The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-02-01

amendment
The House.
The ways and means committee
resumed hearings of the tariff.
Washington, Feb. despite the
fact the senate was still officially in
executive session from the day of
Thursday, it began today third day s
debate of the Works single presidential
SiX-year term amendment to the
constitution.
All the amendments to exempt Taft,
Roosevelt and Wilson, have been de-
feated. The senate today is debating
the Works resolution itself.
Senator Cummtns proposed to per-
NIT the voters to amend the constitu =
ton directly without the previous ac-
tion Of congress when a substantial
majority demanded the change. He
declared with the exception of Wash
tngton, the presidents who had served
two terms would have been better off
II they had served one.
Senator Cummins said that presi-
dents "often neglected and badly per-
formed their duties" because OF the
attention to their efforts for renomina- =
tion and reelection. He declared the
president should be taken out of the
-''maelstrom of politics.
He aughtn't to travel from one end
of the country to the other" Senator
Cummins said, appealing to the
people in the same way as candidate
for other Office. His duties are suf-
ficient to consume all his time and
strength and are important enough
tc merit all his attention and devo-
tion,"
Shipper Denied Agreement.
The conditions of the rate and
traffic agreements among the shipping
concerns of the Pacific coast were
taken up in the house committee
investigation of the alleged shipping
Srus,.
r. F. Schwerin, vice president of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Co., denied an
existing agreement between his and
the Kosmos Steamship Co., regarding
the rates on coffee and Central
America.
Two years ago we decided to carry
coffee at a loss and fixed the rates al
S6 a ton. This rate the Kosmos line
met" said Mr.. Schweein.
Tariff Hearing Closed.
With the final testimony of the wit
nesses interested the free list and the
phraseology Of the administrative por-
tion of the tariff law, the hearings be-
fore the house ways and means com
committee proceeds to executive ses-
sion for the discussion of the mass OF
information collected now with thai
gathered during the framing Of the
Payne bill. This discussion will prob
ably last until March in the formula
tion of the tentative legislation of the
Sncoming congress.
The free list bill being discussed is
said to be substantially the same as the
former democratic free list bill.
Mr.. Schwerin stated the government
endeavored to force an agreement be-
tween his line and the Hawaii -Ameri-
can line. but his line refused to enter
the agreement on the ground that il
violated the antitrust law"
The government" said Mr.. Scher.
win, ito force the Hawaiian line tC
maintain the rates. threatened il II
cut them down, to put on competi.
tive line with the government behind
At present the Hawaiian line is oper.
ating under the tariffs fixed by the
government through the Panama
Steamship Co."
Mr.. Scherwin said the government
was party to the European steamship
conferences which fix the rates be,
tween Central America and European
ports and New York City. He tolC
the committee the government wa,
representing the Panama railroad anC
the Panama steamship line sent a rep,
resentative to the annual conferenc,
meeting in London when the coffet
rates were fixed.
The hearigs finally closed in the tar
iff investigation affair with Thos. M
Lane of New York speaking in the in
terest of church statuary, Leo Stein o.
New York on Tapioca, and James L
Gerry of New York on customs admin
Sstration.