Evening star., 1909-04-15
THEIR FORCES DIVIDED
Democratic Senators Unable
to Agree on Tariff.
,CONFER WITHOUT RESULT
Only a Vague Understanding to Sup
port Tax on Luxuries.
WILL MEET AGAIN TOMORROW
Senate Finance Committee Agrees to
Let General Discussion Of Bill
Go Over Until Monday.
WILL MEET AGAIN TOMORROW

It was a sad affair. that conference OF
democratic senators yesterday afternoon
considered as an effort to reach an agree
ment upon a tariff policy. There were
about as many agreements" as there
were senators present, and that was
twenty-six. They do say that as an ex-
hibition Of typical democratic independ-
ence Of spirit and thought that meeting
was the limit.
Senators emerged from the conference
room with flushed face and furroUed
brow. They went away in little groups OF
two and three and the chances were that
they would fall out before they reached
their destination. Happily. there was
one element of saving grace-they were
all agreed upon the practically impracti-
cable-an income tax. Agreement upon
forlorn hope has often been described
as the long suit of the democracy.
AS near as the senator's present can
figure out the result of the conference,
aside from unanimity upon the income
tax, it was concurrence In the general
suggestion that the democratic party shall
insist upon a decrease of duties on the
necessaries of life and plenty of taxation
upon the luXuries. No one is ready at
this time to suggest the demarcation line
which shall separate these duties, any
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margin between duty for revenue and
duty where the protective policy over
sloughs the revenue principle.
Some Frank Talk Heard.
There was some frank talk at the meet
ing. which lasted for four hours. .Sena-
tors whose constituents demand protec-
ton on southern lumber sugar. rice,
fruits and other commodities bluntly an
nounced their intention to insist upon
protection. Thereupon there were loud
cries of anguish from g. few of the old
line democrats, still bound to the stake of
old democratic doctrine, and about whom
Senator Aldrich has lighted some yellow
pine knots and other eombustibles.
Senator Stone of Missouri and Senator
Foster of Louisiana crossed swords early
ed to have free trade with the Philippines,
and at the end of fifteen years give the
islands independence. Senator Foster
wouldn't listen to free trade. which would
mean competition of Philippine sugar
with the Louisiana cane.
One Little Incident.
Just in passing. it may be remarked
that the Senate finance committee pro-
tected Senator Stones state in it's i'm
portant product of lead ore, fixed by the
House at III cents per pound, and raised
the duties on lead products. and Sena-
tor Foster thought Senator Stones
Indifference to sugar, which is not
produced In Missouri. came with bad
grace However, that was only one Of
many incidents Of the conference indica-
tive Of the general division Of sentiment.
The democratic senator's, in their ex-
change of opinions. views and intentions,
disclosed their keen realization of the
fact that the finance committee has set
up mighty difficult problem for the
democracy Of the Senate to face. in the
manner in which the bill has distributed
protection. Senator Aldrich appears to
have picked off a senator here and an
other there with this and that protective
duty. making 1t apparently impossible for
the democrats to present anything like
a unanimous front against the bill.
Another Meeting Tomorrow. :.
The democrats will take up their bur-
morrow and look again to see If they can
find a way to oppose the ubiquitous re-
publican tariff bill'' without smashing
some of the Industries Of their own states,
SO ''shamelessly and brazenly fostered by
this protective tariff" the ancient policy
of the democratic party to the contrary
notwithstanding.
There is still keen interest among SEN
ators of both parties over the revenue
Capacity VI Tie hlUTtCH UlIl. OcI-
ator Aldrich assures his colleagues in
private conversation that the problem will
be made clear of solution in final consid-
Grafton of the measure. but he is not
ready to furnish figures and estimates
yet.
1t was thought he would bring In a
statement today giving some estimates Of
revenue to be raised by the bill, but the
compilation is not ready and will not come
in before Monday. He says the commit
tee Is not preparing any surprises. and
that 1t hasn't anything "up its sleeve" in
the way of a revenue-raiser but that the
bill will be straightaway revenue bill.
Talk Of Retrenchment.
1t develops that one plan Of the major
ity In the Senate for bridging the gap
between the governments receipts and
expenses is to reduce the expenses, rather
than increase the income by taxation.
To this end the new committee on re-
trenchment. over which ex-senator Hem
enway is presiding. is hard at work seal
ing down the estimates of government ap-