The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-17
lndorses Program of
Democratic Leaders by
Vote Of Al to 36.
JAMES DEFENDS
WILSON'S STAND
Speaking for Administration,
Kentucky Senator Interprets
Baltimore Platform as Com
mitting President to Free
Sugar-Free Trade Not
Objct of Legislation.

ashington. May ls.-Democratic
leaders in the Senate were lndorseu
late to-day in their determination to
reter the Underwood tariff bill to the
nance Committee for consideration
without public hearings. The Penrose-
La Toilette amendment directing that
public hearings be held was defeated
py vote of ! to S6. ana the motion
OF Senator Simmons 20 refer :he bill
was then passed without n rollcall.
wo Democrats, Senator'S Kansdcil
and Thornton. OF Louisiana. voted Tor
me Republican amendment Senator,
foindeNtef, OF Washington. Progress
sive voted with the majority Sena-
Tor Jones, of Washington. Repu ublican.
VINO previously had determined 10 vot..
against public hearings, ANNOUNCED
mat he had changed his mind because
the Finance subcommttees were CIV
ing private hearings to some interests
which he thought should be public.
Jnmcs Defends President.
me closing day Of debate on the is
sue OF hearings was enlivened with
discussion OF the Democratic platform
ana It's bearing on free sugar by SEN
ator James. of Kentucky, who vigor-
ously defended the stand taken by
President Wilson for free sugar de-
c!aTed tnat the party had stood for
iree sugar and campaigncd on It. and
cehed the Louisiana Senator'S TO find a
man Pres ident Wilson ever had told
he was opposed to free sugar
Senator'S Smoot. La Toilette and
Clark wound up the debate on behalf
OF the public hearing amendment,
Senator Smoot predicting that the
Democratic party would be put out OF
power for another quarter of cen
tury AS a result OF its tariff BILL
The edict has gone forth. SAID
Senator Clark. The real vote on this
tariff bill will be taken here as II
the House. where II was taken in Sc
crct caucus. l know there are Demo
Gratis here who do not believe the bill
is just and righteous altogether. VINO
are willing 10 bow the head to the de
mand of Office, and ease the lash OF
party eNpediency."
Senator Newlands, of Nevada, spoke
briefly on the sugar schedule. protest
ing against sacrificing the sugar pro-
duction OF this country to Cuba.
The Finance Committee Will meet
next week to hear reports from the
subcommittee engaged in considera
ton OF various schedules of the bill
and Chairman Simmons hopes TO repor;
the bill TO the Senate by June /. Great
interest was manifested in the finaI
contest over the hearings question: the
EdiicIS DtiUS CIONueu with spectators
The Senators private gallery was filled
with guests, and in the Presidents gal.
lory We're the Misses Margaret and
Eleanor Wilson and n party of friends
They remained until Il vote had beer
taken
Committed by Platform.
Senator James. accredited with sneak.
ing for President Wilson and the ad
ministration, interpreted the Baltimore
platform in his speech as committing
the President and the Democratic party
TO free sugar His remarks were in
reply to declarations by Senator Rams.
dell and Senator-elect Broussard. OF
Louisiana. that il did not.
Senator James declared the platforr,
adopted at the Baltimore convention
approved tho course of the Democratic
House in the last session Of Congress-
and that 1t included approval of the
Underwood free sugar bill. He read n
paragraph from the Democratic cam
paign textbook approving the excel.
lent record of the House" in placinc
sugar on the free list
senator Ransdell asked If Pres,den,
Wilson had not declared, in speech at
Pittsburgh, that he did not stand for
free trade.
Senator James declared that the Pres
ldent was not free trader and that
the proposed bill calculated to raise
s3Oo.oOo.ooO in revenue was NOT free
trade bill.
IF YOU say President Wilson 10 =,
free trader because he favors froa
sugar demanded Senator James. did
YOU call yourself "A free trader whom
you voted for free bread and frne
shoes"
Senator James referred to the point
made by the Louisiana leaders that
president Wilson and the platform had
declared against tariff reductions which
would 10 trit
by legitimate Industry In the plat
form" said the kentucky Senator .,is
meant industrially legitimate and com
mcrcially legitimate industry. II does
not refer 10 an industry which has had
20 years of government aid and pro
lection and is yet unable to take care
of Itself
1t Defeated, Taft.
III William Fl. Taft had had half
the courage of Woodrow Wilson he
would nave vetoed the Payne -Aldrich
bill and bonfres would have been
burned on every hillside in his honor
ahd' In my opinion, he would have been
reelected.
president Wilson says he is in favor
Of free sugar and free wool and wants
no compromises At Pittsburgh he
merely said he did not want to DESTROY
any legitimate industry | challenge
YOU To find anybody to whom Woodrow
Wilson ever said he was not in favor
of free sugar.
Senator Smoot and Senator Smith,
OF Georgia, clashed when the Utah
Senator called on his colleagues to
compare the bill as it now appears and
when 1t comes from the Finance Com
mittee.
Il have no doubt" he said, that
the cotton schedule will be changed. I
have no doubt that some interests will
be taken care Of Why cotton any