The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-18
COMMITTEE CALLED TO ACTION.
STEERING COMMITTEE BELIEV-
rs TARIFF BILL WILL GET
BACK TO SENATE NEXT
WEEK.
Tariff Caucus Postponed until Coal
Strike Investigation is Ended
John Sharp Williams Proposes for
Commission to Study Tariff Admin
istratiOn and Allow Payne-Al Aldrich
Bill to Stand for Present.

senate was called into action late to-
day to clear the way in that body for
the tariff revision bill. AS result of
the meeting and Of reports received
from the finance committee, members
OF the steering committee" said to-
night they believed the tariff bill
would get back into the senate before
the end of next week.
Senator Kern called the party man.
ayers together after reports had be-
come general that the Democratic
tariff caucus would have to be post
poned until the senate's West Virginia
coal strike investigation had been
completed 1t was determined to at.
tempt to secure an agreement between
the senate and house on the sundry
civil bill, now in dispute, to end SEN
ator Jones single handed filibuster,
which has delayed senate business for
over a week, and to remove all other
obstacles to early action on the tariff.
The steering committee" was in
formed by Senator Thomas, who is
also member of the finance COM
mittee, that the tariff bill could be
completed and returned to the sem
ate next week. Several other MEM
bers of the finance committee, how
ever, expressed doubt today as to the
probability Of this being accomplished,
accommodations were made early
in the day by several Democrats
prominently identified with the ad-
ministration forces that the senate
caucus be deferred until Senators
Swanson, Shields and MARITIME had re-
turned from their work with the in
vestigating committee in West Vir-
ginia.
The narrow margin by which the
administration forces control the SEN
ate in support of the presidents wool
and sugar programmes makes 1t nee
essary, in their opinion, to have all
Democrats present at the caucus and
1t is possible that the Democratic
me mbers OF the committee will be
called from West Virginia to par
ticipate in the caucus. 1t Is proposed
that the caucus shall be O. binding
one. pledging every senator to vote
for the bill as approved.
Free sugar in three years and free
wool the most troublesome schedules
OF the tariff confronting the party,
advanced another stage today with
out suffering alteration when tho
Democrats members 5f the finance
committee approved them as they
passed the house. The schedules are
now up to the Democra C caucus.
That is another reason why the eau
Gus is important, because the caucus
vote on sugar and wool will end an
controversy as to whether Presiden,
Wilson's tariff policy is to receive the
party support. The party leaders an
tlcipate that no more than three sena-
tors will refuse to support the sched-
ules and that the bill can be passed
with the vote Of the vice president.
John Sharp Williams, chairman Of
the subcommittee in charge of the ad
ministrative features of the Under
wood bill, startled minority members
OF the finance committee today when
he proposed that commission he an
pointed to study the entire question
or tariff administration and that
meanwhile the administrative provi-
sion of the Payne -Aldrich law no nor.
mitted to stand in the new Democratic
bill.
me suggestion did not meet with
approval OF the committee members
ana Senator Williams and his col.
ieagues on the subcommittee. Senators
Shively and Gore, were instructed IN
continue their work Of revising the adj
mlnistrativc provisions OF the Under.
wood bill
me subcommittee has encountered
ulfilculties with the provision i'm tbo
'hocr"od blll requiring foreign man
uiacturers to submit their books in
cases or disputed valuations and tho
provisions designed by the WAYS and
means committee to prevent underval.
uation The committee also has had
trouble in endcavoring to modify tbo
proposed amendment which wnuId
give the secretary of the treasury nm
'horlty to proclaim general import
values.
AFTER many weeks of stud,irr
these questions, Senator Williams had
concluded 1t would be wise to trrr
nVicc