The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-08-04
HOUSE PASSES COTTON BILL
1T Cuts THE RATES IN THE
TiRIFF Law ~ HiLF.

The Vote on Its Passage Was 2O2 to ~
Twenty six Republicans. with ucr.
ger. socialist. and Akcn. independent,
Of This state. Vote with the Ma jOrit,
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3.--The Democratic
cotton revision bill. which just about cuts
! the cotton rates OF the present tariff IN W
| in half. was passed in the Houge Of Repre-
sentatves this evening 10y vote of ?o2
to 81. Twenty-six Republicans. Repre-
sentative AIKEN of New York, who is TN
classed politically. and Representative
| Berger. the Milwaukee socialist. helped
to Jam the measure through
To-day's debate on the cotton bill was
the livcliest that has,taken place in the
House this session. In their attacks the
Republicans showed great bitterness.
paying their respects particularly to the
caucus system" by which the Democrats
have pushed their tariff bills through the
House without change.
Representative Payne Of New York. n
minority member OF the Committee on
Ways and Means. began the fight. He
declared that it was utterly useless to
offer amendments. as each individual OF
the majority was tied hand and foo: and
bound to follow the lead of Representative
Underwood. chairman of the Committee
on Ways and Means.
"You." he said. addressing the Demo
Gratis. have turned your consciences q
over TO the Ways and Means Committee.
and that committee is In the control Of
its chairman. Representative Underwood
of Alabama
Mr.. Payne expressed amazement that
the Democrats would submit to the
tyranny of BOSS as personified by
Leader Underwood
Minority Leader Mann also took a few
hot shots at Majority Leader Underwood. 4.
MIR. Underwood cried Mann. "is not
merely chairman Of the Ways and Means
Committee. he is the Ways and Means
Committee. and. moreover. the Speaker
of the House to-day is the servant not the
master OF the gentleman from Alabama
In the language of to-day he is il.
Il anticipate great harmony among the
Democrats Mr.. Mann continued. with
Underwood on one side and Bryan on the
other. pulling hair and calling each other
liars"
Other Republicans. among them In
surgent Cooper of Wisconsin. took the cue
from Mr.. Payne and for two hours or more
there was rough and tumble debate
in which members OF the minority charged
the Democrats with subscribing to the
rule of Boss" Underwood.
A great deal OF significance was at
tached to a prediction made by Mr.. Payne
| that President Taft would veto all the
| tariff bills sent to him in the life Of this
| session.
What are you passing this bill fora
asked Mr.. Payne. do you expect it 10
become law? You are trying to put the
President in n hole. are you? Why. If YOU
send bills to him from now until December
l it will not be a ma rker by way of putting
the President in hole. That gentleman
a statesman of brains ard man of char
acter. has certain settled convictions
and one of them is in favor of a tarifI
board for collecting evidence and usins
IL in the making up of schedules. pc
you suppose you embarrass him by send
ing these crude. i'll examined bills to the
White House? Why. he has the great es
opportunity that n President has ever hao
| in years to stand up to the conviction,
which he has so long espoused by vetoinS
these measures ore after another
This statement WAS wildly cheered b,
the Republicans
| Training his batteries on the Demo
cratic caucus, lnsursent Cooper insist &c
that the oath administered to member,
q the House should be changed
| 1T should read this way" he said: "W,
promi 80 to support the Constitution I,
the best Of our ability. provided our act.
are approved by the caucus"
Mr. Cooper predicted that the caucus
as conducted by the Democrats woulr
soon become n more pronounced issue il
the United States than "Cannonsm" eve
was
Representative Madison of Kansas
another insurgent. also denounced the
caucus system.
Democrats Leader Underwood contras teC
present methods with pra ractices that Oh
tained when the Republicans were ir
control of the House. "You passet
bills" he said. addressing Mr.. Payne
under the whip and spur. You limited
debate and erected a bar gainst amend
ments. We have let debate run OF
uninterruptedly, and have no, shut on,
amendments that are germane to a
particular bill"
Representative Prouty of Iowa. ar
insurgent, stirred up a lot Of excitement
! "HtlI gu tIldl IIle VtIlulnG hll
was drafted largely in the interests o,
Southern cotton manufacturers. He de-
clared that the Underwood bill increascc
by 25O per cent. the rates on cotton cloth.
| made in Southern mills.
| This statement made tho Democrat 6
sore Mr.. Underwood admitted that in
the instances noted by Mr. Prouty In,
rates had been increased. but he insist ed
that the increase was more apparen,
than real.
Taking up this line of argument Repre-.
sentative Harrison of New York Lectures
the Republicans for making mountain
out OF q mole hill"
Twenty minutes ago | intended tc
vote for this bill" exclaimed Representa-.
tive Prouty. Since then have beer
busy with my pencil. ! find that wbile
you have reduced the rates on tho prod
ucts OF Northern cotton mills YOU hay,
increased them on products of Southern
cotton mills. You are trying to buncc
us"
Representative Fowler of Illinois. s
Democratic recruit. averted what threat
ened at times to develop into an exceed
ingly bitter debate
II have been characterized as sill