The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-26
TEN PROGRESSIVES
OVERTHROW REGU-
LARS OF SENATE;
PASS THE LAFOL-
LETTE WOOL BILL

Senate early tonight. Practically all
progressives voted for it.
All democrats voted against the bill. The
defeat of this substitute had been antici-
pated, and the knowledge that a compro-
mise measure had been prepared by the
republican leaders, to be offered as soon
as the Cummins bill was disposed of, aid
ed in preventing the so-caled regular re-
publicans from supporting the Cummins
bill.
Senator Penrose, acting on behalf of the
republican memberss of the finance COM
mittee, offered the republican substitute
as soon as the cummins bill had been
voted down. ,sfhe bill was prepared by
Senator I,ip4dt of Rhode Island.
= The ISppitt-Penrose bill was received
in Il spirit of surprise by the democratic
side of the chamber, although the demo-
cratic leaders were fully aware it would
be presented as n counter move to their
bill for q sweeping reduction of the wool
en- tariff. Demands were made from the
democratic side for more time to ex-
anime the measure, and the republican
members of the finance committee were
criticised for submitting a measure that
the Senate did not have time to study.
Penrose Makes Statement
Senator Penrose made Il formal state
meuI - the effect the new bill would have
If adopted. He said 1t would makes many
important reductions in the present tariff
rates on wool and wooden products. on
blankets he said the reduction would be
from u per cent to "a per cent on the
higher grades and almost 90 per cent on
the cheaper grades, which are valued at
from 80 to 40 cents pound. He mentioned
other reductions he said the measure
would make.
thpcP 0Si1 darn ! II
ductions,'' said Senator Penrose sit IS
believed 1t will still afford adequate pro-
lection to the two great Industries, wool
growing and wool manufacturing and
that if it should be enacted into law it
would enable the farmers and the manu-
facturers and wage-earner engaged IN
this industry to continue to derive their
livelihood from those pursuits and at the
same time would meet the demands on
the part of the consumers for a revision
of the wooden schedule. This bill is an
attempt to make the duties on wool and
wooden goods conform as nearly as pos
sible to the information ON that subject
which has been furnished in the recent re-
port of the tariff board"
He further explained that the reduc-
tions i'm the bill ran from 10 per cent on
some of the higher price WOODEN goods
TO as much as 125 per cent on the lower
and cheaper grades.
Thinks Bill Suitable
Senator Penrose also said that while re-
publicans had at first believed II impos-
sible to get together on a bill that could
be passed, they had finally agreed the
new measure might unite all republicans
in its support and thus make possible
an immediate reduction of the WOODEN
tariff if the House and the President
would accept 1t.
The appearance of the republican meas
IRE came after nearly seven hours of
desutory debate on the WOODEN schedule.
The democratic bill passed by the House,
which cut raw wool to a duty of 20 per
cent ad valorem' and made sweeping re-
auctions in all wooden tariff rates took up
much time, but the principal debate came
upon the substitute measure offered by
Mr.. Cummins. He declared his bill FOL-
lowed closely recommendations of the
tariff board He said the democratic bill
made an average reduction of about IS
per cent on the entire wooden schedule
and that he believed his measure was ON
the average about 10 per cent higher than
the democratic bill
Senator Stone assailed Mr.. Cummns
for 'deserting' the attitude he had for
merly taken in favor of Id valorem wool
en- rates. In his new bill Senator Stone
lid Mr.. Cummins adhered to the plan
OF specific duty a system which the dem
ocrats believe affords opportunities for
uDderNaluatlon ana eNaSlonS OF the larlI
POindexter Attacks Committee
Senator PoindeXter, a progressive in
speech supporting the Cummins meas
ure attacked the Senate finance COM
mittee for standing pat m the wooden
tariff. He declared that for five sessions
of Congress after the people had voted in
favor of reduction of the tariff the
finance committee had successfully re-
sisted any real revision.
Senator Penrose was the target for dem
ocratic assault as soon as he introduced
the compromise bill. Senator Williams
of Mississippi declared THE appearance of
Mr.. Penrose in the role of a tariff REFORM
er is so novel and sudden that / want
further information as TO he republican
attitude" He asked how long the repub
lican bill had been prepared.
mot until this morning" said Senator
Penrose, did / get the consent of my
colleagues to present the bill, so II could
not be introduced before this time. l
an not posing as tariff rsformer, and