Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-08-02


tffort to beat the tariff bill. The organi-
zition leaders are working hard to keep
wavering ones in line. 1t is possible,
but not at all probable, that the insur-
gents might win and contingency can
readily be imagined where 1t might re-
quire the vote Of Vice president Sher-
man to secure victory for the orgsniz1-
ton. II that should happen it would be
he first time in more thau twenty years
that the vice-president would be called
upon to cast the deciding vote.
When the S nate passed the bill and
sent 1t to The conference committee "A
republicans and one democrat voted for
II; a democrats and 10 republicans
voted against II. That made majority
of eleven for the bill. II the ten insur-
gent republicans should maintain their
opposition and should be lined by only
four of the disgruntled senators from the
''rsuge" states the vice presidents OPP
portuDity to vole would come. The
more enthusiastic Of the insurgents claim
at that is certain to occur unless they
cau secure the votes OF the two West
Virginia senators-Elkins and Scott
10 which case the vice-pre'ident could
not vote and the bill would be defeated
by majority of two. Senator Aldrich
and ths organization leaders, however,
express the utmost confidence in THE
passage OF The bill and they usually know
shat they are taking about.
Party considerations, it Is believed,
together with the arguments Of Mr.. Al
dfich aud the president, will serve to
bring the insurgents into line at the last
moment. The same is true of the West
Virginia senstors.
The indications were stronger than
ever today that the tariff fight would
md this week. Indeed several senators
expressed the opinion that the bill would
he passed be the Senate by WednG sday
night aud that Congress would adjourn
On the following day.
SENATOR Bailey emphatically denied
The report that be contemplated the inau.
guration of a fIbuster He aud several
other DEM rats proposed to discuss the
measure but they all said that they
would be brief.
Senators Burkett, Brown and Cfaw-
lord have definitely declared their in
.enlion TO vote for the conference report.
Senator BoIah now says that he will
vote against the report. The other
ksAn ira
gliul to answer to themselves the ques-
| ton as to what would happen If the
bill should be defeated. 1t is pretty
certain that if their votes srs needed,
they will cast them for the bill rather
! than see It killed. There is report thst
severed democratic senators Intend to vote
] for the measure should their assistance be
required. Two names mentioned are
Senators OvefmRn and Simmons, OF
North Carolina. The organization lead
RS are, however, coUf iently clsimiog
a maj )rity of from s to II votes on the
fnal passage Of the measure.
The progressive republicans practical
II abandoned this afternoon all hope of
ra-committiug or defeating the confer
ence report. If their claims are true,
he president must have been doing
ieomsn's work 10 day. The progress
sives claimed that this morning they
ad their fight won, They counted 81
democrats, 7 prOgressives, 5 Rocky
mountain hide senators from Wyoming,
Montana and Idaho. MessTs. Dick, OF
Ohio; McOnmber, of North Dakota and
ais colleague, johnson. This would
make AZ votes, more than enough 10 de.
feat the bill. The situation was eX-
plained to the president this morning
aud the alleged 'jOker" Ia the leather
schedule which was threatening to close
several republican votes from the or.
gsnizstIonwss explained. The president
1t once sent for Senators McCumber,
Borah and others and talked with them.
The result of bis arguments was sppar-
ent when, privately, the progressives
themselves this afternoon admitted their
defeat.
President Taft was very emphatic to-
day in the declaration TO congressional
callers that the alleged 81 ,ker" in the
leather shedules of the tanff bill was not
Joker at all. The hide schedule ss
agreed upon Is exactly what the presi-
dent, Senator Aldrich and Chairman
Payne provided for In their conferences.
10 consideration of free hides previously
dutisble, the president said, all articles
ia which hides are the chief component
part should be reduced below the rates
in the House bill except sole leather,
which in the House bill had ALREADY
been reduced from 20 to five per cent.
With this understanding carried out,
the president fails to see how either he
or the country has been bunkOed. The
president bad conferences today with
senator and representatives. The sens-
tors were unanimous ia predicting that
the bill would pass before the eud OF the
week, and all expressed the opinion
that the democratic opposition which
bad threatened to consume great deal
of time would Aatten out before Friday.
Rev. John Butler, for many years
pastor of the Luther Place Memorial
Church, aud for sixty years a Lutheran
minister 10 Washington, dropped dead
from heart disease here this mornipg.
Instructions will be given the signal corps
officers in the management Of the newly ac-
quired aeroplane at College Park, Nd, some
miles from Washington. Announcement
that this place had been tentatively decided
upon was made today by Gen Allen, chief
| of the signal corps A l60ac field, entirely
cleared of trees and free from other obstacles,
Will be used as the sailing ground. Lieuts
Lahm and Foulois, with a detachTent Of
ignsl corps men. will camp on the field. Ii
| is expected that Wilbur Wright will return
and tegiu his tuition OF the two officers with
! ia week or fen days.
| A bill introduced by Congressman Grow,