The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-03
BILL HAS PASSED
Tariff Measure Only Awaits the
Presidents Signature
To Take It's Place on the
Statute Books.
final ACTION BY THE HOUSE
is Greeted With Cheers and
Applause by Members.
Wilson VIII Sign 1t at Nine
O'clock Tonight.


port this afternoon. constituting the
final action of that body on the tariff
measure. Speaker Clark overruled al
points of order made by members who
contended that further action by the
mouse was not necessary.
Speaker Clark Immediately afterward
signed the bill, affixing his signature al
1:25 o'clock. Cheers and applause
| greeted the final action of the house
The completed bill was sent on its
| way to the senate for the signature OF
| the vice president, when it will be
ready for transmission to the White
House. where the president will sign
1T at O'Clock tonight.
Vice President Marshall signed the
bill at 1:34 o'clock.
Speaker Clark held on the point of
order raised in the house that unless
the house receded from the compromise
Smlth-Lever amendment, as the SEN
ate did, the two houses of congress
would not be in complete accord. Rep
lresentat1ve Underwood's motion to re-
cede from the cotton futures amend
ment was carried without a roll call,
and with practically no negative votes.
This bill is of too vast importance
for the house not to clear up any
questions of procedure said Speaker
Clark. The measure must be put in
such shape that skilled lawyers cannot
pick flaws in it,
This position was endorsed by Repre-
sentative Payne, the Republican leader.
The bill bearing the signatures of
| Speaker Clark and Vice President
Marshall, the first Democrat tariff
measure since 1894, reached the
White House at 2:3O o'clock, but the
president adhered to his plan not to
sign the measure until o'clock to-
night, the hour fixed for the gathering
of administration leaders to witness
the ceremony.
I Pending Since April s.
Washington, Oct. 3.-President Will
son began work today with the pros
pect of signing al o'clock tonight the
first great reform measure of his ad-
ministration and the first Democrat
tariff revision bill passed in nearly 20
years. Democratic leaders had smooth
ed the way for the last legislative step
for the approval of the bill; congress
siona1 clerks had engrossed and pre-
pared the huge document for the pres
idents signature and it remained only
to secure the normal action of the
house of representatives in receding
from it's cotton futures tax amend
ment to complete the tariff bill.
Embraced by the legislation which
has been pending in congress since
April s IS a complete revision and
general reduction of nearly all the inn
port duties levied by this government
tax that will strike every person hav-
ing a net income above $4,000 and an
array of important changes in customs
laws and internal revenue regulations,
which will keep treasury department
officials busy for many months in ad-
justing administrative affairs, and
which will have an important bearing
on all trade development of the coun-
try for the next year or two.
No differences on the tariff bill re-
manned to be settled in congress when
the two houses met at noon except the
cotton futures question. The senate
had receded last night from the Clarke
amendment designed to prevent gam
bling in futures and Democartlc Lead
er Underwood was confident that the
house would today recede from its
own amendment known as the Lever
Smith com promise
While the latter amendment had
the endorsement of President Wilson.
the president had made it clear he did
not think the regulation of cotton flu
ture trading was an essential part of
a tariff bill and that he would not
object to having the entire matter
dropped out and taken up later in a
separate bill
The tariff conference report complet-
ed by the senate last night was ready
for submission to the house as soon
that body met. 1t was expected that
it would be acted upon and the tariff
bill sent to the president before the
end of the afternoon.
Wilson Issues Invitations.
Joseph w Folk, solicitor of the state
department, in a letter sent to Senator
Simmons chairman of the senate
finance committee, has furnished list
of countries having treaties with the
United States which would be affected
if the United States enforced the pro-
vision of the tariff bill giving a five per
cent rebate in tariff on goods brought
in American ships. Congress, however.
has amended the bill so that the cOun-
tries now bound by treaty provision
shall be exempt from the provisions of
the new law. President Wilson, after a
ers early planned to sign the tariff bill
at o'clock tonight. Arrangements for
ceremonies to attend the final act in
the tariff legiSlat tion were made by the
president as soon as it seemed assured
that the measure would reach him
some time today.
Invited by the president to witness
the signing of the measure were
Chairman Underwood and members of
the ways and means committee, Chair
man Simmons and members of the
finance committee. Vice President
Marshall. President Pro Tempore
Clarke, and Majority Leader Kern of
the Senate: Speaker Clark, members
of the cabinet and newspaper CORE
spondents
Treasury officials today began the
task of re-drafting the regulations for
the enforcement of the new tariff law.
While the law goes into effect tomor-
row, collectors of customs VII continue
to assess the duties of the old Payne
Aldrich act, withholding final iquida-