Evening journal., 1909-03-18
WILL HURRY
TARIFF BILL
General Debate to be Begun
in the House Oil
Monday
DEMOCRATS HAVE AS YET
NO PLAN Of ACTION

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, March lS.-With the
new tariff bill now before the House and
country, every effort viii be bent to-
wards pressing Il 10 an early passage
The Ways and Means Committee, 10
which Il was referred yesterday, met to-
DAY at ten ociock to prepare to report
it formally back TO the House. At pres
cnt there are only four Republican mem-
bcrs of the Senate Finance Committee.
Messrs. Aldrich Burrows, Pcnrose and
Hale, but they mot as subcommittee
today, informally TO discuss the bill. and
start work OF revising IT, The four va
candles in the Republican membership
OF tho committee viii he nlied next Mon
day, and on tho following day, actual
work on the preparation Of Senate.
amendements TO the measure will be
commenced
Debate Begins Monday.
General debate ON the bin will be be-
gun In the House ON Monday. IL will
probably be limited to three or four days.
it being the desire to devote most OF tho
time that the measure IS before the
House TO It's consideration by sections
and schedules. when the members win be
able 20 offer their individual amend
ments. II Is yet impossible 90 say dcfi-
nitely how long the bill will be under
consideration IN the House. but IL IS
thought that It will be possible to gct
final vote upon ir IN that body tho
I first week OF April. Whether a special
rule will be necessary. in order 10 pro-
duce that result has not yet been de-
cided. and viii depend TO great degree
upon the attitude Of the Democrats to-
wards the measure.
Democrats in the Dark.
Champ CLARK. the Democratic leader
and the leading member OF that party ON
the Ways and Means Committee, was as
much IN ignorance OF the contents or
tho bin as any of his colleagues until
that moment arrived In fact, every
newspaper I'm the country had a full
synopsis OF the proposed legislation IN
type long before Champ Clark knew
with certainty anyone OF its provisions.
That was where the newspapers had a
scoop" on tho Democrats Of the House.
Because OF the brief time they have
had In which TO glance over tho bill the
Democrats have not yet outlined thei'
plain OF action. They have not prepared
a bill Of their own to present as a substi
tutc but It is anticipated that they vii
prepare a minority report which viii sci
forth any objections thay may have C
the measure as presented by the Ro
pubiicans. There Is no intention on
their part TO delay action in the com.
mittee, but they win insist that ample
time. shall be given them on tn floor
OF the House to present amendments. The
bill Is apparently such n genuine revision
OF the tariff. that they are disposed "a
be suspicious Of Il, and are eagerly
searching its pages TO find a possible
Joker"
Amendments Expected.
At the Senate end there are many eX'
lpressions Of disapprovai among Repub
licans. Of the proposed rate cuts. and q
IS evident that a great many amendments
will be submitted there. IL is expected
that couple OF months will be re.
quirlng TO pass the bill in the Senate. and
then there may be week or two. dur
ing which Representatives Of the Hous'
and Senate TO meet TO adjust the dlner
enccs between the two Houses
This conference committee. 10 be com
posed OF six men, three from either
J house. will put the final touches on th'
bill. and until their work is completed
no one will know just what the new
tarim law will be. The middle Of Jun'
is regarded as a conservative prediction
as to the date when the bill may be sen
to the President for his signature.