Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-07-10
"A TRIBUTE TO SIMMONS.


FINANCE committee.
Washington,D. %, (Special.0-
The Simmons-U Underwood Tarif
Revision Bill is the title Of an in.
tcrVieW with Congressman John
H. Small, of North Carolina, who
takes occasion to compliment Ia
the highest terms the work Of
Senator Simmons as chairman Of
the Finance committee.
Mr.. SmaH's statement IS as fol
lows:
There is one comment on con-
temporaneous history, interesting
to North CarOlinians and cretable
to her senior Senator. and well
worth recording. I refer to a
phase of the pending tariff bill.
While the bill was pending in the
House, it was generally referred
to as the Underwood bill" This
was just and proper. The distin-
guished Alabama member not only
gave a prolonged study in its pre-
paratiOn, but he exhibited a men
tai poise and self control during
Its consideration IN the Demo-
cratic caucus and in the House
which entitled him to distinguish
ed credit.
But for weeks now the bill has
been in the Senate. The Finance
committee of that body has given
to the bill exhaustive considera-
ton. Senator Simmons. as chair
man of that great committee, has
exhibited qualities of real leader
ship. With prodigious industry
and fine intellectual vigor he has
analysed statistics and other ma
terial bearing on the several
schedules and winnowed the
wheat from the chaff. No falla-
cies have entrapped him. No
protection dogmas have obscured
his vision. He has earned the
confidence of his colleagues on the
committee and in the Senate not
only in his clear and logical mind,
but In his loyalty to Democratic]
ideals. Even the brilliant but i'm
rulsive Senator from Kentucky,
Mr.. James, who is frequent
characterized as a radical in tariff
reduction, openly expresses his i'm
plicit faith in Chairman Simmons
as an ideal tariff reformer.
THE Senate committee have
substantially completed considera-
ton of the bill, and it is now be-
lore the caucus of Democratic
senator's. Several hundred a.
mendments have been adopted, /
but they represent substantial re-
downward Tt is the first
time since the civil war that a
Senate Finance committee has
amended a tariff bill in the inter
est of the consumer, and with a
view to restoring competitive in
In all this Senator Sim
mons has been the guiding hand.
AS one piece of evidence among
that the amendments by the
Senate Democrats will meet the
approval of the administration
md the House, / may quote from
statement made last Saturday by
Mr. Underwood, who said:
"The bill as presented to
the Democratic caucus of the
Senate is satisfactory in a
large measure. None of the
amendments is of a nature to
cause a serious disagreement.
The bill, if it is passed by the
Senate without further alter
alton, will, / believe, speedily
become a law"
"The press recognizes the eff
and capacity. Sunday s
referred conspicuously to
he Observation-Disclosures Tariff
Revision bill" The name of the
Senator will hereafter be
with the greatest tariff re-
'orm legislation since the famous
Walker Act. / have followed the
work of Senator Simmons closely,
md / know whereof I speak.
AS a North Carolinian / am
of his record and his dis
inguished service