New-York tribune., 1912-03-24
TARIFF T|NKER|NC ENDS
Democrats Decide to Introduce
No More Bills This Session.
r-ro-, Tho Tribune Bureau


Washington. March - The tarif tinker
ing shop Of the Democratic House has
closed down. probably for the session. In
less the master mechanics OF IN" Senate
show some interest I'm the handiwork of the
Democrats no more tariff bills will he pre-
pared or reported by the Ways and Means
Committee
Although they do not put II IN so many
words. the consensus of opinion among the
Democrats on the committee seems 10 he
that five tariff bills are sufficient for cam
paign purposes. IL really makes little dlf-
ference to the House whether the Senate
passes any tariff legislation, IN fact some
Democrats believe their campaign argu-
ments will be all the better II the HoSe
bills die a natural death in the upper body.
At any rate, the Democrats have deter
mined TO call a halt with the introduction
Of the wool bill Regardless OF the Tariff
Boards report on the cotton schedule,
which will soon be transmitted 10 the
House by the President, It is not the inten-
ton of the majority of the Ways and
Means Committee TO attempt another re-
vision of the cotton schedule cotton bill
will be prepared only in tho event that the
Senate actg on the bills already passed by
the House.
at will take only a few days to prepare
a cotton BILL If that should he deemed nee
essary," said a member Of the Ways and
Means Committee to-day. The remark X
is illustrative OF the Democratic theory of
careless tariff revision, for only scanty con
sideration has been given any of the bills
heretofore reported by the majority.
The decision TO halt tariff revision was
reached by the Democrats Immediately fol-
lowing the Introduction of the wool bill, a
measure which was not considered by
them. as II is identical with the bill passed
by the House last year. before the report
OF the Tariff Board The Democrats disre-
garded entirely the boards report on wool,
and a similar fate is In store for the report
on cotton.
IT is understood that the Democrats pur-
pose TO arraign the report OF the board in
the debate on the wool bill. and that plans
are being perfected in the House TO
abolish the board at the end of the cur
rent fiscal year. Representative Under
wood IL authority for the statement that
the Democrats could find nothing i'm the
wool report Ito justify any change In the
rates of the wool bill passed by us last
wear" The Democrats are already seeking
10 make political capital of the fact that
there has been some delay I'm the trans
mission of the Tariff Boards report on
the cotton industry to the House. The
president received the full report Of the
board only to-day. but as he has had a
svnopsis of the report In his hands for
some time the Democrats Of the Ways and
Means Committee seized on that fact to
declare that evidently the report justifies
our reduction Of last year, and there is
hesitation in sending It TO Congress.
The feigned anxiety of the Democrats to
receive the cotton report Is out OF har-
mony with their actions after receiving the
wool report. This was held in the Ways
and Means Committee room. two months.
and was then, fguratively speaking,
thrown out Of the window when the wool
bill was decided upon.
Bills revising the steel chemical and
sugar schedules have passed the House
together with the excise tax bill, com
panion measure TO the free sugar bill. The
wool bill will 60 TO the Senate within ten
days, and then the House will take rest
from tariff tinkering.
II is understood that the report Of the
Tariff Board on the cotton schedule will be
transmitted TO Congress next week with a
message by the President