The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-10
WILSON CONFERS
WITH SENATORS


President Wilson yesterday afternoon was
in a most pleasant frame of mind, and
his attitude Is believed to have wiped out
any unfriendliness with the Senate lead
ers. 1t is safe to say that the President
accomplished what he announced he
hoped to bring about, an intimate. friend
ly cooperation between the White House
and the legislative branch of the govern
ment.
There was no evidence of any general
feeling Of criticism over the Presidents
action Tuesday. One Senator was asked
for his opinion as to the move. Those
who have nothing to fear had no reason
to resent the Presidents action" Many
who were inclined to criticise the move
following the announcement Monday,
were completely satisfied with the few
dignified but friendly words with which
the President prefaced his message
Tuesday. The complete absence of csten-
tation with which the affair was carried
off also served to quiet adverse criti-
cism.
At the conference between the Presi-
dent and the finance committee yester-
day, a comparison Of reports as to
probable attitude of Democratic Sena-
tors who may oppose certain provisions
of the bill, showed an encouraging trend
toward party harmony.
1t was said by member Of the Finance
Committee, following the conference, that
practically all Of the Western Senators
are now in line for the bill except Mr..
Walsh. of Montana. who is standing out
in opposition to free wool and free sugar.
The two Louisiana Senators are still OPP
posed to the bill on account of the sugar
provision. But it was intimated that one
of the Louisiana Senators, Mr.. Ransdell,
0f Cs,,rr
the bill after he has put forward an
effort to prevent the adoption of a pro-
vision for ultimate free sugar.
No Delay Likely.
Views were exchanged as to the time
that will be required to pass the bill. 1t
was generally agreed that II probably
will not reach the Senate before the 10th
or 18th of May. The Republican Senators
among the regulars have informed their
Democratic colleagues that they will not
seek to delay the passage of the bill
through the Senate. The regulars will not
offer any substitute, but will propose
some amendments.
The Progressive Republicans will not
acquiesce So readily in the bill Sena-
tors La Toilette. Cummins, Bristow, and
Borah will attack the bill generally.
They will seek to emphasize features
that they regard as bad Senator La
Toilette expects to present a bill in the
nature of a substitute, practically re-
writing the schedules. He will consume
time. But after allowing
for all possible delay, the President and
his advisers yesterday reached the con-
clusion that the bill can be put through
the Senate before the LIST Of July, and
finally go to the President before August
l. President Wilson is impressed with
the necessity Of passing the bill as
promptly possible, in the interest of
reassuring business and preventing a
business or financial depression. He will
do everything in his power to impress
on individual Democratic Senators the
Importance of expediting the bill.
The President Talks.
When President Wilson emerged from
the Presidents room, after the hour and
a half conference, he found a group Of
men waiting.
Il suppose you gentlemen think that
this is another national crisis" he said.
but indeed it is only something which
hope the members of the Senate are 60
ing to allow me to repeat often. l came
to confer with the Democratic members
OF the Finance Committee and we dis
cussed the tariff. The conference was
very pleasant"
The President was asked if it had been
decided at this conference whether the
tariff revision should remain in a blanket
measure, as it was reported from the
Ways and Means Committee into the
House on Monday. or be split into two
or more bills. He replied that that was
a question for the members upon the
other side of the Capitol to decide"
President Wilson took the initiative
In arranging for the conference. He
has had a number Of conferences with
the tariff committees of both Houses
in the past few weeks, and yesterday,
when he decided that another was
necessary, he asked Secretary Tumulty
TO arrange for it to take place in the
room at the Capitol. Tu-
nudity telephoned each Democratic
member of the Finance Committee and
asked them to meet the President at 8 |
o'clock.
The President reached the Capitol
at 3 o'clock, the hour at
which he had asked the ten Senators to
meet him in the room allotted him, ad-
Joining the Senate chamber. He was
in the White House auto
mobile by Secretary Tumulty, James
Sloan, chief of the Secret Service
force at the White House, and was
trailed by two bicycle policemen. Two
other Secret Service men brought up
the rear in taxicab.
The car was driven to the front en-
trance of the Senate side of the Capitol
The President on alighting was met by
James Baker, secretary of the Senate,
and Sergeant-atArms Higgins. He was
escorted by them up in an elevator and
through the Senate cloakroom into his
own room at the south Of the Senate
chamber.
Committee Was Waiting.
The President found Senators Simmons
Of North Carolina, chairman of the COM
mittee; James Of Kentucky, Stone OF
Williams Of Mississippi, Hoke
Smith Of Georgia, johnson of Maine, and
of Colorado awaiting him. Sen
ator James had been the first to arrive |
Senator'S Gore, Hughes. and Shively ar
rived in a few minutes, making up the
list of ten Democrats, who form the ma
jority of the committee. The committee, ;;
1t the Presidents Invitation, seated them
selves, and the doors of the room were
closed to insure privacy for the confer
ence. The Secret Service men and the
stood Jon guard outside
the door. !
Senator Stone land Williams, the two
Democrats who tcri.icised the President
on the floor of the Senate Monday for
his announced purpose of reading his ad-
dress to Congress, were among the first
to arrive at the conference this after
noon. Indeed Senator Williams express
ed himself as pleased with the plan for
the conference. 1T is good way for
getting together on legislative matters"
he said, 81 approve of it,
1.-THE best sort of team work" ex-