The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-10
TARIFF BILL WENT
THROUGH HOUSE
VOTE 217-161
Bill Passed House Practically
BY Party Vote
OIL ON THE FREE LIST
Lumber Tariff is Reduced But At
tempt to Make it Free Failed
After Hot Fight.

Washington, April 9.-The Payne
Tariff bill passed the House at Sis
o'clock this evening by practically
party vote in exactly the form in
which it came from the Committee of
the Whole House at o'clock. The
final vote was 2l7 to 161, one Repre-
sentative answering present. One
Republican, Mr.. Austin of Tennessee,
voted against the bill. and four Demo
Gratis, Broussard. Estopinal. Wicklife
and Pujo, all from Louisiana, voted
with the Republicans.
The announcement of the vote
caused a demonstration on the part
of the Republicans, but the excite
ment and elation was little more than
that ordinarily evinced on the passage
of big measure. Loud handclaps
and pretty general yelling on the
majority side was about the extent OF
it, and then the members crowded up
to congratulate Mr. Payne. He stood
smiling through it all, and when ii
was over moved that 1,200 copies OF
the bill as passed be printed.
The close of the struggle in the
House was nothing but long success
sion of roll calls, and the only Incl
dent that relieved the monotony was
the insistence of Champ Clark that
record vote be taken on oil.
Oil Put on the Free List.
The defeat of the organization yes
terday on the oil schedule produced a
complete right about face today, and
Chairman Payne emphasized the sur
render by gaining unanimous consent
in Committee of the Whole to an
amendment putting oil on the free
list. The Republican used the fact
Of this unanimity as an argument for
avoiding a record vote. but Mr.. Clark
held out. and under the special order
a vote was had.
On the roll call petroleum aud its
products were put definitely on the
free list by vote of 1923 to 46.
The final phase of the fight on the
tariff began promptly at 3 o'clock
when by common consent the changes
putting tea and coffee on the free
list were adopted along with the
schedules of the bill not in dispute
Then came up the amendments to
schedules especially set apart for sep
arate votes The first of these was
the lumber schedule and a long par
liamentary wrangle occurred before
it was decided definitely that all
amendments offered in the Committee
of the Whole, whether passed or not.
and no matter how trivial. could have
separate vote If demanded
While these technical details were
arranged the crowds in the galleries
sat perfectly quiet, evidently Impress
ed with the Importance of the oceas-
ion. The diplomatic and executive
galleries were filed, and Mrs Taft,
Miss. Taft and the Presidents son,
Robert, paid the closest attention.
Mrs Taft arrived at 2:30 and did not
leave her seat until after o'clock.
The first of the record votes, al
though widely diverging from normal
party lines, showed that he organi-
cation had nothing more to fear, and
that the tentative votes in the Com
mittee of the Whole would be accept
ed as final. Every amendment as
fast as 1T came up, was voted down,
the only Interruptions being as to the
precedence of one amendment over
the other.
Lumber Breaks the Party Lines.
Votes on various amendments to
the lumber scale took nearly three
hours, every little amendment that
had been presented in the committee
finding some one to demand separ-
ate vote for it. Mr.. Tawney led in
these demands, the smallest majority
against him being fourteen votes. On
the first Tawney amendment, which
meant free Using of the lower grades
of lumber, fifty-seven Republicans
voted for the reduction, but they were
offset by thirty-nine Democrats, who
voted against it despite the efforts of
Champ Clark.