The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-09
All Democrats and "a
Republicans Vote
for Measure.
MINORITY PUTS
UP HARD FIGHT
More Than 100 Amendments
Voted Down or Ruled Out Of
Order, Majority Proving It
self Smoothly Working
Machine-Accused Of Ar
bitrary Use of Power.


continuous pounding au the hands of
the Republican minority Of the House
of Representatives failed to make a
single change In the first Democratic
starin bill, that placing on the free
list agricultural implements. meats
and many other articles. The bill
passed the House tonight by vote
OF .36 TO 100. the Democrats voting
solidIy and mastering twenty-four
Republicans with them. This came
after the Democrats had voted down
or ruled out OF order more than 100
amendments and had demonstrated
gain that the Democratic majority
was compact and smoothly working
machine for the enactment OF legisla
ton. Minority Leader Mann threw
amendment after amendment into the
debate. ranging all the way from free
rice 10 free lead and pigiron. but those
that were not ruled out of order were
chccrfuily voted down by an almost
solid Democratic vote. 5
An attempt by MIR. Mann TO recon-
nit the bill 10 the Committee on Ways
and Means was tabled by the House.
Amendments Thrown Out.
The Republican fight to amend the
bill began with an attempt to make
the free admission or merchandise APP
that In turn admitted American pro-
ducts free. This was followed by ef.
forts to have Incorporated In the bill
provisions that would force other
countries TO give UP their discrimina-
tons against American meats, live
cattle and flour, and to include pro-
visions aimed at countries that impose
restrictions on the export OF potash
and pulp wood.
of
| thrown out BY Chairman Alexander
and Chairman Hay. the two presiding
officers OF the day, as not permissible
under the rules of the House
The Republican leaders, including
! Speaker Cannon, Mr.. Mann and Repre-
sentative Payne, former Republican
lender. roundly denounced the Demo-
Gratis for denying freedom OF debate
and amendment. Mr. Cannon declared
, that never In the history of Congress
had the right OF Representation on tho
floor OF the House been SO limited.
and Mr.. Payne asserted that tho Demo
Gratis would be discredIted before tile
country for their arbitrary exercise
OF majority power.
The Democrats smiled through it
! all, and on the motion Of Mr.. I'm
dcrwood they continued to turn down
the Republican amendments They
ruled out amendments covering free
rice free sugar. free iron ore, free
paints, drugs, glass and host OF
other things. Time after time AR
Mann appealed from the decisions OF
the chair, overruling his amendments:
but in each case the Democratic ma
tority cheerfully sustained the chair.
I.ooks Like EfIibustcr.
After four or FIVE hours OF attempts
at amendment the Republican fight
took on the complexion of fiiibuster.
Once. when denied vote by the
chairman. Mr.. Mann lntimated that
the bill would not pass in a burrv
Following that, Republicans repeated
~ demanded rising votes, but in tho
end Mr. Mann made no attempt to
delay the final vote on the bill. In
all. the Republican leader offered
elghty-threo amendments
The Democrats stcadfastly refused
10 cut off debate. or lay themselves
open TO the charge of having passed
the bill under a gag rule.
Minority Leader Mann declared that
the Democrats had not put either rico
or rice -four on the free list simnlv
because they were products OF South-
ern States. Chairman Underwood Of
the Ways and Means Committee. the
Democratic leader, replied that Tho
reason rice had not boon made free
was because tho Democrats did not
know how much revenue 1t would cost
the government.
This does not eompletc our tariff
LEGISLATION said Mir. Underwood. ",ve
introduced this bill 10 give the farm.
ers cheaper agricultural implements
and the city jewellers cheaper meats
and bread We could not go beyond
that without cndanserlnE the reve
nues- We intend to take up, in proper
order, all tariff rates, and to adjust
all OF them