Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-08-17
Cotton Iron Steel Program
Finally Agreed Upon.
Democrats viii Support La
FoIIette's Plan in Senate.
Another Attempt Today to Secure
Statehood for Arizona.

Washington, Aug 16.-The cotton
tariff revision bill will come TO vote
in the Senate with the Democrats
pledged to accept the La Toilette
iron and steel schedule as amend
ments; the farmers free list bill
probably will be disposed of by the
Senate tomorrow, with all differences
between the two houses adjusted, and
the wool bill awaits the Presidents
veto. This is the tariff situation in
Congress tonight.
The cotton-iron- steel program,
agreed on in caucus of the Democrat
ic senators today, carries out part of
the revision extension program of the
progressive Republican senator's,
whose alliance with the Democrats
has put tariff legislation through
Congress at this session. Neither
the free list nor cotton bill is eX-
pected 10 involve much debate in
view of the program. The decision
of the Democratic senatorial caucus
was reached after Rep. Underwood,
chairman of the ways and means
committee, and other House Demo-
Gratis had said that this Senate extern
sion of tariff revision would not be
Objectionable TO them.
Mr.. Underwood announced that
opening the tariff program to these
schedules would undoubtedly extend
the present session at least a week
or 10 days from now. and that it
would result in his committee COM
pleting work already well advanced
on the iron and steel and other tariff
measures
THE question of adjournment now
rests entirely with the Senate" said
Mr.. Underwood tonight. THE ways
and means committee has been at
work right along preparing a revised
tariff ON iron and steel, and our bill
is about ready. We can bring il out
next week if the Senate decides to
go ahead with the program that has
been outlined. Democratic senators
conferred with me and other Demo- |
Gratis of the House today. They |
asked if we would object to an iron |
and steel schedule being added to the |
cotton bill as an amendment. We |
have no objection TO such matter |
OF course il will not be our bill, but |
our bill will be ready should the
amendment on the cotton bill come
over from the Senate The Senate |
leaders also suggested amendments
bearing on the sugar and rubber |
schedules
Mr.. Underwood also saw no legal
objection TO such tariff legislation
originating in the Senate as an
amendment to a House bill. The SUI
preme court, he pointed out, had
passed on that question in the in
come tax bill which was made a cor
poration tax bill in the Senate. He
acknowledged that going into such
general revision would delay adjourn
ment.
with the exception of two-hours re-
cess on account of the session of the
senate, the Democratic senatorial caucus
continued from 10 o'clock this morning
until after o'clock tonight. Beginning
with a wide divergence of opinion and
many sharp clashes as to whether tho
cotton bill itself should be acted unon
IT closed with an agreement not only IN
take vote on the House cotton bill hut
10 amend IL and To add the steel and iron
schedules
Senator's Simmons and Overman Of
North Carolina, Foster and Thornton of
Louisiana, and Johnston and Bankhead of
Alabama, protested vigorously against
action on cotton during tine present ses-
sion. Senator Williams of Mississippi
took exception especially to the proposal
10 attach the steel schedule.
Mr. Underwood assured a committee OF
senators that he not only would not be
embarrassed by the Senates incorpora
tion Of steel in the cotton bill. but he
would be delighted at such action. WITH
the report of this committee before II
the caucus had little difficulty in decjdins
TO attach 20 the bill the steel and iror
schedules, materially reducing the duties
1t was thus comparatively easy tc
reach an agreement on vote on thu
cotton bill itself. which. of course
would be necessary to bring in the
steel bill as an amendment. 1t was de
cided that vote be taken first on tn,
House cotton bill, and that, in cas-
OF it's defeat which is anticipated
some senator, possibly Senator L;
Toilette. should move the reconsider
atlon of the House measure, as wa
done with other tariff bills recently
and thus pave the way for action ol
the In Toilette cotton bill. which.
is understood. win be presented as
substitute for the House measure.
with the cotton bill again before tn
senate the program provides that IN
steel amendment shall be offered an
no doubt it is expressed that the Dem
ocratic- Progressive Republicans am
ance will adopt IL.
There is also an understanding tho
an Amendment may be offered reduc
ans .tnsies on machinery and chemi