The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-06
Leaders Hesitate to Risk
Action Without All
Senators Present.
CALL is SENT OUT
FOR ABSEN TEES
With All Party Men Back in
Washington, Democrats Will
Be Solemnly Bound to Sup
port Tariff Measure as
1t Has Come From
Committee.

Washington, July 5.-The Democratic
caucus OF tho Senate practically com
/ plcted It's consideration of the tariff
DIN this afternoon and adjourned un-
I'll Monday afternoon at o'clock.
no action vas taken on the motion
70 make the caucus binding upon all
Inc democratic Senators. except those
| who had given pledges 10 their cons,i
tuents. At the session to day. although
the matter was under discussion.
! strong opposition from Senators op.
posed 10 free sugar and wool prevent
ed action on tho binding pledge to.
day. with only thirty one Senators
present out OF total Democratic mem.
oersh!p OF nfty-one. the leaders hest
lated TO force ar issue to-day. and
the caucus adjourned until 4 p NJ
Monday
kilograms were hurried out tonight
to all absent Democrats. calling them
10 Washington for Mondays meeting.
The fight against the binding pledge
developed more strength today than
the leaders expected. Chairman Sim
mons. however. IS confident that the
caucus Monday Will adopt tho unit ~ @
by safe majority. plcdging all Demo-
Gratis except those who have made
other pledges 10 their constituents or
who withdrew from the caucus to sun
port tho bin in It's entirety.
Contrary TO many predictions, the
majority members OF the Finance Com
/ mittee and the Democratic caucus have
revised the Underwood bill downward
and for the first time tariff bill will
be reported to the Senate carving an
average lower rate Of duties than as il
passed the House.
Senator Simmons, chairman OF the
Finance Committee, in a statement to-
No
adopted by tho caucus is exceedingly
satisfactory TO the committee
me caucus has sustained tho COM
'nittee In All of its actions on the tariff
pm. said Senator Simmons, except
on one or two minor and relatively UNI
Important matters. am satisfied that
IN" bill AS approved by the caucus will
pass the Senate, and with such modif-
cations as may be made in conference
between the TWO houses will be enact
ed into law.
Il am confident that there will be
no disturbance of legitimate business
III this country as a result Of the OBJ
Grafton OF this new tariff law am
confident that II Will result in relicv-
ing the people OF the United States Of
many burdens from which they suffer
under the present tariff law II will
lay the foundation OF a greater pros
pcrity."
Senator Simmons said to-day that
he believed the bill would be passed
ny the Senate by the middle of August
and that it should become a law nv
September l.
senate Majority In Line.
Never In the history of tariff legis-
ihioh mas the majority membership of
the senate been more solidly in line TO
support tariff bill than is the pres
enl democratic majority. II was point
ed out to-day. Ever since Tho tariff
Dill was reported TO the House weeks
ago predictions have been made that
'he senate would remake the Under
Woou DILL raise rates. 50 that Mr.. I'm
derwood would not recognize the mems
urc' Io-cay the bill carries lower rates
'Hhn ever, Democratic leaders contend
and there is every prospect that Il viii
be passed by the Senate with ONLY
such changes as the Finance Commit
tee VIII recommend.
Tho bill to-day more nearly repre-
SCENTS the Democratic principles and
al the same time is a more scientific
tarifr measure than 1t was before tho
FINANCE Committee took hold of # II
Is said by the Democratic leaders
Members Of the House have given them
assurance that the Democrats Of that
body are friendly to the changes which
nave been made in the measure for
the most part particularly to the most
important amendments made by the
committee
TO Senator Simmons. head of the
FINANCE Committee. the Democrats are
giving much OF the credit for the man
ncr in which the bill has been handled
both In committee and in caucus He
mas done much to preserve the har-
mony which was so desired by the
Democratic leaders. his friends say.
While the debate in caucus has at
times been sharp. 1t was said to-day
that no III feeling has developed among
the Democrats. the nearest approach
to such thing being the feeling which
the withdrawal OF Senator Hitchcock.
OF Nebraska, from the caucus when
that body refused to adopt his pro-
posed amendment placing a graduated
tax upon tobacco production.
Preparing Amendments.
Senator Smoot, Of Utah, ono of the
leading Republican members of the
Senate Finance Committee, to-day
stated that he was preparing amend
ments to almost all the paragraphs Of
the tariff bill as 1t will be presented to
the Senate by tho Democrats on tho
committee. He said that he would not
offer tho amendments when tho tariff
bill was presented. but that he would
offer them rs tho various paragraphs
Of tho bill were reached In tho debate.
He said that some Of the paragraphs
in which there had seen little or no
change from the present law made by
the Democrats. he would not attempt
to amend. Among those. no snid, were
the tobacco and liquor schedules.
Senator Smoot said he would Intro
duce nm entire now wool paragraph
based on the report Of the tariff board.
Tho Senator from Utah said that no
did not anticipate offering an amend
ment to the income tax provision.
| Cites IncOnSistcncc.
"Thore arc n great many inconsisten-
oies In the tariff bill MS framed by tho
| Democrats" said Senator Smoot For