Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-30
Republican Amendments
Voted Down by Democrats,
The Tariff Commission Occupies
Most Of The Talk Of Day.
Rep. Murdoch, Prog, Touches
Fireworks by Declarations.

Washington, April 29.-Excited de.
bate and heated wrangle. today, mark.
ed thu beginning of the reading of the
Democratic tariff bill in the House fol
amendment. Progress on the perfec-
ton OF the measure was slow, but the
talk was loud and one occasion
brought Speaker Clark on the fiool
with vigorous speech.
All day the Republicans Offered
amendmo hts TO the various paragraphs
IN the chemical schedule and every
amendment was calmly voted down by
the big Democratic majority. Several
minor amendments offered by sheN ways
and means committee to correct the
phraseology of the bill were adopted
Most OF the talk of the day turned
on the records of the Democratic and
Republican side of the House on the
question of creating a Tariff Commits
sion. The Republicans, led by Mann of
Illinois began their attacks on the va
rious provisions of the first schedule
of the hill, the chemical schedule, by
declaring that the weaknesses" in the
rates showed the need of the inyesti-
sdliIH OF ii IdiIIl otiAtt
wood in reply declared that the DEM
eerats had provided the bureau of for
eign and domestic commerce in the de-
partmert of commerce and thta the
failure OF the Taft administration to
vitaiize that bureau, with sufficient ap-
propriations had prevented its doing
the work of tariff investigation.
Gardner of Massachusetts said that
Underwood and other Democrats had
voted for the Tariff Commission in tie
61st Congress when the Republicans
were in power and urged that they
support the Republican proposition
now. Then Murdoch. the Progressive
leader. touched off the fireworks. He
declared that both Republicans and
Democrats were opposed to the Tariff
Commission scheme and recalled that
the last day OF the e1st Congress In
Gle Joe" Cannon's last appearance at
the Speakers desk the Tariff Commits
sion bill was withdrawn by the Re
publicans in the face of a filibuster led
by Fitzgerald of New York.
The Republicans in this chamber
then" shouted Murdoch Like the
Republicans in this chamber now, were
OILY BttttiiulItS W Dt iti q
Commission. They had their chance
TO write that bill into law then ann
failed. They will never have another
chance"
The Republicans grew excited ana
Gardner shouted that there was no
foundation for Murdock's charge that
the Republican leaders were in Il
conspiracy to defeat the Tariff Com
mission bill"
Gesticulatng wildly, Gardner de-
manded the opinion of Rep. Sherley OF
Kentucky as to the truth OF the
charge. Mr.. Sherley said he believ ad
many of the Republicans opposed the
bill. Then Rep. Gardner, shaking Il
finger at Speaker Clark, demanded II
know whether he believed the charge.
The Speaker STROBE to the center OK
the we'll of the House and shouted:
MY judgment is that there never
was a Republican leader in this House
really in favor of a Tariff Commits
sion.'
Gardner sat down and the Speaker
went ON. He declared that he was
against a Tariff Commission reporting
and responsible to the President. 1T Il
the House tHdl Slouio iioNe Inv i'AS 49,
tion." he said.
The Speaker went into detail about TN
defeat of the Tariff Commission bill il
the 6lst Congress, explaining that tn
Democrats refused to follow himself AM
Rep. Underwood.
",They rolled to us a fare-ye-weil, n
declared .and the Republicans ~er
standing back and eonsenting like Sau
at the stoning of stephen. They actual
| " rolled up a majority against Under
wood and myself, but it was the frs
time and the last time they ever did II
The only reason was they caught us nap
| ping
Gardner again tried to pin the Speake
| down to his position on the conspirac
| charge.
~ think the gentleman from Ne'
York, Mr.. Payne, was honest on that ia
| in trying to get that bill through sal
the Speaker
But was there a conspiracy on tina
day?' demanded Mr.. Gardner.
81 cannot tell" said the Speaker, dc
cause l was not in it. if there was one.
| The House roared with laughter.
The Speaker concluded with the decla
| ration that flon-partisan tariff boar
! was an impossibility, and that he wa
in favor of giving the ways and mean
committee itself all of the expert hel
it needed to ascertain the facts as to I'll
tariff.
Reading of the chemical schedule Wa
completed shortly after O'Clock and II
House then recessed until 7.S0.
: When the schedule on earths and eartl
enware, the second schedule of the hi
was taken up at the night session, Rel
resentative Dixon of Indiana, who hs
Continued on Page Twelve.)