The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-24
Rumored Changes Cause
Further Tightening of the
Administration Forces
LEADERS DECLARE
SITUATION FAVORABLE
Interesting Session of Party Caucus
Expected-Leader of Wooden In
terests Has Interesting Hour
With Subcommittee

Washington, May 23-wool and sugar,
the stumbling blocks of the tariff, held
the attention of the Senate finance SUBJ
committee and senators in general today,
the legislative air being filed with ru-
mors of contemplated changes and ALI
ances and counter rumors Of a further
Tightening of the administration forces
for free wool and free sugar In three
years. Great interest was attached to a
public statement made by Senator Walsh
OF Montana condemning the proposition
to put wool and sugar on the free list
which gave rise TO a report that he
might join with Senators Ransdell and
Thornton of Louisiana and vote against
the bill.
In that case the Senate democratic ma
jority being only six, the vote on the
tariff bill would be tie recessitating
the vote of Vice President Marshall to
pass 1t. Should this develop there are
some democrats who believe that Senator
Poindexter of Washington, the only
avowed progressive in the Senate would
vote with them on the bill. This would
sert in the final vote.
Situation Favorable
Administration leaders declared today
that the situation relating to the much
disputed schedules looked very favorable
for the Underwood bill, but they look
forward to an interesting session in the
party caucus when the so0thern and
western representatives will have an op
portunity to make a determined struggle
against free wool and free sugar. A
rumor that several of them would unite
to remain out of the caucus was denied
by party leaders, though one of them
declared that he would not blame Sem
ator Walsh should he determine to stay
out If it became apparent that the caucus
would not yield on sugar and wool
William Whitman always a leader of
the woolen interests in tariff consdera- 4
ton, had an interesting hour with SEN
ator Stones subcommittee, attacking the
woolen manufactures schedule Mr. Whit
man declared that the proposed duties on
wool manufactures were 30 per cent less
than the rates in the Wilson tariff act
which, he said was supposed to be a
free trade bill. Senator James urged that
tconoffiic rtpnultlOnS IN production JuSt1-
fed a difference of 30 per cent at this
time as compared to conditions when the
Wilson law was enacted.
Important Change
An important change in the bill as 1t
passed the House, 1t was reported to-
day, has been made by Senator Stone s
committee in the metal schedule. They
are declared to have decided to put pig
iron and ferro- manganese on the free
list. The Underwood bill levies a 10 per
cent duty on pig iron and 10 per cent
on ferro-maneanese, used in the manu-
facture of steel An argument over these
rates developed in the House, Majority
Leader Underwood and Representative
Palmer of Pennsylvania maint aiming they
should not be free listed because they
were good source of revenue.
The Senate subcommittee is said to
have reversed this decision, maintaining
that they both are products of the United
States Steel corporation and raw ma
terial for the independent steel manufac-
turer and should be on the tree list for
that reason.
p. A. Levette of the New York Mer-
chants association. and S. Chrsty Mead
of the New York Merchants exchange,
appeared before Senator Williams SUBJ
committee in opposition to the amend
ment suggested by Assistant Attorney
General Dennison and Assistant Secre-
tary of the Treasury Power to proclaim
general import values They urged that
If such an amendment is accepted the
rates should be proclaimed from day to
day. based upon the conditions of the
foreign market.