The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-08
SENATE MAY DEBATE
BILL UNTIL AUGUST

The tariff bill is expected to reach the
Senate tomorrow afternoon. That body
adjourned last night until tomorrow at
p. m. AS soon as the bill is received
in the Senate, Senator Simmons, chak-
man OF the Finance Committee, will ask
that it be referred to that committee.
1t first will be taken in hand by the
Democratic members of the committee.
who will go about the work Of amend
ing it in many particulars, their work
being suggested or approved as they pro-
coed by Democratic Senate caucus or
conference that will hold daily sessions
Finally. after the conference has con-
cluded with the BILL it will be restored
to the Finance Committee as whole.
The Republican members Of the COM
mittee will sit with the Democrats and
consider it. and reports for and against
the bill will be formulated. 1t is likely
that a general minority report will be
submitted on behalf of the regular Re-
publicans in the Finance Committee, ex-
cept Senator La Toilette. who has an
nounced that he will prepare a separate
report and an entire new Sill of his
own.
Some. time ago the Senator an
nounced to his colleagues in the COM
mittee that he would not be able TO
accept the plan of revision to be
agreed on by the Republican members
Of the committee. nor would he be in
position to approve the Democratic
plan. At his request, he was given an
expert AT the expense Of the Senate to
assist him I'm preparing his personal
tariff programme.
Chairman Simmons hopes that his
committee will be able to report the
bill back to the Senate within two
weeks after they receive it from the
House. This would indicate as report
some time within the last week of
May But The Senator admits that he
is not confident that he will be able
to expedite the measure to that extent.
Senator Hoke Smith predicted that
the Finance Committee. of which he is
a member, and the Senate Democratic
conference would have the bill for at
least month after they receive it
from the Senate before they will be
able to report it back to the Senate.
If Senator Smiths prophesy should
prove accurate it would mean that the
bill would be reported into the Senate
from the Finance Committee about
June 10. The most conservative est-
mate of the leaders generally in the
senate Is tudl TIE WIN cS iNPN-N~~
hack TO the Senate sometime between
June and June 10.
1t is expected that the debate in the
Senate will last from six weeks to two
months, and that the Senate will not
pass the bill earlier than July 10. and
probably not before August /. From ten
days to two weeks will be necessary to
harmonize the differences between the
two Houses in conference, and to secure
the approval of the President for the
measure This would indicate that Con-
gress will be in session until August l.,
at the earliest, and probably until Sep
TENDER l.
Republican Senators are determined to
make a fight against the Underwood bill
all along the line. They will pick the
measure to pieces, propose amendments
to every important paragraph. analyzs,
and criticise the rates proposed with a
vi of emphasizing before the country
the features of the bill which they be-
lieye to be detrimental to American in
dustries.
They will not be hurried in the matter
by the demand of the Democratic leaders
or the orders of the President. They will
not be overawed, they say. by the threat
of night sessions. They will insist that
the consideration Of the measure shall
be bipartisan, and that, the Democratic
Senators will not be permitted to con-
slider and dispose or the tarin bill In 4
secret party conference, and then compel
the Republicans to sit silent and permit
1t to be pa ssed.