Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-30
WOOL AGREEMENT
SOUGHT IN SENATE
Business Men CIamor to Have
Effective Date Decided at
an Early Day.
THREAT OF FILIBUSTER
STILL VEXES DEMOCRATS
Uneasy as to What Republicans Will
Do in View of Cur
rency Program.

rency Program.
In endeavoring to reach an agreement
upon the effective date OF the wool
schedule of the tariff bill democratic
senators from the wool states on the
finance committee will confer this af-
ernoon and later meet Chairman I'm
derwood of the ways and means COM
mittee.
Urgent pressure from manufacturing
and importing sources is being brought
upon Congress to fix the date upon
which the raw wool and wooden textile
provisions shall go into effect so as to
permit manufacturers and importers
to make their contracts
Precedent for such action is cited In
the instance of the sugar schedule,
wherein the effective date was post
poned to accommodate the marketing
of the crop already under cultivation.
Only Partial Comfort.
Senator Lodges direct assurance to
Senator Simmons yesterday that there
is no fixed Intention on the part of the
republican minority to filibuster against
the tariff bill in case the President
persists in demanding currency legisla-
tion is only partially comforting to
the democratic leaders in the Senate
There are indications that sooner or
later President Wilson viii have a
little bout with a few republican SEN
ators. 1t develops that change mas
come over the spirit of the dreams OF
some republican Standpatters In the
Senate. 1t seems that up until day
or two ago they did not suspect tnat
the President was in earnest When ne
repeatedly said he intended to insist on
banking and currency legislation a.
this session. Suddenly it has dawned
upon them that he means what he says
A week ago these republican stand
patters agreed with the democratic
leaders that it would be wise to speed
up on the tariff and get the bill out of
the way by the middle of August or
little later.
When the tentative understanding to
limit debate and reach a vote on the
tariff at the earliest date possible was
reached there was no intimation from
any quarter that the democrats would
agree TO an adjournment on the COM
pletion of the tariff. but somehow the
republican StandpatterS got the notion
into their heads that that would be the
outcome
Convinced Now He Means It.
Now they are thoroughly convinced
that the President is in control of the
situation and that he means to get
banking and currency legislation at this
session, il the Congress has to be kept
here until cold weather. Just what the
old line republicans in the Senate are
going to do about 1t they do not know.
but they seem to be on the verge of
taking the stand that unless the Presi
dent will agree to an adjournment as
soon as the tariff bill is signed they
will not hurry the passage of that bill
and viii block every effort TO put
banking and currency bill through the
Senate.
Undoubtedly those standpat republican
senators who are showing a disposition
to pull back can make a good deal of
trouble if they are willing to take the
responsibility for IL. Under the rules
of the Senate there can be no vote on
the tariff bill as long as unanimous con-
sent is denied, provided some senator is
prepared 70 discuss the bill The rules
OF the BODY are SO liberal that "A handful
of senators could stave off banking and
cur ency legislation indefinitely.
President Wilson is said to be not at
all concerned about the talk that is
coming from this coterie of republican
standpatterS. Evidently he believes that
plbiic opinion will be powerful enough
70 prevent any unnecessary delay in dis
posing OF both the tariff and banking
and currency legislation.
Country Wants Action.
Seemingly there can be no question
whatever about the desire of the coun-
try for immediate action by the Senate
on the tariff bill. Commercial organi-
zatIons from one end of the country
10 the other are informing senators of
tins desire on the part of the public. and
laTSc numbers OF letters and kilograms
are hong received by senators from in
diNtLrd.S. aho point out that the public
1S not in the least Interested m ha
debate that Is now going on, and wants
e. vote.
So FAR. the only excuse the republican
senators have offered for wishing an ad-
Journment as soon the tariff bill is
out ol the way IS that II Is a hardship
on the senators 10 keen. them here
his talk To the Senate yesterday after
noon, remarked almost pathetically that
the Senate has been required to stay
here through six consecutive summers
and he almost tearfuIly said that WAS
asking too much.
The President, democrats saw is not
asking the members of Congress to un-
dergo any hardship that he is not will
ing to take upon himself He an
nounced the other day that he had
given up all plans for Il vacation Hr
realizes. Of course, that il he should
lot the Legislative body run away on
the signing OF the tariff bill all hope
If obtaining banking and currency leg
islation would have To be put aside.
Case of Now or Never.
Every seasoned observer here is CON
Ninced that unless the President shall
get Il banking and currency bill
through at this session he will not be
likely to get one through at all. If the
Coterie OF republican standpat senators
should become balky there would be
nothing for the President TO do ex-
cept let public sentiment get in its
work.
Persons who have taken the Presi-
dents measure with some degree of ac-
curacy say that Ii any number of SEN
ators imagine that they can swerve
him from his determination to hold the
Congress here until both the tariff and
banking and currency are disposed of
they have mi>taken the man.
The progressive republicans in the
Senate have been quick 10 disavow any
sympathy with AN obstructive program
The progressives frankly admit thal
they propose 10 debate the tariff bill al
some length. but they are emphatic In
saying that they viii not delay a
vote one day longer than they deem
necessary for thorough consideration
of the legislation.