New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-07
WILSON SUGAR DUTY
IS FACING DEFEAT
Even the Masters Rod Appar'
emily Will Be Unable to Force
Senate to Adopt Plan.
MAY KILL TARIFF BILL
Presidents Insistence That Re-
vision Be Made in One Meas
ure Offers Chance for Ad-
verse Combinations.

Washington April 6.-The majority
members of the Finance Committee,
who discussed the tariff bill with Rep
resentative Underwood to-day, were
not inclined TO accept entirely without
protest the ultimatum of the President
which it represents. Mr.. Underwood
explained the situation i'm the House
and was apprised Of the difficulties that
confront the Democratic tariff plan i'll
the Senate. 1t is probable that the
Senate leaders will see the President
for a final conference tomorrow in the
hope of persuading- him 10 agree to
certain notifications by which these
difficulties may be obviated.
Members of the Finance Committee
who went into the strategic points Of
the legislative situation in detail are
disposed to disagree with the Presi-
dent on the advisability of making the
revision in one bill instead Of piece
meal SO far the President has been
obdurate on this point and is pre-
pared to attempt TO force the measure
through in one act. If he refuses 10
modify this plan the Senate leaders
will do tie best they can under the
circumstances.
Sugar Weak Spot in Bill.
The compromise plan for levyinS Il
temporary duty on sugar is the weak
spot i'm the Democratic tariff armo"
Icing no more acceptable TO the sugar
Senators than free sugar outright.
This is accentuated by the free wool
provision. Although there is little
doubt that the Senate would pass the
free wool provision alone, there is still
danger of a combination between the
wool and sugar Senators with the two
provisions coming together in single
bill.
There are five Senators who are
avowedly ready to fight the sugar pro
vision. One of these may bow before
The masters rod, but four of them are
regarded as being unfinchinsly OBJ
posed to the Wilson sugar plan and be-
yond the influence Of either persuasion
or threats.
No cheering word was brought the
members of the Finance Committee
that there was any sign of desertion
from the protective tariff ranks. 1t
appears, therefore, at present that
President Wilson's sugar revision
schedule is doomed to defeat. Every
member of the Finance Committee will
stand for the Wilson bill as it will be
presented to the House tomorrow if it
comes to a showdown. but the recalci-
trant Democrats are outside the COM
mittee.
vii! Force Passage Of Bill
There is little hope among the SEN
ators on the committee that the Presi-
dent will change his mind. on the con-
trary, il is expected that he will stand
by the bill to the end and attempt TO
use his personal influence and patron
age TO force it through the Senate prac-
ucally unchanged adopting the plan he
conceived some time ago of coming to
the Capitol to be at hand to WELD the
masters rod when he receives the dan
ger signal.
The bill will be introduced in the
House when il convenes at noon to-
morrow BY Chairman Underwood
House Democrats will caucus on the
bill on Tuesday. and Chairman Under
wood was confident tonight that il
would be Endorsed by an overwhelming
vote. The Senate Democrats had no
plan tonight to hold a caucus on the
bill. but such a meeting may be called
later.
Chairman Underwood said he ex-
pected no serious opposition in the
House. He added that after the caucus
approved the bill the House would he
given a week or ten days for general
debate on il, beginning on Wednesday.
Then the bill will be taken mp para
graph by paragraph and amendments
offered will be debated under the five
minute rule. Mr.. Underwood was Of
&c opinion that the bill should pass
the House about May /. He would not
express a decided opinion as TO when
the Senate might finish the bill, but
thought eight weeks might suffice.