The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-07-27
TO VOTE ON WOOL BILL TO-DAY
SENATE DEMOCRATS ~ SEC RET
CONFERENCE.
They say the Underwood Blii VIII Com.
mand the Votes of Al Democrats and
Arc Counting on Republican support
Admit That the Vote VIII Isc close.

'V"s" WV WIVES WI w
Arc Counting on Republican support
Admit That the Vote VIII IBc close
WASHINGTON, July 2s.-The Democrats
Of the Senate were in conference tonight
for nearly three hours and at the con-
clusion adopted pledge of secrecy in
regard To the proceedings. The decision
to put the lid on the conc lusions of the
caucus appears to have been due to the
feeling that it would be incxpedient Ia
make any statement as to the attitude
of the Democrats in the Senate toward
the La Toilette wool bill
The Underwood wool bill tha. was
passed by the House will be voted on to-
morrow and Senator La Follette's bill
will be- offered as a substitute. The
Democrats claim to have finally lined ul
their solid party vote in the Senate in
favor Of the Underwood bill
II was stated authoritatively after the
caucus tonight that the Underwood
bill would command the votes of all Dem
ocrats, hut even with the solid Demo-
cratic vote the bill will still be seven
short of the necessary number to pass it
These votes must come from the Repub-
lican side. The Democrats are counting
on some Republican support for the Tn
derwood bill and IL is freely admitted
both 10y Democrats and Republicans
that the vote on the Underwood bill will
b" very close. but it II hardly expected
that 1t will be passed
In" important question before the
Democratic caucus tonight was To de-
tertiine how the Democrats and the in
surgents could reach "A compromise 10y
which they could pass a wool bill. The
ohly basis Tor such an agreement that
could be found is IN "a compromise Oh the
duty on raw wool
Most of the time in the Senate this after
noon gwen to the negoti ltionS WIS oc-
duty ON the raw product. The nder-
wood bill carries - per cent. and the la
foilette bill about ~ per celt. The basis
ot compromise will probably be some
where i'll the neighborhood of 30 per cent.
me legislative programme to be fol
lowed tomorrow IN the Considerat ion OF
the wool bill as IT will he outlined TO.
night VIII be first to vote on the La Fol
lette substitute as an amendment to the
Underwood bill which II Is generally ad
mitted will be voted down Then the
vote will come on the Underwood bill
and that will he close. with chances III
favor oI the defeat Of the bill.
Following that an effort Will be mad.
TO get enough votes. Democrats and in
surgents voting together, to reconsider
the Underwood bill. and once before the
Senate the plan will tie to have Senator
La Toilette offer his modified bill cutting
down his duty on raw wool from 40 per
cent. to the neighhorhood Of 80 per cent
lhe vote on this amendment will be the
real test of strength, and while the situa-
tion is very doubtful with the indications
"a aFtf la inst h.. h..
amendment the result will not he definitely
known until the roll is actually called.
II adopted this measure will then 90
to the conference committee of the two
Houses. out of which it is hoped n bill will
come that can he passed ny both the
House and Senate and sent TO the Presi
dent. II is conceded that the President
will veto any wool bin that comes to him
III" Senators who are trying to lind
a way To pass a wool lIll are d, ing 20
with the full expectation that the Prcsi-
dent will veto tn. measure The spirit
Of the Democratic caucus to might seemed
10 he solely To tnd some way, working
with the insurgents. 10y which the Presl-
dent could lie put in the hole
II was explained pc q matter Of party
politics that II the President should re-
Ccive The underw God bill and veto it hH
would be condemned 10y the Democrats
hut il he received hill passed by both
Democrats and insurgents and vetoed
that hr would be condemned by both
Democrats end insurgents end could he
charged by his political adversarias with
having gone back on his declarat ion that
Schedule X IN the Fayne-Aldrch Law was
indefcnshle
The Underwood wool revision bill WAS
debated in the Senate this afternoon
Senators townsend Of Michigan Repuh-
lican, and Myers of Montana. Democrat,
urged the necessity al waiting for a
report from III. Tarlff Board before under
taking a revision of schedule X.
We have already spent half u million
dollars to create the Tariff Board" said
Mr.. Townsend. shall we agree 10 dis
regard the work Of the board and to cast
away the products OF their labor by pre-
oiptately voting for revision in advance
OF securing tho information they will
lay before the Senate in December"
Senator Myers, who represents the
greatest wool growing State in the Union.
announced to-day that he would stand
with his party and vote for the Underwood
bill. He declared that Congress should
remain in continuous session until the
tariff generally was revised and until the
people shall have been given the advan-
tage of remedial legislation, BY doing
30. he said. the Senate could go far to cor
rect the popular distrust of that body
The discussion of the wool bill was con-
tinued 10y Senators Dixon of Montana
and Hepburn of Idaho. Senator Dixon
warned his collea CUES that if the duty
on raw wool were reduced appreciahy
from what il Is at present 1T would drive
the languishng sheep industry out of
business: it will close down every woolen
mill in the United States"
Senator Hepburn Of Idaho condemned
those Republicans who were disposed to
concede any reduction in duties in the
woollen schedule. He said that such bills
as Mr. La Folistte's yielding to the demand
for a reduction of the duties were ex-
hibtons of fear in the face of attack
If the sheep growers must mark time
for four years, all right" said Mr. Hey
burn. But when at that time, under
soma really great commander of the
Republican forces. the order comes to
forward march, this great army will
move forward. and il will crush under
foot the trimmers in the Republican
party who compromised in the face of
the enemy"