The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-12
CAPITAL EXPECTS
AN EXTRA SESSION
! Attitude of Leaders Means
Early Action
IN REVISING TARIFF
Ways and Means Committee Is Ex
pected To Be Busy This Winter
Laying Groundwork for
New Schedules
IN REVISING TARIFF
re. e STEWART

washington, November 1.-(Special)-
; An extra session of Congress to follow
on the heels of the regular session and
the Inauguration is fully expected in
Washington. The democratic leaders of
the House. foremost of whom is Repre-
sentative Underwood already have an
nounced that there should be an extra
session of the new Congress. This, of
course, depends upon President-elect Will
son. but the fact that the leaders of the
House take 1t for granted suggests that
they know Governor Wilson's mind on
the subject
Undoubtedly the special session will be
devoted almost exclusively to a down.
ward revision of the tariff as 1t is under
the Payne law, with the ostensible pur-
pose of placing the tariff on a revenue
enlyn basis by graduated degrees, giving
the business interests in the country
ample time TO adjust themselves to the
new conditions.
1t may be predicted safely that the short
session of the present Congress which
win begin on the first Monday of next
month, will make no attempt at tariff
legislation 1t is likely, however, that
lut QtiDOtTdllc IutIDDtTs VI the way anu
meas committee will lay the ground
work, under Mr.. Undefwood's leadership
for new tariff bills on the schedule by
schedule scheme.
Mr. Underwood has announced that
hearings will be held by the ways and
means committee before new tariff bills
are reported to the House. 1t may be
assumed that these hearings will be be-
fore the new ways and means committee
OF the next Congress. But as the dem
ocratic members of that important COM
mittee are not likely to change to any
considerable extent it is quite likely that
they will do most of the work during the
coming winter
There is also much discussion over the
question of patronage-that Is of the pat
ronage which falls TO the lot of the mi
nority party. Everybody wants to know
whether the progressive or the repub-
lican party will have the patronage and
prestige which come from formal recog-
milton as the minority 1t is estimated
from the unofficial returns that the pro-
gressives polled much larger popular
vote than the republicans, and certainly
they have far more electoral votes. They
will be strong contenders for the minor
ii, honors and perquisites under the new
administration, and it is quite evident
that this is going to be a proposition
that will arouse bitter feeling and keep
alive the hostility which at present exists
between the two wings of the former
republican party, and will be one of the
most difficult barriers in the way of the
plans of those statesmen who so fondly
hope TO bring about a reunion of the
once powerful party.
There is much talk of split in the
democratic party but this talk comes
from republican papers, and not from any
of the democratic leaders. and they take
no stock In it. They declare that the
party stands together on the Baltimore
platform, and that they do not expect
any democratic opposition to the fulfill
ing of the pledges made to the people by
the party in that instrument.