The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-09
Fight for Revision Be
gin in Congress
iii Earnest.
HOUSE MEMBERS
MEET IN CAUCUS
Will Attempt to Settle Differ
ences and Agree Upon Support
of Underwood Measure-Crit-
icism of Many Features De-
velops in Senate Circles.
Opposed by Progressives.

Washington. April S.-The fght for
Democratic tarin revision began In
Congress day. Conferences and par
~ plans. which have held the stage
Tor weeks past. gave way TO the first
open steps for passage OF the new
tarir bill.
President Wilson's personally deliv-
cred message, calling upon his party
assistan,s in both houses 10 speedily
enact the party's pledges OF tariT re-
vision. was followed by a caucus u
Democratic House members. which viii
continue for several days. and in when
Democrats VIII attempt to settle their
differences and agree upon support ot
the Underwood bill.
Criticisms OF many features Of the
measure developed during the day IN
Democratic circles in the Senate. In &
short caucus Of senate Democrats held
to consider other matters. criticism
was voiced by one or two Senator'S
against thc wool provision, ana the
sugar schedule proposing free sugar
IN 1915.
rroposni Ii Defeated.
House Democrats settled none OF the
tarin questions to-day. The three
hour CAUCUS session WAS devoted 10
an unsuccessful night u tincw the
dOors open TO the public. proposal
defeated uy vote OF l5' TO - De-
tails OF the new tarIt bin will oe
taken up tomorrow.
senate leaders stu are insistcnt
that the Underwood bin be subdividcd
20 that separate votes may bc mad II
desired, upon ,hc sugar and wooi
schedules. Une Plan that has been
proposed TO President Wilson is that
schedules be- grouped Ia such a way
that the tariff Will be composed IN
four separate measures Tines. pro-
pusals are based o, "a growing belief
thst opponents of the sugar a.a WOOL
provisions may muster strength enough
10 threaten defeat OF the bii.
Many progressive Republican Sena-
TORS expressed their opposition TO the
Democratic hill because OF the sweep
ing character OF rs proposed reduc-
lions The Democrats arc counting
!t:le. If any. on any Progressive sup
port In tho Senate should taIN' rcvi-
sion go before that bod as = single
bill.
Palmer for Open Door.
In tho House caucus Representative
ralrucr, the chairman. made vehc-
incnt plea for letting the public know
what its representatives are doing.
:itgninS himself with President VIII
sons expressed attitude ia favor ot
throwing All these meetings open. He
:
lin, OF Virginia Shacllleford. OF Mis-
souri,; Thompson and Murray, OF Okla
hona. l.. Englc. OF Florida. and others.
MI Palmer contended that in its con-
sideration of the tariff the caucus
would be transacting Legislative busi-
ness important TO every one; that which
at the caucus did. the House would do,
and therefore. the real tariff !cgisla-
ton would be in progress in the eau
Gus.
Democratic Leader Underwood op-
poscd the open caucus. lie said 1t was
only family council within the party.
and that IL would be a mistake to have
the differing view exploited in pub
lie Representative Fitzgerald Of New
York; Sherlcy and Thomas, OF Ken
rucky; fIerlin. OF Alabama; Saunders,
of Virginia, and others joined In this
view. The opposition centred mainly
on maintenance OF party regularity
and the probability Of secret prelimi-
nary conferences If the doors We're
opened
Tomorrow the caucus probably will
adopt the Ways and Means Committee
majority recommendation for the only
committees To be crNatcd at TINS ume'
and will reach the tariff program with
the new tarin handbooKs possessed pY
every member.
New Committees Recommended.
The new committees as recommended
t,, the leaders OF the three parties fol-
iow:
i.nys and Menns-t tinderwOOd, Ala
bamn, chairman; Harrison, New York;
ShackIeford. Missouri; kitchin, North
Carolina; Rainey, Illinois; Dixon, In
diuun: Hull, Tennessee; Hammond, Min
nesotn; Peters, massachusetts; Palmer.
PcnnsyIvnnia; Ansberry, Ohio; Gard
ncr, Texas; Stanley, Kentucky; Collier,
Nississippi, Democrats. Payne, New
York; POrdncy, NIichiSnnI Gardner,
massachusetts; Moore. Pennsylvania;
Anderson, Minnesota; Greene. Iowa, Re
publicans. MurdOck, Kansas, Progress
Sivc.
Itulcs--Hcnry, Texas, chairman; Pou.
North Carolina; IInrdviciS. Georgia +,
Garrett, Tennessee; Foster, Illinois |;
CantrIII, Kentucky; COnry, New York,
Democrats. Campbell. Kansns; Len
root, Wisconsin, Merritt, New York,
Rcpublicans. Chandler, New York,
Progressive.
tccOunts-Lloyd, Missouri. chairman )
Smith, Texas; Hnmili. New Jerseys I'm
derliII, New York; ItindcIl, Colorado; /;
Howard, Georgia; Abercrombic, Ala
bnma, Democrats. Hughes. West yir-
rinin; Griest, Pennsylvania, Parker,
New York. Republicans. WoodruT,
Michigan, Progressive.
,iiicagc-Baiiey, Pennsylvania, chair
man.
EnroiIed Bnls-whiteacre, Ohio.
chairman.
VIII FIX Tariff Program.
The Democratic majority Of the
House COMMITTEES on Ways and Means
Continued on Ninth Page