Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-05-15
Passes Underwood Bill by Vote
Of 281 TO 1888.
PARTY LINES CLOSELY DRAWN
Five Oamocrats and Fourteen Progress.
sives O2pcsa Measure, but a Few
of the Minority Support II.

Washington, May 9.-The Under
wood tariff bill, proclaimed by the
Democratic party as the answer to its
platform pledge to reduce the tariff
downward, was passed by the house.
The vote was PSI to 1879, five Demo-
Gratis voting against the bill and two
Republicans for it. Four P~rogressives
supported the Measure and fourteen
opposed it, while one independent
Progressive joined with the majority.
When Speaker Clark announced the
vote eXuberant Democrats hoisted a
stuffed Democratic donkey over the
heads of their colleagues in the rear
of the chamber, a faint ripple of ap-
plause followed and the gavel fell on
the first chapter in the history of
President Wilson's extra session OF
congress.
Republicans and Progressives, led
respectively by Representatives Mann
and Murdoch, protested to the last
uSollSl llC llSpSulS. llt III" SSl IdIlll
bill ever written, and proclaiming, as
the Democratic avalanche bowled
them over, the virtues of tariff com-
mission plans.
Republicans who voted for the bill
were Cary and Stafford of Wisconsin.
Democrats who opposed it were Brous-
sard, Dupre, Lazaro and Morgan of
Louisiana, on account of the schedule
reducing sugar % per cent and send
ing it to the free list in three years,
and G. B. Smith of New York.
Progressives who voted for the bill
were Kelly and Ripley of Pennsylva-
MIA. Nolan of California and Bryan Of
Washington, Kent of California, for
n!erly a Republican, but now an indie
pendent Progressive. Progressive
Leader Murdoch and thirteen of his
Progressive followers voted with the
minority. Representative Copley, a
Progressive, did not vote, answering
present to his name.
Bill Now Goes to Senate.
The tariff fight shifts from the
house, with it's overwhelming Demo
cratic majority, to the senate, where
the party's slim majority of six al
ready has been reduced, as far as this
bill is concerned, to four. Unless
senators familiar with the progress
of such legislation are mistaken there
is now little prospect of a final vote
on the bill before Aug. /.
The bills passage through the SEN
ate will be fought every step by a
Republican organization, apparently
entirely in accord on this subject.
Democrats on the senate finance
committee, which will handle the
bill, express belief that it would go
through in practically the same form
as it passed the house and that their
small majority will stand firm to the
last.
The subcommittee of the finance
committee which have been i~nvesti-
eating schedules of the Underwood
bill for weeks plan to make a few
changes in several schedules. but the
wool. sugar and other schedules
which brought out the hard fight in
the house are not to be touched, ac-
cording to the present plan.
The income tax and administration
features are to stand. Democratic
leaders acknowledge that the two SEN
ators from Louisiana will not accept
the sugar schedule and that they
might be willing to combine with 9TH
ers to defeat the whole bill.
A change of two or more Demo-
cratic votes would bring about the
end of the Louisiana desire. AL
though there have been reports about
the senate hat the Democrats intend
to allow n more senator to vote
against sugar and another to vote
against wool leaders of the finance