Our land = La Nostra terra. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 191?-1913, 1913-05-17
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON D. c
Munsey Bldg Washington D. C.
Nav 10 1913,


derwood tariff bill in the House by a
vote of 28l to 139, the second stage of
its Legislative consideration commences
In the Senate, the bill will face a
greatly different situation from that
in the House. There is no limitation
upon the time which a Senator may
consume in discussion of any phase of
the bill except the Limitation which Ma
ture puts upon his physical endurance.
Il will therefore be impossible to shut
eff Senators who are asking informa-
ri, from the alyocat-s of the measure
by invoking five minute rule" as was
do le so many times in the House. This
means tnat, while the bill is in the Se-
nate, there will at least be opportunity
for the country to become acquainted
with the provisions Of the bill even if
Senators are not able to arrive at
sound conclusion as to the effect OF
some, OF. all, of these provisions. 1t is
hardly to be hoped, however, that the
Senate debate will elicit much informa-
ton concerning the factors that deter
mined the Ways and Means Committee
in fixing the rates of duty levied by
the bill and in agreeing upon its other
provisions. The Ways and Means Com
mittee may have supplied to the Demo-
cratic members of the Finance Commit
tee some Of this information, which
they have successfully avoided making
public during the debate in the House,
but it is not likely that Senator will be
able to extract much of it from the
mbers of the Finance Committee.
Present indications point strongly to
the passage Of the bill in the Senate
without material change of any provi-
gions regarded as important by the Pre-
sident and MIR, Underwood. There will
be a considerable number Of minor
changes. howe ser, depending more OF
less upon the temper and complaeency
of the Democratic members Of the Fl
nance Committee There is already
much private complaint among these
Senators over the refusal Of Mr. I'm
derwood and his colleagues on the
WAYS and Means Committee to adopt
certain abvious amendment while the
bisvas in the House. 1t has beer
shown in a number of cases hat the
rates carried by the bill as reported tc
the House do not conform to the an
nounced purpose of the Democrats in
drafting their measure. These errors
have usually come from acting upon
insufficient information, or without suf
fcient consideration of the information
in hand Articles widely differing IN
price and in cost of production have
been subjected to the same rate, appal
emily on the theory that this gave
them similar treatment. In numerous
casze it has happened that upon this
error being pointed out to Mr. Under
wood and the member of his committee
in charge Of the particular schedule al
fected they have consented either to
assist in the adoption of proper
,o,endment in the Senate or at least
fzt to oppose such action by the Sen
ate In other words, they have put it
nm to the Senate to reetify mistakes
even in cases where they knew the er-
ror before the bill passed out Of theii
hands. This makes some Of the Sena-
TORS very unhappy, And naturally. Fol
the Senators feel that it puts them ir
~ awkward predicament, They
raI he obliged to sponsor amendments
Increasing rates Of duty while Mr.. Un'
5srao3d will be entitled to great cred
if for cutting rates. From their poin'
view. this gives Mr.. Underwood
clear record with which to go to th'
country for reelection. but it put
t5am badly in the whole, as they fear
They would not have minded 1t 81
u,,cs in the days before the direct eie'
son Of Senators but they point on
raw that they are obliged to go oetor'
fine people and make public canvas
inns, the same as Mr.. Underwood am
his colleague must do. Several o