Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-06-12
DEMOCRAT SENATE CAUCUS ON
TARIFF MEASURE BEHIND
CLOSED oooRs.
Ross DEBATE OF INTEREST
Only Two or Three Senators Of Ruling
Party VIII Voice Their Objections
In Publie-MaterIai Changes Will
BE Few.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


OF discussing the tariff bill and OF
binding the members to support 1t a.
party measure. were not held be-
hind closed doors the country prob
ably would be given the details OF
the most interesting incident connect
ed with the present tariff debate In
the senate. The Democrats. for what
they say are adequate reasons. have
declined to follow the example which
the Progressives and later the Re.
publicans set by holding open eau.
cuses.
1t 10 very likely that the only
thing really exciting in connection
with the tariff debate is the Demo
cratic caucus In the senate. for when
the bill gets to the floor It virtually
will be assured of united Democratic.
support. except for that Of two or
three senators made temporarily
aliens to their party by sugar and
wool. In the caucus room when the
doors are closed the various members
cay what IL In their hearts against
different schedules Of the bill and thus
one could get, II he could hear. q
perfect line on individual Democratic
upper house opinions on the subject
OF . measure which nearly all the
Democratic senators will support on
q final vote.
II there we're several Senator Dol
livers In the present senate interest
might hold its own in the coming tar
III debate even II It Is the third or
fourth one of recent history. DOLL.
yer IL dead, however. and there is no
man just like him on either side Of
the senate's center aisle today. MIR.
Penrose. the Republican leader. will
Offer amendment after amendment to
the Democratic measure and these
will call for lengthy debate. because
there IL no way OF shutting II OF. but
the give and take" on most of the
things which the Pennsylvanian will
offer almost unquestionably will be
found to be in words identical with
those used on former occasions.
u They Said What They Thought.
What would make the debate In the
senate really exciting would follow the
granting of permission by the party
leaders to every Democratic senator
to say openly just what he feels like
saying about the different schedules
Of this bill to which the president Of
the United States has given his sane
tion and over the passage Of which
he holds party authority. The two
o,iaiano aouat0ro cou ha da0audod
upon to say some things not entirely
sweet about sugar. and It is probable
that John Sharp Williams. whose
tongue IL keener than his middle
name. will add some pointed words.
about what he considers the inequali"
ties of the bill which his Alabama
friend has sent over coupled with q
request to put It through expedi-
tiOusly.
Certain dispatches recently had It
that Senator Owen Of Oklahoma In
tended to introduce a resolution to
amend the senate rules so that de-
bate could be shut on at any time. as
II IL possible to do In the house Of
representatives. 1t is not likely. II IL
said. that the Oklahoman could COM
mand ten votes from either or both
parties on such a proposition.
Few Material Changes Likely.
In the Democratic caucus. the walls
OF the room having no ears. the sena-
tors say what they please about the
bill. It 10 known to every person
who has had opportunity to get sena-
torial opinions on the measure that II
each Democratic senator could have
his way In the matter the bill on its
passage would look 30 little like the
bill ON It's introduction that Mr.. Un-
derwood would pass It by unrecog-
nized. The measure probably. how.
ever, will undergo no material altera-
tions.
Some changes will be made In the
bill by the finance committee OF the
senate, but II those which already
have heen suggested are sample Of
those yet to be made 1t can be said
that the measure from the low tariff
mans point of view will be helped
rather than injured by the changing
process. President Wilson has been
asked about some of the changes
which II 10 proposed by the finance
committee to make and he has agreed,
FItnsss the Test ser offlcs.
Democratic senators and representa-.
tives by force of an intimation which
amounts TO an order from President
Wilson are undertaking the Diogenes
task with something added. They are
trying to dud men - recommend for
once who are not only honest but d