New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-01
Conference Report Adopted by
the House, but Amendment
Is Barely Carried.
UNDERWOOD NEAR DEFEAT
Wilson's Name Used to Save
Cotton Futures Provision
Payne Defends Present Law
Senators Ask Caucus.
rTrom The Tribun. Buresu.l

Washington. Sept. 30.-Representative
Underwood steered smoothly through the
House to-day the conference report on the
tariff bill. only to have his leadership i'm
perilled later when he offered a substi-
tute for the Clarke cotton tax amend
nent, which was the only item on which
the conferrees did not reach an agree
nient
The conference report was adopted by a
vote OF 254 to l05. The administration sub
stitute for tho Clarke amendment, which,
the debate showed, had been handed TO
Mr.. Underwood by the President himself,
was approved by the close vote OF III TO
5sl. During the debate which preceded
the latter vote several Democrats turned
upon Mr. Underwood and assailed his
amendment as a makeshift which would
rot correct gambling in cotton futures.
and the Democratic majority split badly
on the rolcall.
Debate on the conference report proper
received a dramatic touch when Repre-
sentative Payne. author of the tariff law
soon to be discarded. entered a final de
fence OF that measure as one under which
the country had enjoyed unprecedented
prosperity. He predicted q Treasury def
cit OF at least so 900 during the first
year Of tho Underwood bills operation.
afr. Underwood estimated surplus or
s16coo.ooo to slsoo0,ooo. made possible large
Iy through the income tax.
Agree to Wilson's Substitute.
The vote on the Clarke cotton tax
amendment, placing heavy tax on trans
actions IN cotton futures. was brought
about after much parliamentary skirmsh-
irg The House first receded from It's dis
agreement TO the Senate amendment and
then concurred with an amendment, whlcn
was the IAver-Smith substitution reality
the Presidents substitute. II imposes
slight tax on future transactions and pro-
vides for the standardizing OF cotton
grades and the delivery OF the grades con-
tracted for on demand OF the purchaser.
After a bitter attack on the substitute
by Mr.. Garner, of Texas, majority
member Of the Ways and Means Commit
tee. II was necessary for Mr.. Lever TO in
woke the magic Of the Presidents name
TO get the substitute by.
This substitute" said Mr.. Lever, was
worked out by myself experts OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture, the postmaster
General. Senator Smith, of South Carolina,
and others. 1t was handed TO the Presi-
dent ~ the United states. The President
agreed 10 the substitute and put II in the
hands OF the gentleman from Alabama
Mr.. Underwood. who offered II In CONFER
ence and who now presents It here
Replving to various Democratic orators
who quoted the party platform as oppos-
ing gambling in farm products. Mr.. Lever
declared that the substitute was not IN
violation Of the platform and was not a
"toothless' affair, robbing the clarke
amendment OF its good features
Gentlemen who haunt the platform
: here should remember that this substitute
NJ has the approval OF the President sara
VI Mr.. Lever. Are you going TO say that
Woodrow Wilson, the first Democratic
President We have had in sixteen years
by his acquiescence in and acceptance OF
this proposal is willing 70 go before the
country in the early days OF his admin
istration as having violated fundamentd'
plank OF his psrty's PLATFORM
The debate on the cotton tax amend
-nent was brief but for more than four
hours the House discussed the conference