The Washington times., 1911-08-05
SENATE SQUABBLE
LOOMS UP AS BAR
TO ADJOURNMENT
Finance Committee to Grant
Hearings On Cotton
Measure.
TAFT TO GET FREE
LIST BILL FIRST
Allies Scheme To Block His
Reference To Tariff
! Board.
By JOHN SNURE.

Important development in the Senate
side of the Capitol today STRENGTHENED
the impression that Congress is not 60
Ing to be able to get away from Wash
ington for several weeks more and
that 1t has lot Of wrestling With tariff
ahead of it before adjournment.
The Finance Committee net, took up
the cotton bill referred to it yesterday,
and decided to allow brief hearings
upon it. These will not be held until
next week after Statehood is out of the
way.
The conferees on the wool and free
list bills met, and the free list bill was
referrtd to Senator La Toilette and
Representative Underwood. They will
not reach an agreement for two or
three days.
When the Finance Committee took up
the cotton bill, 1t was expected 1t would
at once be reported back to the Senate
adversely. Senator Smoot moved to re-
port adversely and Senator Williams
moved to report faVorably. Senator
Simmons of North Carolina pleaded for
little time for hearings for the cotton
manufacturing interests of his State. In
view of his plea, il was decided not TO
press the matter of an immediate re-
port.
Committee Adjourns.
The outcome was that neither the
Smoot nor Williams motion was pressed
and the committee adjourned to meet
at the call of Chairman Penrose
If Senator Simmons can arrange 1t, It
is expected the committee will give a
hearing to the North Carolina people
one day next week, probably Wednes-
day. The bill. under order of the Sen
ate, has 10 be reported back not later
than Thursday.
The conferees on the wool and free
list bills, who are the same members in
each case, on meeting this morning
were advised by Senator La Toilette
and Representative Underwood that
they had been unable to reach an
agreement on the wool bill. Each de-
sired to consult his followers further.
On the free list bill. Representative
Underwood wanted a disagreement re-
ported in order that the Senate might
express itself again on the amendment
for free lemons and in order that there
Nigh; be n further test of sentiment in
each house on the bread and meat
amendments put on in the Senate. This
was not pressed.
Bailey Opposes.
A strong disposition was shown among
the cnnferecS TO report an agreement: on
the free list bill before the one on the
wool bill. Senator aBilev is opposed to
that
The plan which the insurgents and
Democrats desire to carry out is to
put the free list bill up to the PresI-
dent and make him sign or veto that
ahead OF The wood bill. This will be
done fer various reasons II is thought
the first veto message is the one the
country will read. and it is believed by
the allies that the President cannot
make use Of the tariff board idea to
advantage in vetoing the free list bill.
All the indications are that the con-
ferces will agree on a compromise wool
bill. hut the exact figures are kept in
the dark. The raw wool duty is not ex-f
pected to go above thirty per cent,
though Senator La Toilette is earnestly
urging thirty five the figure in his bill,
on the theory President Taft could not
refuse to sign such bill and might re-
fuse II II We're lower.
Insur9ent leaders strongly insisted to-
day that cotton bill would be passed
bV the Senate and they said thev felt
hopeful of attaching to ii bills revising
the steel and sugar schedules.