The Washington times., 1913-04-12

ment to the Underwood bill a section
creating a tarin board or commission
This resolution was offered by Con-
Rressman Gardner of Massachusetts.
and slightly modified on melton OF
Mr.. Good Of Iowa. 81.
A second resolution refers to the Ways
and Means Committee the subject Of
preparing substitutes for the wool and
cotton schedules Of the Underwood
bill. which will be offered on the floor
upon which the Taft tariff board re-
ported at the past session.
Caucus Open to Public.
Congressman L<nroot wanted to direct
the minority members Of the Ways and
Means Committee to prepare in sub
stance the wool ard cotton bills offered
by the Republicans last year. but on
objection Of CONGRESSMAN J. Hampton
Moore and others this question was left
open. 1t was argued that the con-
ference should not commit itself to these
bills II changes were deemed necessary
now.
The caucus was thrown open to the
public on motion Of Minority Leader
Mann. Mr.. Madden proposed to make
all Republican conferences open. but the
permanency Of tine plan Will be con-
sidered later.
The conference was marked by gen
eral Republican criticism of the Under
wood bill and the part played by the
President in its shaping.
CONGRESSMAN Lenroot, a progressive
Republican. was for time insistent
upon the original wording Of his reso-
luton that the Republicans should o1er
as amendments to the tariff bill sub
stantially the wool and cotton bill pro-
posed by the minority last year. Con-
that the report Of the tariff board on
cotton has been hasty, and that inac-
curacies might have crept into the Hill
cotton bill which should now be cor
rected by the minority.
Campbell Scores eDmocrats.
The conference finally decided to in
struct the Ways and Means minority
members merely to present cotton and
wool bills in accordance with the tarin
boards report. Id
Twelve progressive Republicans, who
are distinguished from Bull Moose
s members ATTENDED end otis. the coIfsTense, asir Ss
signed to map out a line of battle
against the Underwood bill.
Congressman Campbell scored the
Democrats for making the tariff bill
behind closed doors and from "a blind.
partisan standpoint"
Referring to the lack Of representa-
ton on the Ways and Means COMMITTEES
of the section from which he hailed.
Congressman Sloan of Nebraska de-
clared that I'VE Of the West have not
consented to the making Of a tariff bill
by a coordinate branch of the Govern
ment, even II It Is the President. with
millions of patronage at his disposal"
That the tariff fight In the Senate will
be only well begun by midsummer. and
that 1t will extend well into September.
was the intimation given today by
Senator Williams Of Mississippi. veteran
tariff expert among the Democratic
members of the Finance Committee.
"All this talk about our having set
tied anything in the committee Is
wrong" he insisted. We are simply
going over the schedules In a prelimin-
ary way. and the members are making
suggestions as to amendments which
they may propose. 1t IL extremely
likely. should say. that the end Of the
tariff debate in the Senate will not
come before some time in September"
Through misunderstanding the
Democratic members of the Senate
committee did not meet this morning
They decided to get together. however
this afternoon.