The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-25
BIG TALK AHEAD.
Democrat Free List Bill Intro
duced in the House
Threatens to Lead to an Almost
Endless Debate.
MEASURE WILL PASS
But Amendments Already Are
Beginning to Pour In.
Free Traders Are Trying to En-
large Its Scope.
MEASURE WILL PASS


again holds the situation of congress
1t made its appearance today IN the
shape of the free list bill, which was
called up just before adjournment yes
terday and which threatens to lead to
almost endless debate before 1t hnalIy
is passed along to the senate.
Leaders on both sides of the mouse
foresee long days of talk ahead. That
the measure will pass is generally
conceded, but it will not command the
heavy toll of Republican votes given
to the Canadian reciprocity measure.
Amendments already are beginning
to pour in and efforts are being maze
by free trade Democrats to enlarge
the scope of the measure
While the senate was not In session
today, interest conferred in the eXecu-
tive session of the Republican COM
mittee on committees which is trying
to heal the differences over committee
assignments between the regular and
progressive members of the party IN
that body. Chairman Gallinger today
hoped he could report the assignments
Thursday.
Chairman Underwood of the ways
and means committee, in explaining the
free list bill, acknowledged that II
would mean a reduction in government
revenues by at least $10000,000 year
than met by government economies
This free list is not offered as i
compensation to the farmer for pro-
ducts of his that were put on the free
list in the reciprocity bill" said Mr..
Underwood, because we don't believe
the passage of the reciprocity agree
ment will in any way affect the FARM
er's income.
lone of the objects of this bill is to
remove from the protected list those
implements that the farmer uses in
producing his crop. The other purpose
is to reduce the cost of living to the
masses by putting their food products
on the free list
Mr.. Underwood announced that this
was only the beginning of the Demo-
cratic revision of the tariff.
we propose to revise the tariff.
schedule by schedule he said. THAT
is, in our opinion the only proper way
to handle the tariff question in con-
gress. The Democratic party does not
stand for the wiping out of the Gus
toms houses; we realize that the ex-
penses of government may be borne by
jUdicious system of duties. But by
lowering and adjusting prohibitive
duties We can fully maintain the
amount of customs revenues"
The minority report on the free list
bill, signed by all of the Republicans
on the ways and means committee de-
clares that the measure represents "a
transparent attempt at the manufac-
ture of political capital"
The Republican report asserts that
congress was called together specificaI-
ly to pass the Canadian reciprocity bill
The interests of the farmer and of
everybody else will be subserved." saws
the report. 'ff the country is SPARED
from further exploitation and further
tariff legislation at the present time
L I11a ant &c. A,1-
after the reciprocity bill shall have
been finally acted on. -
The debate promises to engage a
large part of the membership of the
house At the beginning of TODAY s
session more than so MEMBERS had boen
promised an opportunity to smell
Mr.. Underwood in his opening sneaob
charged the Republicans with making
the Payne tariff law so that if left q
tarln tax on everything that the farm
er used while reducing MANY of his
protective duties. He declared +5a+ IN
putting hides on the free 1ist the pn az
publlcans had put the benefits into the
pockets OF the boot and shoe manufac-
turers. az
Attacking the bill Representative
Mann; the Republican leader pointed
out that the effect of removipg tbo
duty on agricultural implements 1,ie,I,+
be entirely different from the exnacfed
result. The International Harvester
company he said has large factories in
Canada, France, Germany ana BuS
sia and could ship into the United
states free of duty, agricultural i,,,rIa-
ments manufactured cheapIv abroad
without affecting the price paid bv the
American purchaser N-
Crisis I'm Senate Fight.
Washington, April 25.-Tbe crisis II,
the tight between regular and insur-
gent senators over places on the
standing committees is expected to be
reached late today. Through Senator.
LaFollette the Insurgents have Sied
their demands and the committee on
committees has taken the matter nm
der consideration. Tho insurgent Iie+
has not been made public. but if is
known that although Senator IaFoI-
lette was conceded by the regulars a
place on the finance committee. the
insurgents insisted that Senator Cum
minis also should be named and that
the regulars also We're willing to give
Senator LAatollette a place on apDro-
priations, but that he demanded in
terstate commerce. of which Senator
Clapp is to be chairman and Senator
CumminS member: that Senator
Bourne has been given the Chairman
ship OF the postoffice committee and
Senator Brtstow a place on the same
committee, but Senator Bourne de-
manded to go on appropriations also
These places and the vacancies on for
eign relations, judiciary and privileges
and elections are making most of the
trouble.
The regular Republicans plan 10
take three places on the finance COM
mittee Senator Penrose is to be pro
NOTED to chairman. while the new
members are to be Hepburn. Clark of
Wyoming, who is to retire from for
eign relations, and Gallinger. Senator
Warren win be chairman of appro-
prlations and Smoot made a member
Senator Cummins is given foreign re-
lations by the regular slate. but he
wants judiciary instead
Senator Smith of Michigan is sJated
for chairman of territories and Sena-