Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-03
CHANCES OF FREE
SUGAR DISCUSSED
Senators Hoke Smith, Stone
and Simmons Confer
With President.
PARTY HARMONY SOUGHT
ON IMPORTANT MEASURE
Removal of Tax on Wool and Sup.
plying Resultant $20,W0,0 900
Revenue Cut Also Considered.

Every effort is being made today tc
ascertain whether free sugar tariff
schedule can be passed in the Senate
This afternoon Senator Simmons, chair
man of the finance committee, accom-
panied by Senator Hoke Smith OF
Georgia and Senator Stone Of Missouri
members of the. finance committee will
| go to the White House for confer
| ence with the President They will
give him the latest information on the
sugar situation in the Senate, and also
! will discuss with the President the
proposition of putting wool and sew
eral other agricultural products on the
free list
Much. it is said, will depend upon
| whether or not a majority of the Sen
nte is prepared to vote for free sugar
II President Wilson and Chairman
Underwood of the House ways and
means committee are definitely in
formed that free sugar cannot pos
sibly pass the Senate it may be that
| some compromise will be reached in
an effort to get the entire Congress
and the President solidly together on
| this matter.
Members Being Canvassed.
| Consequently those members of the
Senate who are known to be opposed
| TO free sugar, to be uncertain in
regard to it, are being canvassed. It
is pointed out that senators who are
opposed to free sugar still may not
wish to commit themselves in regard
to 1T unless 1t is put directly up to
them to vote upon it in the Senate,
thinking that this contingency may
| never arise.
] But today senator's in this position
are bing given to understand that
now Is the time for them to say what
they intend doing in this matter, and
that they will be forced to vote on
1t whether they wish to or not. Every
| thing possible Is being done for party
harmony. and senators express a de-
| sire that there shall be no bad break
over the tariff measure. Some of them
believe that President Wilson's mind
is still open in regard to the sugar
schedule.
Louisiana Senators Opposed.
The Louisiana senators are, Of course
opposed to free sugar. and will fight 1t
tooth and nail. Other senator's who must
be reckoned with are those democrats
from the west where beet sugar IS pro-
duced. Also Senator Williams Of Missis-
sippi has been bitterly opposed to free
sugar in the past. Whether his opposi-
ton will lead him to vote finally against
free sugar IL it comes over from the
House as a party measure remains to be
seen.
In the House, where the democrats are
| in overwhelming majority. free sugar and
free wool, and other free agricultural
products may be jammed through, re-
gardless of objections Of members from
/ states 6froCf1v Mt tod II, a.
ules. But in the Senate, where the ma
| jority is only six, the leaders are COM
PEELED to feel their way cautiously, or the
party may come serious crOpper Demo-
cratic senators from wool-producing
states. whose votes in the Senate might
we'll be able to prevent the adoption of
free wool, must give this matter serious
! consideration, 1t was said today.
Aim to Cover Deficit.
With wool on the free list. according to
the best information obtainable, the DEM
ocratic members of the ways and means
committee are today working to cover the
| twenty -million-dollar cut in revenues
which this lowering Of the schedules will
necessitate, and the probability is that
Congress will be asked to plug this hole
| in the country's income by a scientifically
| graded income tax.
| The present duty on raw wool is II
cents a pound, or about 60 per cent ad
! valorem. Up until recently the talk
| around town was to the effect that wool
| under the Underwood tariff would be
taxed at 10 per cent. which would be
considerable of reduction, and the wool
growers and wool district representatives
were concerned about it, but with the
/ ~ tn, -
alton the cry of the wool people will be
| long and loud.
| The free wool democrats have done no
| little maneuvering to press their argu-
ments where it would do the greatest
| good.
Champions of Free Wool.
Representative Burton Harrison Of New
York and Representative Rainey of Illi-
nois. both members of the ways and
| means committee. have been active in
| the fight for free wool. Mr. Harrison,
| it will be remembered, had the support
of Mr.. Bryan in the last Congress in his
| efforts to tear down the protective wall
on wool. President Wilson is reported to
have agreed ON removal of all tariff on
/ wool, following conference last night
In connection with this, it is interesting
| 10 recall that only a Few days ago the
| free traders threatened to have their
way or throw the wool question into the
| democratic caucus. and if that should be
done there would be general attack on
scores Of other items in the bill
| This reduction on raw wool, should II
materialize, will bring about a reduction
| In the manufactured product-somethine
| the ultimate consumer has been askine
| for during most of the present decade
at least that is the theory of the demo.
cratic free traders and even the con.
| servative revisionists. The argument has
been heard since 1892, but the wool grow.
| ers say it is fallacy. Some of them in
| Ohio, for instance, say they might al
well give their sheep away.
Wilson to Take a Stand.
There are many tariff points on which
the President will take a definite stand
One Of these is whether the tariff should
be revised schedule by schedule or in a
blanket bill. Whether sugar should be
free is another big point. Fro:l what he
told callers at the White House Yesterday
/ there was a well defined impression of his
linclinations. They believe he fayors q
single bill and that the income tax can
be settled only after the tariff question
is laid aside. AS to sugar. the Louisiana