The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-22
SENATE DEMOCRATS
SUPPORT CHANGES
IN UNDERWOOD BILL
The Revised Measure Goes
Through Caucus With
Little Change
CRITICISM OF
BILL LIMITED
Important Alterations in Income Tax
Section to Be Made-Party
Leaders Predict
Harmony

Washington, June 21-The Underwood
summons tariff revision bill. as agreed
upon by the democrats of the Senate
committee went through a full DAYS ses-
sion of the Senate democratic caucus to-
day with practically no change and with
harmonious support for most of the al
terations the finance committee members
had made the original Underwood bill.
The tariff duties on chemicals, oils and
paint, on earthenware and glassware, and
on two-thirds of the articles comprised in
the metal and machinery schedule, had
been disposed of when the caucus ad-
1ourned late this afternoon. Democratic
members of the finance committee met
tonight to finish re-drafting the income
tax section of the bill. The important
changes to be made in this provision. re-
ducing the exempted income from $4,000 to
$4,000 probably will be completed Monday
and the income tax and administrative
features of the bill then will be turned
over to the cacucus for consideration.
Criticism of Bill
Criticism of the tariff bill in the party
conference was limited to a few specific
rates and a half dozen of the items were
sent back 10 the finance committee for
further investigation and report The
committees report putting cement on the
free list was sustained after some debate
The proposed duties on flaming arc light
carbons; on stained glass, and on field
glasses Onfiea1 nd pct, &c
and Photographic lenses came in for crit
icsm and were referred back to the dem
ocrats of the finance committee.
Cheap automobiles as necessaries of
business and farming life We're the object
of much of the debate" The finance
committee democrats had already cut the
rates of the Underwood bill from As per
cent ad valorem TO 35 per cent on motor
cars valued at less than $500. Several
democratic senator's urged a further cut
and recommended that the tariff be only
10 or 10 per cent en- machines valued at
less than $1,000 This demand was made
on the ground that cheap. automobiles
were now common neeessaries.
The caucus did not settle the automobile
controversy but asked Chairman Sim
mons and his colleagues on the finance
committee to investigate further.
Advocates of the lower duty claim the
government would lose little revenue, as
the high priced machines pay most of the
tariff.
Harmony Predicted
Harmony was predicted by the demo-
cratic leaders today after the caucus
broke up. None of the bitterly fought Sec
tions of the bill had been reached, how
evxer. and no effort has been made thus
far to assert the binding authorities Of
the party caucus upon individual sena-
tors.
Senator Kern, the party leader, said the
caucus would bind all it's members upon
all features of the bill except where they
had made pledges to their constituents or
felt that they could not conscientiously
abide by the action of the majority.
Caucus consideration of the bill will be
resumed at 10 a. m. Tuesday, and it is be-
lieved the measure will be ready for pre-
sentation to the Senate Thursday or Fri
day.