Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-17
RIFF BATTLE IS IN SIGHT
Minority Organized to Put Up
Strenuous Opposition.
ZEE LIST SPELLS CONTEST
Plan to Cut Duty Off Articles for
Farmer an Issue.
SENATE NOT IN ANY HASTE
Upper House, on the Defensive, Takes
It's Time About Getting Ready
for Action-Anothcr Adj
journment Probable

WASHINGTON. April 16-so far in the
extraordinary session Of congress it has
been plain sailing for the well organized
democratic majority in the house Of rep
rcsentatives. but. in the view of a strong
minority. there are breakers ahead.
Democratic leaders refer with pride to
them achievement OF passing the bill for
the popular election of United States SEN
ators and the campaign publicity bill in
two legislative days and to bringing be-
fore the house the Canadian reciprocity
agreement with assurances of Its ratifica-
ltion by an overwhelming majority by the
middle of this week.
To all these features of the legislative
program. however there has been little
opposition. The wonder Of It, to the ex-
perienced observer, was the demonstration
Of the smoothly running democratic
machine.
But by what is to follow-the free list
hill approved by the democratic caucus
and favoraby reported by the new com
mittee on ways and means-the rapid pace
of legislative progress is expected to receive
check
stubborn Fight in sight.
Reciprocity discussion begun Saturday
furnished an opportunity for the minority
leaders to intimate their intentions and
to make it clear that the bill placing on
the free list manufactured articles in
demand by the farmers will be fought as
stubbornly as any proposed democratic
tariff measures ever were opposed in CON
gress. The majority leaders realize the
bill can not be rushed through, and they
are preparing to meet the assault upon
1t in n prolonged debate.
k,,9r 81 a..
means committee intends 10 submit to the
house the committees report on the free
list bill on the concluding dav Of the
reciprocity debate, so that It may be called
up the following day.
The tariff debate, it is expected. will
begin at once. and il is the hope of the
democrats that the bill can be put upon
it's passage within two weeks. The de-
termination OF the minority leaders to
assaif Il from every angle doubtiess will
result in keeping the measure before the
house for much longer time
Minority Frames Plans.
The minority members of the ways and
means committee. in considering the pro-
posed free list, voted sodly against, main
tanning it was a hastily framed measure
III advised and not sufficiently backed up
concerned. Furthermore, it was pointed
out the tariff board had not been con
suited
That Mr.. Mann the minority leader, viii
conduct an argument against the bill is
/ beyond question. Mr. Payne who was
chairman of the old ways and means com
mittee, will be allied with him in directing
the attack.
This will be but the beginning Of tariff
excitement. as the democrats already are
preparing revised wool and cotton sched-
ues to be presented as soon as possible
and later on in the session the agricul-
tural schedule Will be tackled and then
will come again the controversy over the
high cost of living With all this in pros,
pect, not to mention the proposed Arizona
and New Mexico statehood hsll. anti-injunc-
! ton legislation, reapportionment and ap-
preparation bills, the present outlook is
that the house will be kept busy until
well into the summer.
senate IL LeisureIy.
! Two Important pieces Of legislation are
ready for the senate, which resumes to-
morrow, but the senate is not ready 10
consider any legislation and, to all ap-
pearances. IL is making no haste, The
senate committees are not yet named and
when 1t meets tomorrow IL is probable an
other adjournment viii be taken until
Thursday one OF the senate leaders, when
asked how soon the committees would be
/ ready, replied:
We'll, we are on the defensive in re-
gard to the tariff and | guess we are in
no hurry to appoint committees, The SEN
| etc viii take its time"
! the prospects are good, however, for the
passage by the senate OF the popular cleo
ton and campaign publicity bills. There
| is considerable new progressive material in
! tne senate and the popular election of SEN
atoTs is sure 20 meet with a more favorable
reception than It did in the last congress-
where II received a majority, but not the