The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-24
LINES DRAWNFOR
 FREE LIST BATTLE: Tariff Debate Begins in the
 House Today BILL IS SURE TO PASS Discussion Will Probably Last Two Weeks-Reapportionment Bill to
 Be Called Up Wednesday.
 Underwood Talks


 Washington, April 23.-The first attack os the democratic House of Representa- tives upon the schedules of the Payne Aldrich tariff law will begin tomorrow. With the Canadian reciprocity bill dis. posed of as far as the House is con- cerned, the lines of battle are being drawn over the bill introduced by Chair man Underwood of the ways and means committee and approved by the demo- cratic caucus, placing on the free list many manufactured articles calculated to be of benefit to the farmers of the coun- try.
 That the bill will pass the House is unquestioned, but there will be tur- buent and prolonged debate and the di- vision of the final vote will be far diff ferent from the vote on the reciprocity bill. Republican leaders declare that at least three-fourths of the 67 republicans who voted with the democratic majority for the reciprocity bill will be found this time standing valantly by the minor ity and the republican protective policy.
 The democratic leaders themselves ad- init that upon the free list bill the align ment will be closely partisan, and they expect that the discussion will continue for possibly two weeks. Then there wall be long Hull in tariff revision activity in the House, which undoubtedly will adjourn from time to time waiting the report of the ways and means commit tee on the revised textile schedules. The committees real work on the revision of the wool and cotton schedules will not be undertaken until the farmers free list bill has been passed.
 Caucus Will Direct
 After the schedules are prepared there will be a caucus of the democratic ma jority and the bills will be reported to the House as the caucus direct That action probably cannot come for three weeks
 This extra session. said democratic leader Underwood today. '1s to be essen tially a tariff revision session" We have passed the reciprocity bill and next week will take up the free list bill. calling 1t up Monday as soon as some appro- priation matters are disposed of There will be a mileage bill. some correction bills and then the debate on the free lis; will be taken ur
 "As we handled the reciprocity bill, so will we this one. There has been a heavy demand from both sides of the House for time to speak. There will be no disposition to shut off the debate. The outlook is that the free list bill will take up more of the time of the House than did the reciprocity bill"
 The democrats have not the necessary two-thirds majority to suspend calendar Wednesday, which makes 1t likely that the next two Wednesdays will be given over to other matters than the free list bill
 The reapportionment bill is almost cer- tain to be called up next Wednesday in an effort to pass 1t, but opposition may delay final vote. The New Mexico Arizona statehood bill also Is on the cal endar Besides these two measures the programme includes little of importance except the tariff. The democrats wifi resume the free list discussion Thurs day.
 I've do not know yet what the re- vised wool schedule or cotton schedule will be-, said MT. Underwood. "Infor- nation now being assembled for the use of the committee will be ready when the committee gets time to devote to thus work after disposition of the free list.
 Will Open Market
 q know that by revising the prohibi. tive schedules we will open the market to enough new material to more than compensate our revenues for the revised duties. We cannot adopt policy here of cutting off revenues at a wholesale rate without providing some other means of raising revenue for the government. The tariff revislons we will propose at this time will take steps in the right direction, but will not be as sweeping as the democratic party ultimately will seek to have enacted into law.
 "The free list bill will cut off about s1o,0ooOOO revenue, but s2.OOo.Oo0 of that is compensated for in the reciprocity bill and we can see now where we will save the government more than the other ss. 100000 through economizing in govern ment departments, which work is to be taken up at once by the house commit tees on expenditures
 Whether the democrats will attempt at the extra session to revise any other schedules than wool and cotton depends much upon the length of time required to dispose of those two. Some food tar ifs are being considered and sugar Is regarded particularly as target which the committee as vet has not seriously considered As sugar brings in $60,000 ,000 in revenue annually, there Is little pros pect of that schedule heinz taken up before the regular session of Congress next winter.
 Tn the Senate the deadlock between the regulars and insurgents over com mittee assignments continued and that body is unable to proceed with the reel procity bill Negotiations to complete the organization will be resumed Tuesday and it is almost certain the Senate can not get down to practical work for at least another week When 1t meets to- morrow adjournment until Thursday Is expected.
 Labor Conference in Atlanta
 Atlanta. April 23.-Former Gov. Nal