The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-05-13
DIVIDED OVER
PENR0SE PLAN
Many Senators Oppose Tariff
FiIiDnStar.
TEST OF STRENGTH TODAY
First Blood Of Long Fight to Come
Over Proposal to Hold Open Tariff
Hearings.

Washington, May Ex-senator Pen.
roses plan to conduct an extensive
6hbuster in support OF his proposal to
hold open tariff hearings before the
senate finance committee will not re-
ceivs the unanimous backing OF mis-
fellow Republicans when it comes up
today, according to the views OF the
leaders.
Many prominent Republican sena-
tors do not believe 1t wise to fire their
tariff guns in the preliminary tight
over the question of hearings. They
are willing to put the question to .
vote and rest content with that. They
argue that Republican oratory should
be conserved until the bill IS before
the senate and that then their efforts
should be directed toward showing
Ieths country what the party thinks OF
the tariff bill.
Several Republicans indicated that
they would vote against the Penrose
amendment to make the committee
hold hearings. Persistent reports about
the senate say, however, that several
Democrats will be found voting with
the majority Of the Republicans for
the Penrose amendment, and the vote
in consequence is likely to be close.
When Mr.. Penrose made his motion
Friday the Republicans had enough
votes to carry it, but Democrats who
were absent then are expected to be
present, and the first blood of the long
fight probably will ind both sides OF
the senate fully represented.
Democrats on the finance commit
tee were skeptical of report that an
agreement had been signed by seven
western Democrats who are opposed to
free wool to vote against that provis-
ion of the bill in the proposed confer
ence.
The conference is still several weeks
away, but Democrats who keep In
close touch with every phase OF the
situation did not believe that any such
agreement has been made or is likely
to be made. They declared fatty that
they expected the Democrats OF the
committee to present the bill to the
senate with both the wool and sugar /
schedules as they were left in the |
house bill.
Some changes in important sched-
ules will be made by the committee. |
The metal schedule, notably. will be |
altered.
Chairman Simmons expects to con- |
fer with President Wilson during tho |
present week He will not be able to |
tell the president exictly what changes
are likely to. be made before the bill
II brought up in the senate, but he
probably will discuss some proposed
amendments.
Senator Williams, q member OF the
finance committee. declared that man
ufacturers who reduce wages or who |
threaten to reduce them because of |
tariff reductions should be prosecuted i
by the department Of Justice under the
Sherman antitrust act. The sena or
said the Sherman law had been used
against laboring men who combined to
increase wages, and 1t was not more !
than Just that 1t might be directed
against men who conspire to reduce
wages.
President Wilson does not expect
that the tariff bill will be amended in
any important particular. He has not
suggested that any schedule be re-
opened; has not been informed that
the senate contemplates changing the
work OF the house, and is confident
that the measure will pass the senate.
So certain is he that such an end is
in sight that he probably will make
known Informally his views on curren-
CIV this week