Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-05
SENATE GOES AT
LEISURELY GAIT
Senators Proceed Mstlessly as Time
Approaches for Final Vote on
Tariff
NO TARIFF COMMISSION BILL
Hale Says President Has No Power to
Collect Statistics.
SHUTS OFF FURTHER REVISION
Believes People Have Had Enough
Agitation of Question,
SENATOR GAMBLE FOR BILL
Night Session Is Held 20 Permit
Insurgents 90 Express Their
Views in Opposition to
Conference Report.
Hale Says President Has No Power to
Collect Statistics.
IUTs OFF FURTHER REVISION
Believes People Have Had Enough
Agitation of Question.
GAMBLE FOR BILL

WASHINGTON. Aug. 4-small interest
was shown in the tariff debate in the SEN
ate today, but a night session was neces-
sary to allow progressive senators an op-
portunity to express their views on the
tariff bill Most Of the speeches that were
delivered during the day were heard by
only a handful OF senator's while the gal
leres had but a sprinkling Of visitors, con-
sisting chiefly OF tourists.
Interest now seems to center on the vote
on the conference report, which will be
taken at p. m. tomorrow. Conferences
among senators were numerous. Several
times Vice President Sherman found 1t
necessary to call the body to order and
insist that conversation be discontinued
The effect of the maximum and minimum
provision of the measure agreed on by
the conferees was the chief subject of dis
cussion during the afternoon. Senator
Beveridge, quoting the remarks of Chair
man Aldrich, undertook to show that that
senator interpreted the language as re-
ported by the conferees as practically
guaranteeing all the results that could be
obtained through the instrumentality of a
tariff commission.
No Power to Investigate,
He provoked a prompt opposition 10 that
view by Senator Hale, who at great length
argued that exactly the opposite purpose
was in the minds of the house conferees
whose views had been adopted. He in
sisted that they carefully avoided giving
any authority to the president by which
he could gather information on which an
other revision OF the tariff could be based.
Whether the tariff bill about to be
enacted, said Senator Hale, would be
accepted by the American people as salts
factory and would be followed by pros
perity. no one could tell But whatever the
results should be, he was satisfied that for
ten years people would look with marked
impatience and frown upon any project or
plan or tribunal that would be likely to dis
| turb conditions.
That" he said, "is the foundation OF the
opposition that has been made to any tri-
bunal that shall keep open the subject OF
| tariff legislation.
! The president is limited to the determi-
nation of determinations against u.s." added
Mr.. Hale, referring to the president and
his powers under the maximum and mini
mum rate clause. He understands that
understand that he does. The president
has very hard task in executing the pro-
visions of the maximum and minimum rate
clause He has burdens and the officers
under him have burdens and responsible
! ties in these negotiation such as never
have been imposed upon any president. The
president will have no undue hours of
sleep"
Replying to Mr. Newlands Mr.. Hale de-
clared that the president would have moth
irg to do with investigating the cost OF
production at home and abroad.
BeVeridRe Thinks Dtfferently.
| Mr.. Beveridge then explained that he had
been inclined to the same view, but that
| Mr. Aldrich having expressed different
opinion he would hesitate to press his tar
! ff commission hill until II could be known
what the fact would prove to be.
That senator will admit" said Mr.. Bev-
eridge, that the language was reassuring
vo those of us who favored the tariff COM
misLi ion"
! TOO much So" replied Mr.. Hale.
Mr.. Hale then sent to the desk a circular
letter from the committee of 100 appointed
at the national tariff convention held in
Indianapolis last spring for the purpose OF
promoting tariff commission legislation. 1t
announced that $4,000 would be required TO
get a bill through congress-, and requested
the recipients Of the circular to see that
their newspapers were filled with interviews
and editorials favorable to tariff commis-
sion.
That is your high-toned agitation" re-
marked Mr.. Hale, bowling TO MIR. Beverage
and then taking his seat.
Il never heard of such a thing before,
but do not see anything improper In that
letter" replied Mr.. Beveridge.
LOngwOrth and Roosevelt.
Mr.. Hale then offered another letttr TO
be read 1t was signed by H. E Miles.
chairman OF the tariff COMMITTEES Of the
National Association Of Manufacturers 1t
declared: "Mr Longworth. we believe,
is splendidly with us, as we know his
illustrious father-in-law is"
The letter referred to Vice President
Sherman and Representative Tawney as
being radical standpatters," who had
become very much excited and inter
ested," and added that he expected they
would treat" with the tariff commission
advocates. There we're references to the
Indiana senator the advocate OF the
National Association Of Manufacturers IN
this matter. The circular provoked general
laughter in which Senator Beveridge
joined
Senator Gamble spoke at length upon the
bill While objectng to some OF It's tea-
lures, he said that as il had met the ap-
proval of the president and was the work
Of the majority party in congress he would
vote for IL.
At $50 o'clock the senate took recess
until s o'clock p. m.
/, Some difficulty was encountered 10 get a
quorum at the night session. Finally al
40 o'clock the sergeant-at-arms was in
structed TO bring in the absentees. For
more than half an hour senate employees
had been telephoning TO the residences Of
senators 10 induce their attendance but
with small success. In several instances
the only information that could be OBJ
tained was 70 the effect that senator's
telephones had been temporarily de-
tached." Senator Lodge, entering the