New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-01
Situation Complicated by Presl-
Dental Ambitions OF a Member.
MAY MAKE INSURGENTS
Sharply Drawn Contest in Ways
and Means Committee
Impending.
rrrnrn The Tribune BUREAU. ]

Washington, April S0---Complicstcd by
the Presidential smbit. ons OF one OF thelr
number. as well as the necessity OF CON
serving every advantage for 1872, the stu
elton IN the Democratic House with respect
TO the wool schedule has now reaclvd an
acute stage. with the line Of battle sharply
drawn between those who are insisting on
free wool and those who insist that II
would be political suicide for the House TO
remove tho entire duty from this product.
serious split In the Ways and Means
Committee IL is learned to-day. is impend-
iuc unless some compromise can be reached
There are House Democrats who declare
that the Presidential ambitions of n mem
Der of tho House, or Of any other Democrat
shall not influence revision Of the wool
schedule
When the Democratic members or the
present WAYS and Means Committee were
rsmed there was r general impression in
the caucus. especially among the more rad'-
cal Democrats, that raw wool would go
upon the free list. Democrats from those
states that do not produce wool have been
bowling for years about the iniquiues OF
the woolIen schedule
Now comes Chairman Underwood and
several other influential members OF the
WAYS end Means Committee. who declare
,hst n will never do to take the duty of
wool hut that the majority must be con-
tent with Substantial reduction"
Such a declaration has proved a red nag
90 thos. peculiarly constituted Democrats
Who viii he dissatisfied unless the wool
schedule Is ripped from end 10 end. They
are threatening 10 denounce the entire pro-
grsmme during the debate, unless the Ways
end Means Committee agrees TO tho de-
rusnds Of the free wool crowd.
Or che other hand. with the demands OF
other factions Just as insistent. there are
the Middle West Democrats who practical
~ want protected raw wool.
Between these extreme factions there are
various Democratic groups. each with its
own idea as 10 an equitable revision OF
tho schedule. Some propose a reduction In
the present tariff Of 70 per cent; others "
per cent: eth others % per cent while
some como near enough 10 free wool 10
suggest * per cent. The chief wrangle,
however Is due 10 the fact that member.
OF the Ways and Means Committee seem
20 be thinking too seriously of 1912. While
the free wool Democrats are insisting that
Presidential ambitions and revision OF the
~oollen schedule shall not be COMPOUNDED.
Democratic platforms have pretty consist
emily called for free raw wool Why go
back on these principles. demand the free
wool advocates. simpl because some would
he Presidential candidate IL afraid OF los
ing vote I'm a wool-growing state?
Tho WAYS and Means Committee mem
b.rs are in ausndary. The situation IS
Incoming critical as the committee pre-
psres 10 tackle the wool and cotton sched-
ules These are TO he taken up soon ar
the Farmers Free List bill passes, proba-
bly, the latter part OF the week
Tho more conservative members OF the
committee. aside from the politics Of re-
vision have said that the Democrats can
not dispens4 with the go 900 90 revenue now
PRODUCED ~ raw wool imports The free
wool radicals say: "Pouf, Wen make up
the 100000 by cutting down the pension
rolls. curtsilinG the naval programme or
reducing tho duty on ms nufaCturcd wool
70 such an extent that increased imports
will compensate for the Ioss on raw wool"
The question Of revenue. however, Is but
incidental ~ the main question. "Will
Champ Clark or Woodrow Wilson or Jud-
sen Harmon. whoever the nominee may be.
'ose or gain votes II We put wool on tho
free lst?'
II IS hard nut for he Democratic
House and the prospects to-day are that
there viii be Democratic as we'll as Re
publican insurgents before the wool sched-
ule Is reyiss6