The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-20
Is in Real Danger Unless
Albanian Can Be Seated
in Time to Vote
REPUBLICANS ARE
NOT FULL STRENGTH
Three Senators Are in Europe and One
or Two Others May Not Get
to Washington in Time
to Vote
NY c. f. STEWART

washington, August 19.-(Special)
There can be no question that thoughtful
democrats in both the Senate and the
House are more or less perturbed over the
condition of affairs IN the Senate brought
about by the unt1mely death Of Senator
Johnston and the protracted illness OF
Senator Cuiberson.
A great many things may be Justly
said to the credit of Senator Simmons
the tituIar leader of the majority in the
Senate, but it cannot be said that the
North Carolina statesman possesses that
rare quality Of leadership with which ma
ture has SO richly endowed the leader of
the majority in the House, Simmons has
not the tact, the poise. and the diplomacy
to bring about an organization and make
It effective IN the Senate that made 1t
possfble for Underwood to accomplish
those results in the House. Some claim
that Underwood had the easier task be-
cause Of the overwhelming majority. but
MS matter OF fact. the bulk of the demo-
cratic majority in the House was the
greatest menace to harmony that Mr.
Underwood has had to contend with.
Fate of Measure in Doubt
If Senator Clayton is not seated in time
10 vote on the tariff bill the fate OF that
measure without question is in doubt.
There are all kinds of conjectures as to
what will be done. Senator Newlands
of Nevada, who mas always been extreme
" weak-kneed on the present bill, has just
returned to Washington after several
weeks absence in his state looking after
tc nlo fn1a
the Nevada senator has returned with
renewed convictions against the wisdom
of free sugar and free wool, as expressed
in the bill, and that he has been keyed up
I othe point of out and out insurgency If
those two bones of contention are not
remedied to suit him. 1t is said that
the senator is convinced that his political
future is dependent upon his vote on the
bill. provided these items are not amend
ed. and that he feels that he has no nope
OF reelection if he votes for the bill as 1t
stands.
The only ray of sunshine to the demo-
orats in face of these rumors is the
fact that several republican senators are
absent and there seems little propaplHly
that they can possibly be rounded up IN
time to prevent the passage Of the Dill.
senators Goff of West Virginia. DUPONT
now in E,urope and Senator Burleigh OF
Maine IS seriously i'll, making 1t improh-
able that he will be back in Time 10
vote. and in addition to these wheel horses
Of the republican faith. Senator works
or california left for his state a teW
da,-s ago declaring that he could not, re-
tnrn until after the disposal of the tarlff
bill. -
Then. too. the democrats have been
counting all the time on the vote OF sen
ator Poindexter of Washington, VINO mas
shown very friendly spirit toward the
underwood bill. The serious part OF tne
situation however TO those VINO are III
oined toward the pessimistic view is that
n ,l,a renuhlicans become convinced that
the democrats have not the total VOTES
to pass the bill-if all their forces were
on hand-they will start hlibuster anu
keen it rp until they can bring to Wash-
ington the full strength OF their SIDE
Attempts to Get Agreement
simmons has made several Intellectual
attempts to get an agreement for aaue
~ vote upon the final passage of the Dill
AZ s,1cb nronosals are strenuously op-
nosed by Penrose and other leaders on
the republican side. though they distinct
,vsdenv that they are flibnstering, or that
ts,ev will nlibuster against the Dill.
7sn,ther in reference to Senator New
lands it is claimed that the senator from
+ion and that he will endeaVor 70 feahze
MON the commanding situation he f1nds
,i,,,sa1f in II is claimed that he VIII
eiian himself with Thornton ana Ralsueh
of Louisiana and make the price OF ms
snnport a compromise on both the Wooi
and sugar schedules. II these rumors pe
.,..a md the absent republicans can be
bnrrisa hack to Washington before sim
,ans oa,t force vote on the Dill, the
Aeoth of Senator Johnston may cause
noonths ana months Of delay in putting the
tariff reform promised by the democrats
10 the country in actual ERECT
FOR II is quite certain that the admin
;stratiou will not yield on the tariff bill
that Is to say. the President will never
consent 10 a compromise. The bill will
be passed as it is, or Ii Will be held up
until such time as the normal democratic
ma aiority can be restored IN the Senate,
and then passed IN the meantime, if it
So happens that Senator Clayton is seated
all doubt as to the hill being passed with
IN the next six or seven weeks will have
passed.
Long Time Under Consideration
Already the present bill has been pend
ing longer than any tariff bill in recent
years. except the Wilson-Gorman bin.
since the Underwood bin was introduced
il the House almost four and one-half
months have passed The Payne-Al-
d,ich bill reached the President for his
signature in four months and IS days
after it was introduced, and the Dingley
bill in four months and six days.
Nevertheless. the present bill will after
its passage come nearer being the same
bill as originally introduced in the House
than any tariff bill on record. That is
one thing that has delayed it. Deter
mined effort to amend the measure and
the equal determination on the part of
the leaders that the promises of the party
should be redeemed in full and without
compromise have marked the stormy
progress of the Underwood bill ever
since It started on its course through
Congress.
Developments this week will be watched
with great interest all over the country
for the unlocked for situation in the Sen
ate has brought the tariff again into the
limelight, and in measure has revived