Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-17
Tariff Bill Is Cheered by Re-
publican Members.
SCRAMBLE TO GET COPIES
Democrats Complain They Are
Sighted in Distribution.
REFERRED BACK TO COMMITTEE
Will Be Taken Up for Consideration
Tomorrow Morning-Stormy De-
bate Expected in House.

With every one on the tiptoe of ex.
pectation, Chairman Payne of the com
mittee on ways and means Immediate
ly after the House met TODAY presented
the tariff bill. While 1t was being car
ried up to the desk the republicans Wig
orously applauded. The bill was at
once referred to the committee on ways
and means.
There was such a universal demand
for the printing of more than the 20, 600
copies that Mr.. Payne said he would
later offer resolution providing for
10000 additional copies. He said he
hoped to report the bill back at an early
day exactly as introduced.
1t developed that at least fifty mem
berS on the democratic side were with
out copies of the bill, and this discovery
led to strong protest from MIR. Macon
of Arkansas. who asked what had be-
come of the copies to which they were
entitled. The answer came from Mr..
Clark Of Missouri. who declared that
some members had "gobbled up three
or four copies each.
Objects to Printing Now.
Calling attention to Mr.. Payne's state
ment that the bill would probably be re-
ported from the committee In the precise
form in which it had been introduced.
which would render necessary another
print Of the measure Mr. James objected
to the resolution providing for the print
ing of 10000 copies Of the present issue as
an unnecessary expense. The objection
has the effect of defeating the resolution,
and as consequence there will be few
available copies of the bill until the meas
ure is reported from the committee.
The House at 12:3o adjourned until to-
morrow.
The full committee on ways and means
will meet at 10 o'clock tomorrow to for
mally consider the tariff bill. The re-
publican members expect to be able to
report it to the House after the one meet
ing.
Debate May Be Prolonged.
No time limit for debate or consdera-
ton of the bill in the House has yet been
proposed. 1t is assumed by every one
that debate will occupy many weeks ow-
the various schedules; differences not of
party alone. but of various factions of
each party.
The republicans are at a decided disad-
vantage in the consideration of the bill,
as a moments reflection shows. Here is
a solid democratk phalanX comprising,
say. four-fifths of the democratic mem
bership ready at all times to vote for any
reduction Of schedules below the figures
named In the bill. The other one-fifth If
the democrats roughly speaking. may be
'Hancockized' by local demands-sugar.
cotton. iron, peanuts or what not But.
anyhow. there Is that big democratic nu-
cleus ready for anything in the way of a
cut.
The republicans? Well. they will be
broken up into different camps Drop q
ball of quicksilver in a plate and the re-
sulting dispersion. coalition and general
mix-up might fairly typify the republi-
can situation. The contention over lum-
Der. hides. ore. steel. and other items of
the bill will very likely smash lines to an
appalling degree. At least that is what
Is feared.
So. in the long run, the issue will be
forced up to the Senate to decide. Fac
tions that are dissatisfied with the treat
ment accorded their pet schedules in the
House will run over to the Senate and
tell their troubles to Mr.. Aldrich Poor
man. Not that the Senate membership
will fail to reflect some of the dissenting
views in the House. but because the Sem
ate is in better shape for compromising
and composing differences.