The Washington herald., 1913-08-21
TARIFF MEASURE
SOON MAY PASS
Better Progress Made IN Sen.
ate During Consideration
Of Underwood Bill
SPOOL COTTON DUTIABLE
Hemp, Flax, and Jate Schedule De-
bate Is Continued Stockings and
Hose Later to Be Taken Up.

Such progress was made with the tariff
bill in the Senate yesterday that Senate
leaders were INDUCING In predictions OF
the passage Of the bill within two or
three weeks ..
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin who
is opposed to the bill, expressed tile opin-
ion that the bill would get through the
Senate in about two weeks Other Sena-
tors. including Bristow, Smoot, and
Weeks, thought il would require until
September 10 or Is. But the feeling that
considerable progress was being made
was general Senator Simmons, chair
man of the Finance Committee, is opti-
mistic, and believes he can get the Dill
through next week.
Cotton Rates Considered.
The cotton schedule. which was ex-
pected to take up several days, yesterday
was disposed of. There was but one roll
call, and that was on a motion offered
! by Senator Lippitt of Rhode Island. who
made the principal fight against the
! schedule reported by the Finance Com
mittee- His motion was to amend para
graph 2J6 of the bill to make spool cotton
carry the same rate of duty as the yarn
from which it is made. but in no case
lower duty than Is per cent. Mr.. Lip
pitt pointed out that the paragraph was
SO drawn that in some cases the cotton
thread would be assessed a lower duty
than the raw material from which it Is
made, the cotton yarn. Senator Hoke
Smith, who had charge of the cotton
schedule, admitted this was in part true.
On the vote Senator Lippitt's amendment
failed-39-S3.
Senator Hoke Smith. for the Finance
Committee, accepted an amendment to
the paragraph relating to cotton thread
and carded yarn, limiting the duty to
such products not over 600 yards long.
Spool cotton was made dutiable at 10 per
cent, the same as is carried in the House
bill. This has been the subject of a live
ly controversy in the Democratic mem
bership of the Senate Committee and in
the Democratic caucus. Senator Hughes
then sought TO have the duty increased
over the House rate. The Democrats in
the caucus thought they saw an oppor-
tUIity to relieve the housewife of the
duty on rer thread, anc before Senator
Hughes could stop them they put it on
the free list, and the last estate Of his
thread-making constituents was worse
than the first. Subsequently, however.
by dint of much persuasion, the duty OF
u per cent was restored by the caucus,
ana it went through at that rate.
Several Paragraphs Settled.
Among the paragraphs agreed to with
out change We're those relating OF hand |
IcsuS SlOtillHe, pluSucs,
and those covering knit goods, |
landings. betting. bindings. towels, quilts, !
and wash rags, and a variety of like ar I
ticles and lace curtains. and finally the |
basket clause of the cotton schedule in |
Guiding a variety of articles of cotton |
not otherwise provided for. |
Among the paragraphs reserved for fu-
ture action were those covering damask, /
tapestries. hose. and stockings There
no, iD1nnTfDnt changes 4
Nets and netting were taken out of par
agraph 30 when attention was called to
the fact that they had been provided for
in the sundries schedule of the bill.
The Senate also took up the hemp. fax
and jute schedule. and spent most of
the remainder of the day discussing it. I
Senator Bradley of Kentucky. led a fight
for higher duties on hemp, and Senator
McCumber of North Dakota, appealed to
the Democrats 70 give higher duties for
he fax growers of the Northwest.
The question of a duty on fax straw
leld the attention of the Senate for
three hours.