Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-21
'SENATE'S TARIFF
|. DEBATE A COMEDY
Publicity the Motive Which
Gives Farcical Tinge to
the Discussion.
Star Bureau.
ATetronolitan National Bank Bldg.
WASHINGTON. May 81,

AnAnce committee are wrestling with
the duties in the various schedules
of the Underwood bill, the Senate is
being occupied daily with some very
pretty farce-comedy debate on the
subject of publicity.
Almost any afternoon one may sit
in the Senate gallery nowadays ana
hear Senator Penrose, Senator Lodge
or some other high tariff Republic
can and adherent of the old Aldrich
machine .reproach the Democrats
with not being entirely frank, open
and communicative as to their meth
DDS and work.
Two weeks ago. for instance, the
valiant Penrose, now running for re-
election in Pennsylvania as a re-
former and Progressive, denounced
star chamber proceedings of the
Democratic majority and demanded
that the doors of the finance COM
mittee rooms should be thrown open,
so that the minority and the public
might know what was Transporting
therein.
Their Chorus of Protest.
1.-THE public has right to know
what these manufacturers and i'm
porters are saying to you" shouted
Penrose, Lodge and Smoot, in effect.
"But we are doing exactly what
YOU Republicans did in 1907" re-
torted Simmons, Hoke Smith and
other Democratic leaders.
but we did keep records, and last
year we held public hearings,
answered the Republican standpat-
ters.
But you never made them public,
and we are going to make public
everything that we do in commit
tee" answered the Democrats.
The Democrats refused to hold
public hearings before the finance
committee, naively suggesting that
there were about 10000 pages of
perfectly good testimony taken by
the Republicans in recent years,
which they were studying with
profit, and which seemed to them so
complete that there was little use
of adding more.
but we will make these people
who come before us swear to affi-
davits, and we will print these briefs
and statements" promised Simmons,
the Democratic chairman of the
finance committee.
"star Chamber" They Cry.
'Star chamber" sneered Penrose
and Lodge and Smoot.
Nothing of the kind" replied Hoxe
Smith. 1.-THE newspaper men can
come into our hearings at any time
Which was a surprise to the news
paper men. They had not known 1t
before.
So It went for days, and the Re-
publicans waited. Then, after two
weeks of private hearings, Penrose
arose again and pleaded for more
publicity, and Smoot and Lodge and
Liggett (Aldrich's successor) and
other eminent former stand-patters
made fearful appeals for the public
being told what is going on behind
the committee room doors.
I'VE will print the affidavits and
statements of all who come before
u.s." reasserted Hoke Smith.
you said that before. When will
you do it?" chorused the Republi-
sans.
Very soon, l hope" bubbled Smith
and Simmons.
Then Penrose and Lodge tried again
Move that the finance committee
report to the Senate the names OF
everybody who appears before the
committee or one of the sub-commit-
tees" proposed Penrose.
This was debated parts of two days
For an hour Simmons regretted, al.
most tearfully, that such a thing
should be asked. 1t had never beer
done before, he deplored, and il
looked as though the minority die
not trust the majority leaders. Mus
they be under espionage, and accoun
for every conversation held? ON
could hear the unsobbed sobs and Sc,
the unshed tears In his voice.
Their Purpose Adamant.
But the secrecy hating Penrose wa!
adamant. So also was Lodge, tina
overtime advocate OF, pitiless pub
LEFTY, while Smoot, the great tribune
of the common people, grew sterl
with relentless purpose.
So the resolution was passed, afte
Slmmons's injured pride and dignit!
were properly soothed and placated
Then arose Reed, Democratic senate
from the "show-me" State, Missouri
with an amendment.
"And the finance committee is ais
directed" proposed Reed, ito repor
to the Senate the names of all manu-
facturers, representatives of corpo
rations, importers and others VIII
appeared before that committee Will
the Dingley and Payne-Aldrich bill
were under consideration, as well a
the names of all clerks and experts
IL any, who assisted the committe
at those times, and who were fur
nished and paid by the corporation
or manufacturers or Others"
| Wouldn't you expect a howl a
that? The Democrats did. But tn
howl didn't come.
Fine" gloried Penrose. 'T'm 70
that"
Smoot, Lodge, Liggett, Gallingel
anu OH Lh0 1851 VI 'ho stohuPot 1se
publican crew, almost gleefully, fe
over each other in voting for tn
Reed resolution. oh, 1t was a funn
sight.
Memories of 1909.
The funny part of it consists in re
calling the fact that back in 1870
when the finance committee, undo
Aldrich's Craftsmanship, was holdin
secret hearings on the tariff, tn
Democrats, shut out and ignored
were clamoring for publicity. Sin
mons wasn't He was too busy try
| ing to keep lumber off the free Ii: