Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-05-08
NOT A DENT
--
4
Have Republicans Made
In Democratic Tariff. !.
All Opposition 10 Free Wool Is
Bow|ed Over by Majority.
Si0o, . 10000 Income Tax Feature
C..der Consideration by House.

ust, DoWleu over all opposition TO IRE,
wool, free meats and other necessities
land passed on to consideration of thu
500, 600, 900 income tax feature of thu
Underwood tariff bill. Not a dent was
made in the bill as approved by the
ways and means committee and wher
the night session began it was ex-
Ipected that the measure as a whole
would be passed unamended by the
House. by tomorrow
All day there was sparring across
the aisles dividing the Democrats and
the Republicans Many amendments
were offered by Republicans and for
lorn effort to put many free listed ar
| ticleS back on the dutiable list, but all
were voted down with regularity
| that brought smiles from the minority.
| Finally, when the last of these pro-
posed changes had been rejected,
| Payne of New York, head of the ways
and means committee under the Re-
| publican regime in the House, precipi-
tated a lively rules fight by offering q
brand new amendment to create q
tariff commission. Instantly all the
parliamentary sharps on both sides
were astir. Speaker Clark sat next to
front of the Speakers rostrum, where
Underwood has been conducting con-
sideration of the bill.
Fitzgerald of New York rushed in
from the appropriations committee,
armed with precedents and was fol-
lowed by Sherley of Kentucky and
Hardwick of Georgia, who Joined in
the majority protest against admitting
the amendment. On the Republican
side. Leader Mann, Gardner of Massa-
chusetts and Payne of New York and
others conferred and addressed the
House.
1t was all over quickly, Garrett Of
Tennessee, in the chair, sustaining y
point of order made by Underwood
that the tariff commission amendment
was not germane to the bill. When
Mann appealed from the decision, the
House sustained the Chair, 164 to 81.
Hull of Tennessee, chief drafts
man of the income tax feature of the
tariff bill, prepared, tonight. to re-
sist campaign by the minority IL
amend the details of the proposed
law He expected a hard fight on be-
half of the mutual fire insurance
per cent. under the measure. The
provisions affecting insurance com
panies were taken almost verbatim
from the corporation tax law already
in effect, but to avoid any possible
question. committee amendments We're
prepared, tonight, to eliminate even
the slightest variation from the eN-
listing law.
A Democratic Republican dove
feast was held before consideration of
the taxing propositions of the bill.
The occasion was the birthday of Rep.
Underwood. Minority Leader Mann
announced that he wished to put
aside partisan feeling for a time ana
talk personally. He told the House
that 81 years ago zone of the ablest
men in public life, first saw the light
of day." and congratulated the Dem
ocratic party and the American peo-
Pile that during the 81 years of his
life there has grown to greatness and
bigness the able gentleman from Ala
bama, Mr. Underwood"
Amid roar of applause from both
sides of the chamber. Underwood
thanked Mann for his congratulations
tackled the free wheat and flour provis-
ions of the bill
Underwood defended free flour, deciar-
ing that the Northwest would not be in
jured and an amendment to the bill was
defeated.
Efforts to take lumber from the free
list and alter the wood pulp and print
paper schedules were finally defeated.
Rep Mondeli got permission TO offer
an amendment providing that all rags
imported must be cleaned and sterilized
and delivered a diatribe on Democratic
rags
1.-THE Democrats propose to admit free
of duty" he shouted, ''the rags of the
world. Rage from the harems of Tur-
key, rags from the slums of London, rags
from purlieus of Naples and Rome; rags
from cholera and bubonic plague camps
of the Balkan peninsula will be given TO
our people free. I know of nothing more
logical in a Democratic tariff bill than
free rags We must have the rags of
all the world to come here to clothe our
people, driven from employment by the
Democratic tariff rates
Underwood pointed out that Mendell
amendment was unnecessary, because
| the rags were cleaned before being adj
mtted to this country.
The wool paragraph in the free hs'
brought about a detection from the SOHO
| front of the Democrats. Sharp of Ohio
representing Democrats opposed to free
wool, offered an amendment placing
duty of 20 per cent. on raw wool, tht
rate fixed by the Underwood bill OF tn
last Congress. Sharp defended his Dem
| ocracy by the statement that he nov
proposed rate which Speaker Clark ant
Majority Leader Underwood had votet
for in the last Congress.
Fordney attacked the free wool pro
vision. Various amendments including
one to place all manufactures of woo
on the free list, were defeated.
Republicans attempted by numerou
amendments to alter the income ta'
rates, but without avail. The Progress
sives also offered several amendments
Representative Gillett of Massachusetts
offered an amendment providing for
tax of l per cent. on incomes betwee
$1,000 and $4,000 a year. The provisions 0
the income tax section exempting the sal