The Washington times., 1913-04-10
SENATE TO AMEND
NEW TARIFF BILL
Leaders Tell President That the
Upper House Will Stand
for Its Old Rights.

AS the result of his first conference
with the Democratic members of the
Senate Finance Committee yesterday,
President Wilson learned that the Sem
ate does not intend to swallow the
House tariff bill whole and that 1t will
not abdicate the right 1t has always ex-
ercised of amending the House bill.
Extreme secrecy marked this. the first
conference on legislative matters which
has been held between members Of Con-
gress and the Executive at the Capitol
for generations. President Wilson en-
Joined secrecy on the Senators with
whom he conferred. The rule of open
caucus was not observed. Nevertheless.
the chief facts as to the conference
were disclosed.
Pleasant enough, with all exchanges
suave, polite and courteous, neverthe-
less the tone of the conference left one
fact plain This is that while Senators
are not Offering opposition, outwardly
at least, to comforting with the Presi-
dent at the Capitol. they are still stand
ing on their prerogatfves. President
Wilson was informed of the difficulties
in the way of the tariff bill, Of the op-
position to free sugar, free wool. free
hour, and some other items, and was
advised that strong efforts to amend
the bill would be made in the upper
house.
Stand On Prerogatives.
Tho Finance Committee Democrats
Tor the most part adhered to the posi-
ton they have taken for some time,
namely, that 1t would be much better
to segregate the sugar schedule and
President learned that the Finance
Committee Democrats themselves would
do what they could to pass the bill
as 1t came from the House. They
simply told the President what he
might expect
exercise Its rights under the Constitu-
ton. those Of amending tariff bills sent
from the House, was the view pointedly
conveyed by one Of the members OF
the committee and there is no doubt
but that this represents the attitude of
the stronger men on the committee.
The conference lasted from 3 o'clock
until AS. The Senate situation In de-
tail was gone over. The President was
told what Senators opposed this sched-
ule and what ones opposed that. 1t
was agreed that the question OF re-
vision in single bill was up to the
House caucus and that the Senate COM
mittee could not decide IT.
Oppose Single Bill.
The President stin took the view that
IT would be better for the Senate TO
accept the bill as 1t came from the
House. A small group of the Finance
Committee Democrats coincided with
the notion Of revision in a single BILL
original position for segregation OF
certain schedules.
President Wilson, on leaving the con-
ference, said the tariff was discussed
and there was apparently no difficulty
in standing together on any sort of
caid ha fItraSfinn
of separate schedule revision was a
matter for the House to determine.
The President said, moreover, he
hoped to make visits of this kind fire.
opiniSn is divided on the action of
the President In taking UP Legislation
at. the Capitol with the legislators.
Under the surface there is plenty of
resent II. Others approve it Outward:
ly the Democratic Senators speak we'll
of It. Senators Simmons, O'Gorman,
Hoke Smith. and Shively approved it.
Sees Danger In Course.
Senator Lodge, however. looked on it
as dangerous. He said:
"Of course, President Wilson had a
perfect right to come, but his action
borders dangerously on being an en-
croachment by the executive on the
legislative branch of the Government.
There was ample constitutional warrant
for his decision to deliver his message
To Congress in person, but to sit with
the ma jority members of the committee
and assist in framing a tariff bill Is
another matter
Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania, for
mcr chairman of the Finance Commit
tee. said:
Nobody questions the right of the
President to visit Congress. He may
drop in some time during an executive
session and hear the debates over his
nominees. That also would be all right"