The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-03
TARIFF BILL IS
DRAGGED ALONG
Nothing Is Accomplished BY
: Hours of Debate
MANY CONFERENCES HELD
Leather Schedule Comes Up and Sen
ators Waste Much Time Dis
cussng Language and Eff
feet of Schedule.
MANY CONFERENCES HELD

Washington, August 2-Beginning its
consideration Of the conference report or
the tariff bill by the tedious reading OF
that document, which was insisted upon
by senators who proposed to see that
undue haste is not exercised in the final
passage of the measure was dragged
along during nearly seven hours today
without accomplishing any important re-
! suit
Numerous conferences were held among
| senator's on both sides of the chamber
for the purpose of advancing or hinder
| Ing the final passage of the bill The
| developments which have occurred in re-
spect to the framing of the leather sched-
ule in conference called forth more in
! terest than did the proceedings of the
! day. Senators spent much time in dis
cussing the language and effect of that
| schedule.
The debate on the conference report
was opened by Senator Daniel, who
| claimed that the democratic senators on
the finance committee had been dealt
with unfairly in not being permitted to
| vote in committee on the adoption of
the report. He claimed that an agree
ment for that purpose entered into ~
the chairman, Mr.. Aldrich, had been vio-
lated. Any intentional violation was dis
avowed by Mr.. Aldrich, who said he
could not agree with Mr.. Daniel as to
what had occurred between them.
Senator Brisrow denounced the tariff
bill as a violation of the republican
pledges and announced that he would
not vote for 1t.
In order to clearly fix the RESPONSE
bility of the two parties In the passage
| of the bill and for the framing of its
| several schedules, Senator Bacon present
! ed an analysis of the 1877 yea and nay
/ votes that had been taken during it's
consideration. This list Of votes the Sen
| ate agreed to print in the record.
Fraud Committed.
Regarding the exclusion of the demo-
! cratic members of the conference, Mr..
| Daniel said a practical fraud had been
! committed upon both Houses of Congress.
| Mr.. Aldrich at first gave close atten-
ton but soon smilingly left the cham
| Der.
This country and its institutions
stand at this moment between the gal
lows and the ground" declared Mr..
Daniel in commenting upon the meth DDS
of the majority.
Il hope" he added. glancing over the
republicans facing him, that mercy
may be sought and may be found.
charge that the Senate is apparently
in the control of lynch law"
Mr.. Daniel also charged bad faith In
the action of the committee In signing
the conference report without allow
ing himself and his democratic coll
leagues on the committee TO meet with
them. and to vote upon 1t as agreed
to by Chairman Aldrich. BY this ar
rangement, he said he had on last
Thursday gone to the room of the
finance committee.
"A solemn and honored bond had
been entered into by word of mouth,
he added, between the chairman of the
finance committee and the democratic
conferees that they would be called
as soon as the report was ready to be
acted upon with a view to permitting
them to cast their votes for or against
It, We were told that there we're five
or six things in the hill upon which
they had not reache ed conclusion"
Clerk Apologies.
Mr.. Daniel stated that Mr.. Aldrich's
clerk had called him and apologized tc
him for the failure to allow the demo
| cratic members of the conference tc
sign the report.
81 stated" he added, THAT if the
chairman wishes to see me about this
he can come and see me, but shall not
call upon him. 1t seems strange" he
went on, that we should be given a
pledge and for some reason that pledge
be unredeemed.
Now. that alleged report of the con-
ference committee is a bogus paper
1t has no more validity than counter
felt note"
Mr.. Daniel then suggested that the re-
port should be recommitted. Mr.. Aldrich
who had returned to his seat. declared
that his committee had followed the
course that had prevailed since the be-
ginning of the government.
At the meeting referred to by the SEN
ator from Virginia, he said, he had re-
marked to Mr. Daniel that he supposed
the democratic members would not join
the republicans in signing the report
1.-THE senator said he guessed not,
| continued Mr.. Aldrich. "Of course we all
knew the democrats on the committee
! would not join in assuming responsible
ity for this legislation
| Mr.. Aldrich said he had no idea thai
any member had expected that there
would be another meeting of the com
mittee He said emphatically that ht
never had promised that the democratic
conferees should have a day with the
committee. On the other hand Mr.. Dan
lei was sure that such an agreement
had been made.
Senator Bailey interrupted the colloquy
He said while he had never contendet
for a right to sit with the republican
members, he did believe that the agree
ment was made that the democrats should
have an opportunity to vote against thu
conference report
Items Of Disagreement.
Mr.. Bailey referred tc the fve items
on which the conferees had not been ablt
to agree as those about which the Pres
ident had written to the chairman in al
extra constitutional manner
Before long I will demonstrate nov
much there has been to do about an
solutely nothing" said Mr.. Bailey, re
ferring to the influence exercised by TN
President in lowering the tariff duties
81 think | can make II manifest tina
the people Of the United States nav
been entertained with some mock heroics
and that this battle which has been rag
ing here for days and weeks, was noth
ing more nor less than sham bat
te," he added.
Saying he believed the passage or IN
tariff bill would only be the beginning
of a popular discussion of the tariff
Senator Bacon expressed himself as ex
l,af hor