The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-05-17
WHAT WILSON WANTS
TARIFF BILL Is SURE TO PASS
AS OUTLINED BY THE
PRESIDENT.
LITTLE CHANCE TO CHANGE IT
Democrats Declare Their Measure 10
Not a Free Trade Bill Except In
Parts-Reeeive Many "EpistIes Of
Protest"
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
MISUNDERSTANDING to the de
bates on the tariff bill in the lower
mouse these days II is heard from one
side OF the chamber that the measure
now under discussion is to bring
eventually better living conditions and
rover prices for food and raiment
While from the other he hears that
the measure is sure to be the fore.
runner of deep damnation for the
country. 1t is a case at the present
tlme OF taking your choice of opin-
IONS. for as probably most people will
agree, the "reiief" or the deep damna-
uon" are matters which the future
must decide.
Republicans and Progressives in
congress have learned by this time
mat all the party efforts to make a
change in the Underwood bill will be
uhaVailing, certainly as far as the
representative chamber is concerned.
~ IL more and more apparent also that
the changes which will be made in
me senate are TO be comparatively few
and lnconseQuential The Democrats
OF the upper house seemingly have
worked out a scheme OF party har-
mony and unanimity of voting on the
tarln, and while debate will be pro-
tracted as 1t always is in the senate,
the chances seem to be that the meas
ure will 60 through very much as Mr..
wilson wants it.
Democrats in congress say that their
measure is not free-trade bill except
IN parts, and II the American who is
not ordinarily given to reading tariff
measures In all their provisions will
peruse the present one 1t is likely that
ne Will make up his mind that the
democrats are telling the truth.
Not So Many Free Traders.
II takes only few days of listening
10 the speeches made by the members
OF the dominant party in house and
senate at the present time to learn
tnat the out and out free-traders
among the Democrats are not as many
as once they were. The leaders say
mat this condition has been brought
about by economic changes in the
country during the last twenty years
1t has Just leaked out in Washington
that the Republican members of the
ways and means committee some lit
Tie time ago prepared amendments to
the wooden and cotton schedules of the
Democratic bill. II is said that these
amendments were prepared on the
strength of information which was
gathered by the lately defunct tariff |
board. The Republicans of the COM
mittee accepted the amendments
which one Of their party men had pre-
pared, and intended to offer them as |
substitutes for the Democratic pro-
visions on the wooden and cotton
goods imports. ---. ...o .--
II said that when the details of
these Republican amendments were
made known to the business interests
In the principal schedules
there was a great commotion, and the
representatives who had
prepared the substitute provisions was
told In a hundred kilograms that his
would bring about vir-
tually free-trade conditions and that
the Democratic bill was "a heap sight
better" 1t seems that the amend
ments were prepared under a condi-
ton Of misconstruction of Just what
they would do. The Republicans kept
quiet about their mistake, but later
the details Of 1t we're learned and the
Democrats are laughing over what
they call "the high protectionists' ef-
fort to introduce free-trade In wooden
and cotton goods"
Big Business Interested.
It may be that the average Ameri.
can who Is not engaged In manufac-
turing or any other lines of business
which are quickly and vitality affected
by tariff changes may be tired read
Ing what are perhaps considered the
dry details Of schedule-making, but
there is every evidence In Washing.
ION that the heads OF business con-
Germs and the heads of producing COM
panies of all kinds are intensely inter
ested in the tarif proceedings.
Thousands Of letters are coming in
% members Of congress, irrespective
If party, from all parts Of the United
States. A great many Of these letters
are "epistles of protest" against the
owering Of duties on this thing and
hat thing. while many others are let
ers Of commentator for the tariff
,ill as drawn by the Democratic ma. I
ority in the house. Democrats and {
republicans say after reading these I
etters that the division OF opinion In
he country is just as 1t always has s
'een on the subject Of the tariff. and {
hat no one will be convinced either /
hat he is right or is wrong until final I
roof Of the Righteousness or upright. 1