The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-02
HALT TARIFF BILL
]0N ITS LAST LAP
:Insurgent Democrats Force
Delay in the Senate
FIGHT IT OUT IN CAUCUS
They Insisted Many Compromises
Agreed to BY Conference Committee
Demanded Further Consideration.

Washington, Oct. 2-The entire con-
ference report on the tariff bill was
laid aside until today in the senate as
the result of protest from Democratic
senator's which forced the calling OF
party caucus to go over the report be-
fore it should be acted upon in the
senate
A hurriedly called caucus assembled.
The so-called insurgent forces, led by
Senator Reed, of Missouri, who circu-
lated the petition for a caucus, lnslst-
ed that there were many compromises
and amendment sagreed to by the con-
ference comittee which demanded fur
Their study and consideration before be-
ing finally written into the bill.
The caucus decided to abandon its
position on the proposition in the bill
to tax dealings in cotton futures and
to leave the subject for future leglsla.
ton. Both the amendment OF Senator
Clarke, of Arkansas, written into the
bill in the senate, and the less drastic
Administration substitute presented
by House Leader Underwood and
adopted by the house. will be thrown
out by the senate Democrats.
After the caucus Senator Simmons
| said he was confident that the senate
would complete its consideration OF
the tariff bill today He said motion
would be made first to agree to the
conference report. and that then he
would move to disagree to the Under
wood cotton tax amendment, and also
to recede from the senate amendment.
The caucus battled loud and long
over various provisions in the bill, ar
ranged by the conference committee.
Chief among these were the tax OF
$1.10 a gallon on grape brandy used to
| fortify sweet wines, against which
Senator Pomerene, of Ohio, voiced
strenuous protest; the differential be-
! tween wire rope and wire in completed
cables, which are fixed by the confer
ence, aroused the opposition of Sena-
tors Reed, of Missouri, and Hughes, OF
New Jersey, and the arrangement OF
| the paragraph including cast iron pipe.
Senators Reed and Pomerene framed
q resolution directing that the confer
| ence report be sent back to the con-
ference committee with instructions to
alter these provisions. But Senator
Simmons, in charge of the bill, moved
- substitute that the conference re-
port be accepted. His motion was car
Fried by q vote of 80 to 6.
Only concurrence of the senate in
| the action by the house in adopting
the conference committees report and
"a definite agreement, or more likely,
1 disagreement on the plan to tax trad
ing in cotton futures, stands in the
way of the approval Of the Democratic
lancashire of revision downward" by
President. Wilson and its going into
effect at once. Despite the obstacles
ilconfronting the bill it was expected
lat the measure would be signed and
then made law not later than satur-
day night.
With the Republicans ready to re-
/ sort to obstructive tactics, the most
! serious phase of the situation was the
/ threatened bolt on the Democratic
/ side. The senators who signed the pc.
tititn for the caucus, each of whom
] had one or more grievances, were
/ Reed, O'Gorman, Shafroth, Myers. Sal
isbury, Owen, Hollis, Hitchcock, Pom
Ferene and MARITIME.
I'VE are simply insisting that the
senate shall have sufficient time to
! study and familiarize itself with the
conference report said Reed. MANY
| things were put in and taken out OF
i the bill by the conference committee
/ and we demand the right to become
j very familiar with the scope of the
i bill. It is the same attitude that we
take toward currency legislation