented for CIV
ing genuine relief to the consumers
of the country, it is the schedule re-
lating to sugar.
It was the prediction of the Repub-
lican leaders when the tariff bill first
came to the senate that it would be
completed and signed probably by
June Is. The argument made in sup
port Of this idea was that the time
consumed in considering the Dingley
law was not fair comparison. That
bill was considered at a special ses-
sion Of congress corresponding ex-
actly as to the date of It's meeting in
1897 with the present session, and
was not signed until July "a. In sup
port of the idea that it was not fair
comparison it was asserted that the
Dingley law was complete Republi-
can revision of the tariff, changing
almost every line and rate of the law
from Democratic tariff to a Repub-
lican tariff.
That suggestion seemed to have
considerable force. 1t Is now dis
closed, however, that revision of a
Republican tariff law, in which at
tempts are made to revise rates of
duty upward, as we'll as downward,
requires even more time for consid-
GRAFTON than a general revision up
ward at time when the dominant
party is in full control and every man
in 1t is actuated by the same motive
and intent upon the single purpose
of moving the rates upward.
The present tariff revision bill has
been in the senate more than six
weeks, and Is not nearly half COM
pleted. More than that, it is apparent
from a casual examination of the
situation that more stubbornly con-
trOverted issues are yet to be solved
in connection with the bill than were
known to the entire period in which
the Dingley law, was under considera-
tion in the extra session of congress
twelve years ago.
Few Schedules Completed.
On the face of it the senate has
passed upon four or five schedules.
Scarcely one of these schedules is
completed. Some of the sharpest diff
ferences that exist between the down.
ward revisionists and the ultra-pro-
tectionists with respect to the metal
schedules are held in allegiance. and
intimations are given that even the
finance committee members are un-
able to adjust the matters still open
in that schedule to their own satis-
faction.
The iron ore duties have been fixed
by vote Of the senate. with a reason
able assumption that the house con-
ferees will agree to the restoration of
ore to thesdutiable list There is the
liveliest kind of a contest, however,
between the United States Steel cor
poration supporters and the friends
of the independent iron and steel op-
orators regarding the unsettled items
of the metal schedule.
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