The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-04-26
APP0RTONMENT !.
SIDE TRACKED N
CONGRESS TO-DAY
The Bill Under Consideration
Gives North Dakota Three
Congressman
Representative MANN PunCTuReD
THE FARMERS FREE LIST BILL

The FARMERS FREE LIST BILL
So Loosely Drawn That Almost Any.
thing Can Get in Free-Wnl Be of
Especial Benefit to the Information.
al Harvester Trust.
Washington, April 26-When to-
days session in the house ends It u
probable the lower branch Of congress
will have covered the first stages to.
ward an enlargement of it's member
ship because Of the addition Of forty
two new representatives. The re-,
apportionment bill, under considera-
ton and sidetracking free list meas
ure for moment, provides for an In.
crease from 391 to 433. It is expect
ed the bill will be passed late today.
Free List Bill.
The free list bill, characterized by
the Republicans on the ways and
means committee as political sooth.
ing SYRUP" was roughly handled In
the house of representatives yester-
day afternoon by its political enemies
on the Republican side.
Mr.. Underwood, Democratic chair
man Of the ways and means commit
tee, introduced it to the house in an
hours speech shortly after the ses-
sion convened at noon. Then 1t was
left to the mercies of Representative
Mann Of Illinois, leader Of the Repub-
lican side, and the things Mr.. Mann
said about 1t in the two hours he held
the floor gave both sides Of the house
food for much debate, and occasion
for much comment and criticism.
Mr.. Mann declared that the free.
list bill, introduced by the Democrats
as the first Of their tariff measures,
was drawn inaccurately, indefinitely
and with such general language that
1t might be stretched to include al
most half Of the imports on which
the United States now collects tariff
revenues.
The free list bill puts agricultural
implements ''of any kin6 and descrfp-
ton" on the free list. Mr.. Mann de-
manded to know what agricultural
implements would come under this
provision. He expressed the belief
it could be stretched to include the
free entry of saws, axes, forks, gar
den hose, hay knives, and almost ev-
erything else that farmer, horticul-
turist, gardener or tiller Of the soil
ever uses. .-f <
He said the bill was so drawn that
it would admit free the leather from
which the farmers shoes were made,
but would exclude that from which
! his wife's shoes were made. 1t put
a premium on foreign labor, by per-
mitting these special kinds Of leather
to come in free when they were part
ly made up.
In putting agricultural implements
on the free list, said Mr.. Mann, the
Democrats would let the International
Harvester company dump into the
United States the implements it made
with foreign labor in its factories in
France, Germany, Russia and Canada.
"These products will be sold here"
he said, mot at lower prices, but at
the same price, and yet the result
would be that they would be made
by foreign labor"
The free list bill admits free farm
wagons and farm carts.
"Does this mean wagon that has
to be used on the farm?" asked Mr..
Mann, "or the kind that can be pur-
chased and used in town? Is the
treasury department to follow up the
wagons and see whether Mr.. Smith
puts it on his farm or uses 1t In
town."
Chairman Underwood and other
Democrats did not attempt a reply
to the general attack upon the bill
made by Minority Leader Mann. His
criticism was directed against almost
every section Of the bill, not only be-
cause of the construction thus left
open; but also because in many cases
it excluded raw materials and let In
the manufactured products free.
Mr.. Gardner Of Massachusetts at
tackled the measure and the Democra-
tic policy Of promising to reduce tho
cost Of living without reducing wages
paid in the United States" " He as
serted that in putting articles on the
free list the Democrats had discrim-
mated against the farmers and manu-
facturers of the northern states. while
leaving protective duties on tobacco.
sugar, rice, oranges and other arti-
cles produced in the southern states.
Messrs. Adair of Indiana, Russell
OF missouri, anu AUdmSOA VI 0oOS9le
spoke in favor of the measure. Mr..
Adamson declared that after Mr..
Mann's attack upon the bill he had
gone to Chairman Underwood to see
II they ought not to call Democra-
tic caucus and fix up the measure, but
that Mr.. Underwood had assured him
the bill was all right.
. = = . - 80
= THE WEATHER.
North Dakota, Generally fair
tonight and Thursday.