Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-06-19
FEAR A DETECTION
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS THINK
FOUR OF THEIR NUMBER MAY
BEAT TARIFF BILL.
DOUBTFUL ONES ARE NAMED
Anxiety, However, Seems Unfounded
and Senate Probably viii Pass
Measure for President Wilson
Holds the Whip Hand.
BY GEORGE CLINTON

Hobs the whip 1ahos
BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington-There Eeems to have
been recently a revival Of the early
fear of the Democratic senators that
some Of their number may break
away from party control on the final
vote on the tariff bill and thus defeat,
so far as the senate can, the measure
to which Woodrow Wilson and the
party leaders have given their adher,
ence. The belief Of the observers OF
things legislative. that is the belief OF
men not engaged In the WORK as sena.
tors or representatives. is that the
leaders fear is not we'll founded and
that the senate will sanction the bill
as 1t was sent over by the house, with,
however, a few changes which will
make rather for lower than for high
er rates.
The Democrats say 1t is good deal
Of a victory for d president Of the
United States to have won over to
his way of tariff thinking virtually all
the members Of the houses of con
gress.
Detection of Four Feared.
The fear Of the Democratic senate
leaders that there may be a detection
from the ranks when the voting time
comes concerns itself only with four
senators and they are named very
fearlessly by the men who say it is
possible in two cases and certain in
two other cases that they will desert.
The senators named are Thornton and
Ransdell of louisiana Walsh of Mon
tana and Newlands of Nevada. A
good many Democrats do not believe
that in any circumstances Newlands
viii vote against the tariff bill.
II three Democratic senators bolt
on the final voting roll call it means
that, provided the Republicans, pro-
gressive Republicans and the one Pro
gressive vote solidly against the bill,
there will be a tie on the vote which
must be broken by the vote of Vice
President Marshall
If four Democratic senators refuse
to vote for the bill the opposition will
carry by a majority of one and the
vice-president will not be called upon
to do anything There is a feeling
however, among a good many of the
Democrats that if four of their party
shall decide not to sanction the meas,
ure with their votes they can depend
upon one senator from the other side
to vote for the bill, thus creating a tie
and giving Vice-President Marshall
the right to decide the fate of the bill
in favor of the administration.
Things That May Happen.
What may happen, if Democratic
fears are realized, is that four party
senators may vote against the free
trade provisions of the bill when they
are offered in amendment form. thus
giving the bill an entirely different
appearance than the house leaders and
the administration would like it to
bear
If the senate should decline to &C
cept free wool and free sugar, the most
important free trade features of the
measure. it is altogether probable that
the house would refuse to concur. But
if the house did concur and the bill
was passed in a form not to the liking
of Woodrow Wilson, 1t is believed in
Washington that he will veto it and
do It with as sharp a message as ever
was penned in the White House.
When the political campaign comes
on next year it will be within the
power of the administration to let the
voters of the country know what it
thinks about the action of Democratic
senators and Representatives who, as
Mr.. Wilson views 1t. did not vote in
accordance with the dictates of the
Democratic platform adopted at Balti-
more. The president, Democratic
leaders say, believe that a vote
against the Underwood bill as it is
framed is a vote against Democratic
tariff principles Therefore, it is said
he will feel justified in giving the rec
ord Of recalCitrants to the country. A
good many Democrats in the house, it
is known. voted for some of the pro
visions of the tariff bill even though
they did not like them and if the sen
ate passes the measure virtually as
the president wants it, and all fears
aside as it seems most likely to do, it
will be known that several of the sen
ators voted for some things which at
heart they did not like The summary
of the situation might be that Mr.. Will
son is still master of the tariff situa.
ton even though expressed fears in
some quarters are to the contrary.
1t makes no difference what a mans
politics are. if he happens to come in
contact with the president of the
United States he must admit that he
is a man of determination and that
he intends to have his way as long as
he thinks his way is right. Demo
Gratis. Republicans and Progressives
may as we'll make up their mind tc
this condition for it is attested in It's
truth by men of all parties here il
Washington. who talk about it freely
and frequently with admiration fol
what they call the backbone ele
ment" in Woodrow Wilson. Legisla
ton as he wants 1t is likely to &C
through ana he, so 1t is said. is ready
to stand or to fall by the resulting eff
fects on the country.
Never Misses Name.
There have been just as many sec
retaries to the president as there have
been presidents Of the United States
In the years long passed the secreta