The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-04
The SM|TH.LEVER SCHEME.
COMPROMISE COTTON FUTURES
MEASURE PLACED IN TAR.
IFF BILL AT LAST
HEARING.
Measure Now Ready to co Back to
Senate on Final Trip III that Body
Agrees OH Cotton Futures Rate -
Ciiier Portions OF Bill Accepted
Conference Necessary IL Senate Re-
fuses to Accede to Measure.

tonight on what the party leaders
hoped would be it's last journey to
the senate. After many hours of de-
bate the house adopted the main con-
ference agreement on the bill, 254
to 1O3, almost a strict party vote,
and by this action gave it's indorse-
ment to everything in the measure
except the cotton futures tax.
At the end Of short but bitter
fight that followed the adoption OF
the report, Representative Underwood,
the Democratic leader, succeeded in
carrying through the Smith-Lever cot
ton futures tax amendment by q vote
Of III to 161. Democrats and Re-
publicans alike voted on this without
regard to party and large portion
Of the Democratic membership from
Southern States joined in the vigor-
Gus demand that the whole subject be
carried over to another session of
congress.
The cotton futures tax question
now rests entirely with the senate.
The house concurred in the Clarke
amendment put into the tariff bill by
the senate but added the Smith-Lever-
Underwood plan as another amend
ment.
Unless the senate will accept this
change, which has the Endorsement of
the president, the whole cotton futures
| plan again will have to be considered
in the joint conference committee and
again reported to both houses for
action.
The conference report will be called
up in the senate early tomorrow by
Chairman Simmons Of the finance
committee, unless there are unlocked
for developments. Several Democratic
senator's who are dissatisfied with cer-
tain features Of the bill today began
a demand for a Democratic caucus to
consider the conference report before
it Is taken up in the senate.
Senator Reed Of Missouri insisted
that unless certain changes were made
in rates fixed by the conference COM
mittee, he might vote against the re-
port and the tariff bill on it's final
passage. a
The cotton futures tax dominated
the days fight in the house. although
but little time actually was given to
its consideration. The history of the
compromise amendment became a
matter of record before the day
ended. Representative Underwood
said President Wilson had given 1t
to him. Representative Lever added
that the basis of the plan was bill
introduced repeatedly in the senate
by Senator Ellison d. Smith of South
| Carolina; that he had asked the agri-
cultural department to put the mat
ter into shape for the tariff bill, and
that Postmaster General Burleson had
perfected the amendment and given it
to the president.
Three distinct elements developed
| among the Democrats in the cotton
futures fight. One branch, led by
Representative Hardwick Of Georgia,
demanded that the whole subject be
taken out of the tariff bill and con-
sidered as q separate measure. An
other set, led by Representative Win
go of Arkansas, insisted that the
house should accept the language of
the Clarke amendment inserted by
the senate. Representative Under
wood headed the supporters of the
compromise plan.
Under its terms the cotton futures
tax would be nominal on actual
trades, but all contracts would have
to specify government grades Of cot
ton and trading would be closely reg
ulated.
The tariff bill itself came in for
warm praise from all Democrats
Representative Underwood declared
that business condition in the Unit
ed States had so carefully prepared
themselves for tariff revision that
there would be little halt to business
progress or prosperity.
On the final passage of the confer
ence report embracing the whole bill
except the cotton tax, Representative
DOnOhue of Pennsylvania, Morgan
and Broussard of Louisiana voted
against it. While Representatives
Mcdonald Of Michigan and Rubely
Of Pennsylvania, PrOgressives, and
Manahan OF Minnesota, Stacord of
Wisconsin, Carey of Wisconsin and
Kent OF California, Republicans,
voted with the majority.
Speaker Clark took the floor in the