The Washington herald., 1913-03-26
BILL HELD FOR
WILSON'S YES
Tentative Tariff Schedules in
Hands of President and
Await Approval.
WOOL SCHEDULE HITCH
White House Dictum Is Not Expected
on Details of Rates of
Duty.

Until President Wilson communicates
his views on the subject to Chairman
Underwood and his associates, the Com
mittee on Ways and Means will with
hold final Judgment on the rates of the
tariff revision programme that will be
presented to the House early in the spe-
cial session of Congress, that will begin
April Z. The President intends 10 care
fully examine the measure. Just what
suggestions he may make to the COM
mittee is a matter of conjecture. Con-
servative members who are IN harmony
with Mr.. Underwood are confident that
President Wilson will suggest a ''moder-
ate revision of the tariff. On the other
hand. radical members Of the committee
appear TO be just as confident that the
President will recommend that practical
ly all foodstuffs shall be placed on the
free list. and that the rates on raw
wool and manufactures OF the wool shall
be materially reduced. The wool sched-
ule Of the present tariff law. which was
declared by President Taft to be inde-
fensible. and the schedule embracing
farm products have provoked more con-
troversy in committee than all the other
features of the proposed revision COM
bned.
The tariff makers of the House in
tend to abide by the wishes of the
on the measure and will govern them
selves accordingly.
No Party Disloyalty.
Doubt is expressed that Mr.. Wilson
will attempt TO make the tariff bill as
1t comes from the House Committee on
Ways and Means an administration
measure in the sense that those who fail
to give their support in every particular
will lay themselves open to the charge
of party disloyalty. 1t is expected rather
that Mr.. Wilson will express himself on
the rates of the measure in a general
way in the hope that through conferences
with the leaders in the House and Senate
he will in time be able to mold it to
conform to his views. The President is
said to realize that it would be hazardous
to label as an administration measure"
a tariff bill that is yet 10 run the gantlet
of a party caucus and the two Houses
of Congress that affects many antago-
nistic interests, and that in the nature OF
things must frequently be made the sub
ject of compromise.
The Committee on Ways and Means
spent yesterday in 4 discussion of the in
come tax provision of the proposed new
tariff bill. A vote on this proposition will
be taken tomorrow. The maCrjity fayo-s
a graduated instead of a fixed rate Of
taxation 1t was learned that the COM
mittee is having a great deal of trouble
ir framing the administrative features
of the income tax act. To considerab..
extent 1t is proposed TO collect the tax
al the source of income. This can easiI-
be done, it was said, in the case of all
incomes that are derived from corpora
tions. Present Indications are that the
law will fix 5000 as the minimum m
the matter of incomes to be taxed. Nc
agreement has yet been reached as to
the rates that will be levied.
Announcement that the new tariff
schedules probably would be submitted
to the Democratic caucus under exactly
the same conditions as obtained last
year. and that no member would he
bound to abide by the caucus action,
was made yesterday by Representative
A. Mitchell Palmer, chairman OF the eau
Gus.
There will be no secret action or Sc
cret decision he said. Every word OF
our caucus proceedings will be reported
to the press. That is the rule We es-
tablished two years ago, when We came
into power The Democrats will act
upon their own tariff programme, and
any. of them who wish to oppose the
caucus action on the floor only have
to announce that they will so disagree
with the majority.
Talk of the Ways and Means Com
mittee Jamming a bill through is nom
sense" he continued. THE 80 Demo-
Gratis in the House will make their own
decisions for themselves. These rumors
of dictation and secrecy are set afioat
for adverse political effect"
While neither the President nor Mr..
Underwood would discuss at length Mon
ady nights conference, both were well
pleased. Mr.. Underwood said:
The President and I are in hearty
accord We discussed the tariff bill very
fully, and all that l can say at this
time is that there are no radical differ
ms