The Washington herald., 1909-07-11
Congressional.

position as to a scheme Of Federal tax
alton. That this position is one from
which the Senate expects TO recede in
conference with the House is presumed
in the face OF the Presidents recent
warning about party promises. The only
question. then. which the week leaves un-
answered is that Of how Tar the confer
ence viii have 70 trim the Aldrich-Payne
schedules IN order to avoid the disrupt
ing catastrophe OF a veto
Shortly after II o'clock. Thursday night,
the Aldrich tariff bill was passed by
vote of 45 to "a. ten Republican Senators
being recorded in the negative. namely.
Beveridge. BristOw. Brown. Burkett, Clapp,
Crawford. Cummins, Dolliver, La Fol-
lette and Nelson. while one Democrat.
McEnery. voted for the bill The num-
Der Of the dissenting Republicans was
larger than the regulars had expected.
and some very bitter words were ex-
changed prior to the final vote Beve-
ridge drew an eloquent picture Of the
s'glorious past of the Republican party,
and with apparent feeling, accused the
majority of infdelity 20 the party pledges
upon which President Taft was elected.
recalling the words OF Mckinley. ROose-
velt. and Tart TO vindicate the party 10y
atty Of himself and his fellow 'prOgres-
sives." To this Aldrich replied by under
taking to virtually read Beveridge and
his friends out of the Republican party,
which he declared was a party Of the
majority. And he insisted that the bill
carried out to the letter the pledge Of
the party Then followed angry. dedances
from Crawford. Clapp. Nelson and others.
Among the important changes made in
the bill during the last day Of the de-
bate, were an increase Of from 6 10 s
cents a pound on tobacco. removal Of
the restrictions on free sale OF tobacco
In the land Cntended TO end night rider
abuses in kentucky. a countervailing
duty on crude OIL. equal 10 half the duty
IN foreign countries on oil from the
United States Csaid 10 be in the interest
Of the independent OIL mem, and a batch
OF minor increases. Various reform
changes offered by the insurgents were
voted down.
Without one dissenting vote the Senate
adopted on Monday the Joint resolution
offered by Senator Brown providing Tor
the submission to the several States OF
an amendment 10 the Constitution legal
izing income tax legislation. seventy
seven Senators voting in the Affirmative
after the Democrats had gone on record
for the method Of having the amend
ment submitted 10 called State conven-
tions on motion OF Senator Bailey. Five
Republican insurgents stood with Bailey
for that proposition - Bristow. Clapp,
CUmmins, Jones, and Ia Toilette. The
passage Of the Brown amendment COM
pleted the legislative contract between
President Taft and Senator Aldrich. the
first part having been the passage OF the
corporation tax amendment on July .,
with three Democrats and eight insur-
gent Republicans standing out against Il
10 the last An amendment, moved by
BristOw. 20 submit 20 the States a con-
stitUuOnal amendment for the popular
election Of Senators was declared out Of
order on a technicallty. and one by Nc
Laurin, OF Mississippi, TO submit the
striking out Of the apportionment clause
as 70 direct taxes was voted down.
After the vote on the main proposition
was taken Senator Stone OF Missouri
twitted Senator Brown on the Democratic
T..
ing 1t had been appropriated from a dis
tinguished citizen OF his State" (referrlng
10 W J. Bryan. Brown asked IL Stone
complained Of the appropriating OF the
idea. and added that If anything good in
any Democratic platform is 10 benefit the
people 'it must be appropriated by some
body"
On the same day GIonday) the admin
istrative features OF the bill were disposed
Of, the only controversy being that raised
by Rayner. Of Maryland. over the Gus
toms court He, in a satiricaI address,
argued that this plan was UncOnstitu-
tional because there is no appeal from its
decisions and because the right Of trial
by jury is denied 20 those coming before
Il. On motion Of Chairman Aldrich. the
Senate restored the House provision re-
specting the reciprocity provision with
Cuba; authorizing the President to give
notice within ten days after the passage
OF the bill for the termination OF existing
treaties in conflict with It: laying coun-
tervailing duties against countries pay
ing duties on exported articles. and re-
storing the drawback feature Of the
Dingley bill, exemptions from which were
made in favor Of wheat, fax. and cotton
ties.
The Senate on July had adopted the
tee, IS 70 IS. by which an additional duty
Of p per cent was authorized on every
product Of a country which should dis
criminate against the United States. The
most important amendment in the com
mittee plan was the killing Of the duties
or cents a pound on coffee and OF 10
cents pound on tea, Root eloquently
discoursing Of the cordial relations ex-
listing between this country and the South
American republics affected. Another i'm
portant amendment adopted was that al
lowing ninety days 10 elapse before the
new rates take effect after the President
shall proclaim the minimum benefits
This Is 10 give business time 70 adjust
itself 10 the change An effort was made
by the Democratic leader to amend so az
10 provide for q tarir commission Of
seven, not more than four Of which
should be from one political party. This
was not acceptable to the majority nor
was the plan OF Dolliver for a commission
Of five. AS passed, the bill authorized
the President 70 appoint any number OF
tarin experts without stipulation as to
salary and without advice and consent
OF the Senate. Bacon, Shiveley and
Hughes spoke against the maximum tar
If as inviting commercial war. Root re-
Piled that Il afforded the only means OF
compelling fair trade recognition OF this
country. Daniel denounced the policy as
a surrender Of the Senate's treaty-maling
power. The Virginian also attacked Bit
terly the majority Of the Finance Com
mittee for its alleged failure TO recognize
the minority members thereof Again on
Tuesday when Smoot had offered the to-
bacco tax amendment as coming from the
Finance Committee did Daniel arraign
the Aldrich cOterie and offered a resolu-
ton declaring that every member Of a
committee has the right TO be notified OF