The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-02
DEMOCRATS UNITED.
Tariff Bill to Have Smooth Sailing in
the Senate.

Washington, Oct. 2.-Democratlc
support for the conference report on
the tariff bill appeared to be united
when the senate today began the
final consideration of the Democrat
revision measure. The all day caucus
of yesterday which had threshed out
the differences within party ranks
and brought about unanimous support
of the conference report led Chairman
Simmons of the finance committee to
hope that there would be little delay
in obtaining final action on the bill
Republican senators had not dis
closed the extent of their proposed
criticism of the conference agreement
when the days work began in the
senate, but it was expected that Sena-
tors La Toilette, Penrose and others
would speak at some length.
The decision of senate Democrats to
drop the entire cotton futures question
out of the present tariff law is ex-
pected to meet with the approval of
the house. The latter body endorsed
the proposed compromise Tuesday
only by a narrow margin, and many
of those who voted for it, including
Democrat Leader Underwood, said
they would prefer to have the whole
question treated in separate legisla-
ton rather than as an amendment to
the tariff bill.
Senator Simmons announced as
soon as the tariff report was taken
up, he hoped final vote could be
reached today. He made formal re-
quest for an agreement for vote at
6 p. m. but Senator POindexter OBJ
jected to this because he said, many
senators wanted to debate the con-
ference report. Senator Norris tried
to get an agreement for a vote to-
but Senator Simmons declar- |
ed he hoped the senate would stay in
continuous session until the tariff bill !
finally was disposed of.
Points of order were made against |
the conference report as soon as it /
Il Il
Penrose, Republicans on the ground |
that the conference committee had put |
new matter in the bill. Senator Bur- |
toms objection was made to the COM |
in the duty on wire; while Senator |
Penrose made a point against the |
in the duty on plain jute |
ia brics, where the conferees adopted |
a rate of ten per cent in place of 20 |
per cent agreed to by the house and
senate.
Republicans Cause Delay.
A fruit1ess attempt to delay con-
sideration of the bill further was
made by Senator Penrose. He de-
clared the printed copies of the bill
as amended by the conference COM
mittee furnished to the senate were
useless.
THE reading of this conference re-
port is a farce he asserted. I'VE
have not availa BILE a copy of the bill
n the conference. This bill was pre-
pared in secret conference and eau
Gus by the majority. So far as the
of the conference committee
are concerned they might as well have
been in China. This is a slipshod
method and an utter disregard of
oarlia mentary procedure. 1t is due
o the American laborer and the
American manufacturer that when
his tariff guiIlotine falls, it shall fall
With due solemnity and decorum."
Senator Penrose's motion that consid-
Grafton of the report go over until a
special print could be made was laid on
the table, SO to 16. Senators Penrose
and Simmons engaged in a heated pas
sage anent secrecy in the preparation
Of legislation.
THE senator from Pennsylvania has
had enough to do with the preparation
Of tariff bills in secret at The dictation
IF the special interests to be an author
ty on the subject" remarked Simmons
n reply to- the criticism of Democrat
methods. Senator Penrose made every
possible objection to the various
amendments as they were considered
and delayed the passage of the bill
,