New-York tribune., 1913-06-23
LEADERS SEE CLEAR
COURSE FOR TARIFF
Hope to Get Measure Throuuh
the Caucus and Into the
Senate This Week.
PARTY OPPOSITION WANING
Preliminary Fight Over Sugar
Wool and Cattle Expected
to End in Smoke and
Harmony to Follow.
[From The Tribune Bureau.

Washington, June 22.-By the end ~ "a.
present week. according 10 the calcpl..
tions Of the Democratic leaders, the tar,
fight will be brought out into the op.p
and party lines will be drawn in ~.
struggle to put the measure through. n.
Senate. II is the hope of Senator Sim.
mons, chairman of the Finance Comn,.
tee, that the Democratic caucus will M,
its stamp of approval on the bill BY
Thursday or Friday. II this hope is f,I.
filled the tariff debate will be opened IN
the Senate the following Monday.
4 fight in the caucus over the free Won
sugar and cattle items will probably oc.
cur. but the leaders are convinced that #
will end in smoke and that the measur,
will be reported TO and passed by IN.
Senate substantially as now drawn.
To hasten the progress OF the om
through the Senate the debate will not q.
allowed to lag. Democratic leaders are
urging their party colleagues 90 refrain
from talking, a tendency which has bee,
very marked in the clashes that hays
heretofore taken place between the major
ity and minority. The Senate will meet
early and adjourn late to exhaust Repus.
lican criticism Of the measure as soon as
possible.
The first days work by the caucus as
sured the Democratic leaders 10 their own
satisfaction that there was no disposition
TO start fight. Democratic opposition
TO the bill appears 10 be at its lowest ebb
and there is an apparent disposition BY
those who were at first outspoken in Their
criticism TO march alons tractably With
the majority.
1t is conceded by the Republicans tina,
the tariff fight is almost over. At pres
ent. when the bill was expected 70 run
the most dangerous stretch In It's course
the Democratic caucus-the skies have
cleared. the waters have become smooth
and there is no appearance OF angry
cross currents and whirlpoos Of dssats-
faction. Whatever the state Of mind Of
the country, the state Of mind Of the
Democrats I'm the Senate is no Longer
ruffled as II was when the bill was first
reported in the House.
The suggestion has been made tina,
this change has been stimulated 10
great extent by the lobby investigation
and the Presidents demand for currency
legislation. The disclosures of the lobby
investigation have put a quietus on the
activity Of tariff "accelerators," and tariff
arguments are not presented With the
vehemence that prevailed before the in.
vestgation was begun. II is becoming
bad form under the shadow Of the
Capitol to have decided opinions about
the tariff. whether for or against.
The currency bill has also acted as
counter attraction and diverted the az
tention OF legislators from tariff revision
Just as the consideration Of the tari1
was becoming irksome and the Demo
cratic opposition. puzzled hy the effect o.
the lobby investigation. was hard put 70
il 10 maintain its courage. the currency
bill put the tariff completely in the back
ground. leaving the Senate. which has
heretofore been in the habit of regarding
itself as the arbiter Of legislation. BE-
wildered and not quite sure whether
was to be permanently overshadowed oy
the White House and the House Of
Representatives.
This is the situation at present Win
the President the commanding figure II
may change within a fortnight The ta'e
of the currency bill hangs In the balance
and the failure OF the President 10 force
it through may revive the truculency OF
some Democrats on the eve az us III
PRODUCTION in the Senate. however, the
course Of the tariff bill appears to be
smooth.