The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-04-15
NO CHANGE MADE
in TARIFF MEASURE
Efforts Made to Alter Original Bill
Met With Defeat-Republican
Gnlif

Met With Defeat-Republicans
Split.
Washington, April 14-Persis-
tent efforts to put cattle and sheep
on the free list, to cut the duty on
swine and to otherwise alter the
ways and means committee tariff
revision bill, were defeated in the
Democratic caucus of the house to-
day The Democratic leadership
fight for the bill as reported was
piloted by Representative Francis
Burton Harrison of New York, in
the absence of Representative I'm
derwood, the majority leader, who
is i'll. On the senate side of Con
gress the tariff revisionists were in
active. The agricultural schedule
was before the house caucus all
afternoon and there were some
lively speeches. Many of the new
members OF the house gave their
views but each time there was a
test the committee was overwhelm-
ingly sustained.
PRECIPITATED BIG FIGHT.
Representative Logue Of Penn
sylvania, a new member, precipitat-
ed the biggest fight of the day with
an amendment to put cattle on the
free list. Cattle and sheep now are
dutiable at 10 per cent and swine
at $1.5O a head. Representatives
Raker of California; Russell of Mis-
souri,, and others urged AGAINST free
cattle, declaring it would destroy
the cattle raising industry in their
states. Representatives Kinkead of
New Jersey and Curley of Massachu-
setts contended free cattle would
make broader field of supply for
the independent packers as against
the so-called beef trust.
Representative CurleyE declared
that the United States might soon
cease to be an exporter of food. He
said the Argentine republic, with a
population of only 100000 as
against 92,0OO,O0O in the United
States, exported more than five
times as much beef and meat pro-
ducts as the United States. and that
tariff protection in America could
only benefit the trust"
Representative Garner Of Texas.
member Of the ways and means
committee, said cattle last year
raised tariff revenue OF $1,000
600 and that the rate had been SO
adjusted in this bill that ct would
raise 100000 the first year. II
the cattle were transferred to the
free list, he added. the rest of the
tarif would have to be adjusted to
meet the loss of revenue.
FORCES ROLL-CAIL.
Representative KinkeadE of New
Jersey forced roll-call, the first
since the bill has been before the
caucus and the free cattlej amend
resentative Burke of Wisconsin un-
successfully sought to rediee the
duty on swine from $1.5Osto I'd
cents head. A motion by aRepr&
sentative Kinkead to put sheep m
the free list was voted down f62to
90.
An attempt to raise the proposed
rates on barley made by the Demo
Gratis from Wisconsin and Minnesota
was also unsuccessful.
The last fight of the day was on
rice. Representative Lazaro of
Louisiana offered an amendment to
increase the proposed duty of one
cent pound to cent and half a
pound. Representative Thompson
or Oklahoma moved to place 1t on
the free list. Both amendments
were lost. The caucus had got
down to the wheat schedule at the
time OF adjournment. 1t will be
taken up tomorrow morning
Republican members of the ways
and means committee split today on
the question OF submitting minority
schedules on wool and cotton. The
discussion foreshadowed lively
fight in the Republican caucus next
Thursday night over the question of
presenting Republican tariff meas
ures at this Congress.
President Wilson believes the
tariff bill meets the approval of the
country, that no healthy business
will be interrupted and that while
in most cases the cost of living will
not be Immediately reduced, the
consumer will feel at once the bene-
fit of reduction in the sugar duty.
These views were expressed today
by the President in an open talk
with newspaper men at the White
House. He explained that his main
reason for desiring a reduction on
sugar was that the consumer de-
served it.
Mr.. Wilson said he did not see any
ruinous cuts in the bill He re-
ferred to the fact that members of
the ways and means committee had
heard every person interested and
that their judgments were based on
those hearings. He also said he
hoped to open reciprocity negotia-
tions with various countries as soon
as the tarif bill was passed.