The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-07-29
TAFT IN A HOLE.
The Democrats and Insurgents Rtut The
StaDdpat Republicans.
THE WOOL BILL PASSED

ition Puts Through Compromise
Measure Providing for Reduction!
in Wool Duties.
Out of what had appeared to bt
chaotic condition in the Senate, there
suddenly arose Thursday a coalition
Of Democrats and insurgent Republi
cans, which bowled over the regular
organization and passed compro
mise bill for the revision of the wool
len tariff, by 4S to 80.
This new force in the Senate unit
ed on reduction Of tariff duties al
down the line and, flushed with vic
tory is threatening not only to enact
the so-called House farmers free
list" bill into law next Tuesday, but
to put through a cotton bill as we'll
The insurgents want the sugar and
steel schedule included in the pro.
gramme.
The House Democratic leaders are
not willing to accept che compromise
bill as it passed the Senate, but they
are more than willing to meet the
Senate conferees. Chairman Under
wood, of the House ways and means
committee, expressed the belief that
bill satisfactory to both houses
was more than likely to be agreed
upon.
This would put the wool issue uE
to President Taft, and there Is much
speculation as to what his course
would be. While Mr.. Taft would
make no comment on the situation
here have been strong intimations
from the White House within the
past few weeks that he would not
hesitate to use the veto on any tariff
schedules passed in advance Of the
report of the regular tariff board.
Assumption of power by the Dem
ocratic-insurgent combination was
the outgrowth Of a similar coalition
formed on June 21, to send the wool.
en- bill to the finance committee with
instructions to report it hack July
10. The standpat Senators then ad
mitted that their control Of the uD,
per House Of Congress had beer
broken and that they would no long
er hold themselves RESPONSIBLE. The
finance committee, shifting the re-
spon ,ibility TO the floor of the Sen,
ate, reported the bill back adversely
the next day.
Senator Penrose, chairman of the
finance committee, freely predicted
that Mr.. Taft would veto any WOO
measure that might come out of the
conference. Both Democratic an6
regular Republican leaders seem tt
feel that veto would not be to theil
disadvantage.
The bill as passed by the Senate
was drawn by Senator LaFollette
and was a compromise between the
Underwood bill, which passed the
Democratic House, and the origina
LaFollette bill, both forced out ot
the way.
Some idea of the compromise may
be had from the proposed rates OF
raw WOOL The House bill proposed
a rate of 20. per cent. ad valorem
The original LaFollette bill propose!
40 per cent. The compromise fixe!
the rate at 35, per cent. 1t is pre-
dicted that the conference will put i
at 80 per cent.
The progressive programme is tt
remain in session until action may bt
had on the several schedules named
The agreement under which the WOO
bill was put through extends to tht
farmers free list" in modified form
The Democratic Senators are Meth
er so unanimous or as enthusiastic
as the insurgent Republicans for {
Pcontinued revision. They say tina
much will depend on the President:
attitude.