The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-10-04
MISS. DELEGATION
TOOK PROMINENT
PART IN Fight
POSITION HAD IMPORTANT BEAR
ING ON DISPOSITION OF COT.
TON FUTURES TAX.
OPENED EYES OF The SENATE
Opposition In House to Underwood
Amendment Caused Upper House to
Withdraw Clarke Amendment-Har.
rison FaVors Drastic Legislation.
tBy Frank d. Lander, Jr1

tBy Frank D. Lander, Jr.)
Washington, Oct. Although the
Democratic Senate caucus has deter,
mined to eliminate all cotton future.
legislation until the next session of
Congress, when they will doubtless
proceed In a constitutional way to abol-
ish this Objectionable speculation, the
action on the amendments In the lower
mouse served to put the Mississippi
delegation on record and afforded an
opportunity for Representative Ben
Humphries to deliver to his fellow
Democrats timely warning against
what has been termed prostitution in
! taxing powers"
The opposition of Representative
Humphreys and other prominent Dem
ocrats in the lower house to an amend.
ment which they believe to be diamet-
rically opposed to the fundamental
principles of the Democratic party, and
the fact that the modified Underwood
amendment carried by the narrow
margin of III to 161, opened the eyes
of the Senate leaders and caused them
to withdraw their amendment and
leave this clause of the tariff bill. A
great many of them believe II had no
business on a tariff measure anyway.
1t is understood both Senators Var
damau and UJi11yo x,ne n - a., fo-1 "a A.
Clarke amendment, although neither
have as yet had an opportunity to pub
licly express their views.
Five members of the Mississippi del.
egation favored the Clarke amendment
and voted against the Underwood ad-
ministration amendment They were
representatives Gambler, Harrison,
Stephens, Sisson and witherspoon.
Representative Humphreys opposed
both amendments and voted against the
resolution to recede from the confer
ence disagreement. When it came to
the point, however, where it seemed
necessary to take one OF the other, Mr..
Humphreys voted for the modified
amendment. Representative Collier
favored the modified amendment
straight through and voted for it. Rep
resentative Quin was not present, as
his marriage took place in Natchez
October 1st.
Although the debate on the amend
ment was limited to two hours, Of
which leader Underwood controlled
one hour and Representative wingo
the other, three Mississippians spoke
on the measure. Representatives Har-
rison and S.sson spoke IN favor of the
Clarke amendment. which, Il awas
agreed, would have prsctcallw iAile1
all trading In cotton futures. Re4re
sentative Humphreys spoke IN apnos1-
tion to the amendment. which he de-
clared is contrary to this Demo cratic
doctrine of taxation for revenue only,
since this amendment was added, not
for the purpose of raising revenue, but
! for the purpose of destroying cotton
e future trading.
a Mr.. Harrison. in his speech, opposed
q the administration amendmer1 b.
e cause, he declared, 1t legahzes Ean&
8 ling. He said the Clarke amendneat
y destroys gambling on cotton futures
and that the Democratic party had
promised the people 1t would enact
just such legislation. The Underwood
amendmsot, on the other hand, simply
;. puts , of approval on one kind
" TN Clarke amendment" said Mr.
Harrison. especially forbids tradins
in cotton futures unless the cotton Il
n actually delivered. The Underwood
ss amendment permits a man to buy fu
a ture cotton and have 1t delivered 4
n he wants to. II he doesn't Eazt n =.
m doesn't have to, and such abip a.
It. does not stop gambling"
Is. Mr.. Sisson also spoke in fAx>f q -
ed Clarke amendment and criticized tn
Ire Underwood amendment because 1t levi
ne ed a tax Of half a cent bale on legfti
ed mate Transactions. "The New York col