The Washington herald., 1911-08-21
SENATE DEMOCRATS
ON THE WARPATH
Progressives Regret Having
ENDORSED La Toilette.
NEW COALITION IS PROBABLE
Radicals in Both Parties May Unite
for Purpose of Passing Tariff
and Antitrust LegisIation at
Regular Sessions-MOre Investi-
cations VIII Then he Made.

There is an eruption in the ranks of
the Democrats in the Senate on ac-
count of the quiet understanding be-
tween some of the regular Republicans
and the conservative Democrats by
which the leadership of Senator La Fol-
lette was eliminated, and the Democrats
were able to pass their legislative pro-
gramme on the tariff last week. 1t is
now very evident that all of the Demo-
cratic Senators were not let into the
secret by which certain regular Repub-
licsns refrained from voting and per-
mttted the Democrats to carry through
their House bill. thus taking the insur-
gent Republicans completely unawares
and disarranging the plans of the DEM
ocratic-insurgent coalition. which had
been debating tariff legislation under
the direction of Senator La Toilette.
There is n very large and demonstra-
tive element in the Democratic party
of the Senate led by men like Senators
Stone and Reed, of Missouri; Williams
of Mississippi Pomerene, OF Ohio. and
Kern. of Indiana. These men call them
selves progressive Democrats" They
made a demonstration at the time Sen
ator Martin was chosen minority leader
and tried to defeat him. Generally they
are the followers of William J. Bryan.
This influence is to the Senate Demo-
Gratis what Representative Ollie James
and his following are to the leadership
OF Representative Underwood, chairman
of the Ways and Means Committee in
the House.
DfsgruntIed at Situation.
The ffty-two Senate Democrats have
been disgruntled since the collapse of the
Senate coalition. There has been much
murmuring, and several of these Demo-
Gratis have been going TO Senator La Fol-
lette apologizing and explaining since the
Wisconsin Senator was unhorsed last
week. The result of the uprising has been
the declaration made by several of the
Bryan Democrats that when the regular
session of Congress conyenes there will be
a new working agreement between the So
called progressive Senator'S" both DEM
ocratic and Republican, on a legislative
programme that will comprehend not only
the tariff legislation, but the antitrust
legislation.
Some of the more radical Democrats
in the Senate assert that there is clear
ly working agreement between the con-
servatives of both political parties in the
Senate and that its object is-to defeat
radical legislation. The effect of this new
combination among the radicals. which is
in process OF formation, >nay bring about
the passage of some sweeping tariff and
antitrust bills.
The Democrats are coming back to the
regular session with a plan for the gen.
eral revision of the tariff schedules. Sem
ator La Toilette and his insurgent follow
ers will be in sympathy with the pro-
gramme Senator La Toilette has already
introduced a sweeping antitrust bill, en-
larging the scope OF the Sherman law,
which was outlined in the press dis
patches published to-day. Senator Ken
yon, another insurgent, of Iowa, intro
duced earlier in the special session in
tended to make more stringent the penal
provisions Of the Sherman act and de-
signed to make jail sentences for trust
offenders the rule rather than the excep-
ton in convictions obtained by the gov
ernment.
Anti-trust Agitation.
The Senate has already authorized
the Committee on Interstate Commerce
to begin hearings in November and to
conduct an investigation to determine
just what legislation Is needed to
strengthen the anti-trust laws and to
further regulate commerce. The COM
mittee, of which Senator Clapp, of
Minnesota, an insurgent Republican. is
chairman, has been clothed with power
to summon witnesses, compel testi-
mony. and to require the production of
papers. II is believed that this investi-,
CATION will be very thorough one
and that as a result of IL legislation
will be proposed ht the regular session
which may embody some OF the fea-
lures OF Senator La Follette's bill, as
well as OF the bill introduced by sena-
tor Kenyon.
The Democratic Senator'S who have
been working with Senator La Toilette
are thoroughly In sympathy with the
proposed investigation by the Senate
Committee on Interstate Commerce.
Last year was record bresker for eole production