The Washington herald., 1911-07-16


terday by some of the Senate lead
ers that he could prepare to pass
on a bill revising the duties in the
wooden schedule. Senator Crane, of
Massachusetts, and Senator Smoot,
of Utah, told the President that
there was every reason to believe
that the Democrats and insurgents
in the Senate would combine on
Senator La Follette's bill revising
the woolen schedule and pass it,
probably as a substitute for the Un-
derwood bill which was sent over
from the House.
AGREES WITH COLLEAGUES.
Senator John Sharp Williams, one Of
the Democratic leaders, who was pres
ent, agreed with his Republican col
leagues that the La Toilette bill would
probably pass the Senate. If the Senate
should pass that measure as a substi-
tute for the Underwood BILL the mat
ter would then go to a conference COM
mittee of the two Houses, and it is likely
that out of the conference would come
bill that would be acceptable to both
Houses and be sent to the President.
Senator Smoot has made careful can
vass of the situation and he believes that
there is no question that the La Toilette
bill will be passed. His prediction is
based upon a solid Democratic support
Of the bill, with practically all Of the
insurgents added.
There is some question whether Sena-
ter La Fouette's bill would command a
solid Democratic support. Some Of the
Senate leaders do not share the opinion
of Senator Smoot that the Democrats
would vote solidly for the La Toilette
bill If all of the Democratic Senators
voted for the bill it would require only
five insurgent votes added in order to
pass it.
1t Is generally agreed that the insur-
gents will not support the Underwood
bill. On the other hand, Representative
Underwood, chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee Of the House, when
seen yesterday said very frankly that
the La Toilette bill was not acceptable
to the Democrats. go -~ D..
VIII Not Accept Bill.
I'VE cannot accept the La Toilette
BILL" said Mr.. Underwood. Without
going into detail, 1 may say that some
of it's provisions are contrary to the
Democratic position on this subject. From
our point of view the rates proposed in
the La Toilette bill are excessive. In
the matter of raw wool the La Toilette
rates are much higher than the rates
given by the Payne-Aldrich law.
THE Democrats Of the House will not
accept such a measure. II the Senate
should pass it it would, Of course, go to
conference committee and what would
be the outcome of the conference II
would be idle to speculate on, except 1t
may he accepted as certain now that an
agreement on the La Toilette bill would
be impracticable."
Representative Underwood pointed out
some Of the distinctions between the
bill that he reported and the House
passed. and which is now pending In
the Senate, and the bill that Senator
La Toilette will offer as a substitute.
The Democratic bill substitutes ad va
loren for specific rates. The La Fol-
lette bill contains both specific and ad
valorem rates, as does the Payne-Aldrich
law. The rates IN the Democratic bill
show a general average Of 80 per cent.
The biggest cuts made by the La Fol-
lette bill in the existing rates are In the
dIfferentials on wooden cloth. The rates
on raw wool expressed in ad valorems
in the La Toilette bill, according to Mr..
Underwood, are 60 per cent Those in
the Payne-Aldrich law are "A 1-2 per cent,
while the rate proposed in the Under
wood bill is 20 per cent.
Taft VIII Veto Bill.
While the prospect of the passage Of
the wool bill has created some excite
ment among the Republican leaders in
Congress, there appears to be little
doubt that If such a measure is sent to
the President it will be vetoed The
President has not toIG anybody definitely
what he would do with such BILL but
his attitude is pretty well understood
among the Congress leaders.
President Taft believes that general
tartff revision should wait on the re-
port Of the board OF tariff experts,
which probably will be ready at the be-
ginning of the regular session Of Con-
gress. He has told the leaders Of both
parties that he is desirous Of having the
wool schedule considered as one OF the
first subjects in plan of tariff re-
vision. he is on record as having said
that Schedule K as # exists in the
: Payne-Aldrich law Is indefensfble- But
the President. it Is thought. would not
hesitate to veto the bill coming to him
in advance of a report from the tariff
board. He believes that the revision,
when made. should be scientific one.
It Is well understood on all hands that
the purpose in sending the bin to the
President is to make political capital II
possible. Senator La Toilette doubtless
wants to put up TO the President a bill
which he knows In advance the Presi-
dent would probably be compelled to
veto, and this win probably give the
Senator from wisconsin theme for his
campaign for the Presidency.
The Democrats doubtless think they