Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-04-03
Long Conference with Representa-
tive Underwood-"Some
Progress Made.
NO DIFFERENCES OF OPINION
Free Sugar Plan and the Is per
Cent. Tax on Wool Are
Hanging in the Bal
anCe.

Washington, April 1.-President
Wilson and Representative Oscar w.
Underwood were in conference for
several hours at the White House to-
night, for the second time over fea
lures of the proposed tariff revision.
The conference was asked for by
President Wilson who had been study
ing the new tariff bill for several
days.
Other conferences which are to fol-
low with Mr.. Underwood and Senator
Simmons, chairman of the Senate fl
nance committee, will settle the
status of The sugar, wool and agri-
cultural schedules so far as the party
leaders can settle them and will de-
eide whether one general bill, or sep
arate schedule bills, shall be passed by
the House. Tho opponents of free
sugar, chiefly representing the cane
growing sections of the South. have
made strong representations to the
President during the past week
against the removal of all duty from
that product.
Since his first conference with Mr.
Underwood, President Wilson had
gone over the tariff bill in some de-
tail with Secretary Redfeld of the
department of commerce for whose
tariff views he has high regard.
Efforts to bring the Senate and
House into accord before the details
of the new tariff bill become public
are to be made late this week. Sena-
| tor simmons Will ask democratic mem
bers of the Senate finance committee to
meet Friday for a preliminary consd-
Grafton of the tariff. At that time il
is expected that a copy of the bill pre-
pared by the House ways and means
committee will be submitted to the
democratic senators, and considered
in detail
Should the Senate committee deter
mine that certain features Of the bill
will not he acceptable in the Senate.
efforts will be made to have the draft
of the bill changed by the House COM
mittee or by the democratic member
ship of the House when it meets in
caucus next week, so that House and
Senate may be brought into as com
plete accord as possible in support OF
the House bill.
After the conference between Presi-
dent Wilson and Representative I'm
derwood ended tonight the free sugar
plan and the Is per cent. tax on wool
were hanging in the balance.
Mr.. Underwood, upon leaving the White
House, would only vouchsafe the in.
. formation that some progress" had beer
made that there were no differences be.
tween the President and himself and that
the majority of his committee would meet
again tomorrow.
However, the fight against putting raw
sugar on the free list and against re.
. tanning the duty on raw wool and ovel
some other parts Of the tariff revision
is understood to have led the president
to hesitate in committing himself upor
. these matters until he has had an op
portunity to obtain further light. He viii
confer over these tart situations to
morrow and within the next q hour:
communicate his views finally to tn
ways and means committee.
The indications tonight were that fret
| sugar would remain in the bill though
that is by no means certain If the Presi
dene concludes that the pleas for a dut,
on sugar should be needed, the commit
tee majority is expected to acquiescc ant
transfer sugar to the dutiable list,
The purpose now is to go ahead with
single tariff bill.
The Democratic caucus may not be hel,
Tuesday If the President should della,
his opinion as to changes in importan
rates.