The Washington herald., 1910-02-04

The Senate was stirred to lively col
loqUy yesterday over the various pending
resolutions authorizing an inquiry into
high prices.
The many efforts of the Senate leaders
TO put Senator Lodges resolution through
and sidetrack the measures of Senator
Elkins and other Senators who had pro-
posed INQUIRIES led to heated but in
formal consideration of the subject
Senator Lodge came into the Senate
With a favorable report from the Finance
Committee On his resolution introduced
Wednesday. When the report was sub-
nitted Senator Elkins looked panied.
A little later Senator McCumber, OF
Ncrth Dakota, who had introduced a
resolution and referred it to the AgrI-
cultural Committee, requested a rerefer-
oEce Of It to the Committee to Audit and
Control the Contingent Expenses OF the
Senate, to which Mr.. Lodges resolution
had been consigned after the favorable
report from the Finance Committee.
stone Starts Trouble.
Then Senator Stone, of Missouri, started
the trouble. He inquired what the Com
niittee on Audit &c, had done to Senator
Elkins' resolution, more than month
before that committee
This called MI Elkins into action. He
declared there was something remarkable
in the fact that the Finance COMMITTEES
could act on Mr.. Lodges resolution over
hight. while the Audit Committee could
not get action on his own resolution n
thirty days.
IN my course as chairman OF the Com
mittee on Audit and Control" replied Mr..
kran. I have tried TO follow the example
OF the distinguished chairman of Inter
state Commerce, who. as Senators know,
seems never to be in hurry 10 report
bills"
When the Senator from West Virginia
gets TO be a member Of the Finance Com
mittee, he will be able 70 expedite his
bills,' observed Senator Bailey.
Senator ElkinS declared the newspa pers
charged that the Senate leaders We're
trying 10 avoid bringing the tariff into the
investigation.
This brought Mr.. Lodge to his feet.
The fact that only few days ago I
made speech on the very subject of the
relation OF the tariff question to prices
ought to prove that I am not trying to
dodge the tarin question in this investI-
cation said Mr.. Lodge
Quotes from Press.
The press Of the country says that
this is an attempt TO dodge the tariff; the
Senator from Massachusetts says il IS
not replied Mr. Elkins
(Which does the Senator from West
Virginia believer" inquired Senator
Bailey.
Il reserve my decision 10 await the
course Of events here" replied Mr.,
EIkins
Mr.. Elkins read from his own resolu-
ton the direction to the committee 10
investigate the relation OF legislation To
prices. THAT means the tariff" said he.
That has been left out of the resolution
reported by the Senator from Massachu-
sets
Commenting on the delay IN reporting
his resolution, Mr.. EIkins said:
Il observe that when the Senator from
Rhode Island gets back here, things move
particularly fast because they relate to
the bill he pushed through the Senate. 90
Mr.. Elkins told how he had followed
Mr.. Aldrich's leadership. and complained
that he should not be treated that way
'I told the Senator from West Vir-
Pinia when this tariff bill was under
consideration how he could get every
thing he wanted for his own State sim
ply by voting against the income tax"
said Mr.. Bailey.
Then I'm Slavery.
Il was then in slavery" replied Nj
Elkins Il had to follow the advice Of
the chairman of the Finance Committee
even to get a few dripplngs from the
tariff bill for my own State Next time
III follow the advice OF the Senator from
Texas"
Senator Aldrich denied there was any
disposition to dodge the tariff question
r. the forthcoming investigation. He IN
vited Senator Elkins to tell the Senate
what, in mis- ElkinsO judgment. occa-
stoned high prices, but Mr.. Elkins replied