Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-15
MAY WEAKEN ON
SUGAR AND WOOL
Impression Gaining Ground That
Wilson Will Consent to
Amendment of Schedules.

Amendment of Schedules.
Washington. May 13.--The impression is
gaining ground among members of Con-
gress that President Wilson. deluged
with protests and bcsieged by the men,
bcrs of his own party, Is beginning to
weaken in his stand for free sugar and
free wool and may consent to the amend
ment Of these two basic schedules OF the
House bill
Democratic senators opposed to free
sugar and free wool have begun to take
hope that the President will not force
them to put blight on their own politi-
cal careers by voting for such tariff re-
vision. st the same time none Of them
IS willing, at present, to 20 the length
OF declaring open hostility to the bill and
of opposing the passage of the measure
if his support Is demanded.
The lines have been drawn taut. al
most to the point Of breaking, says the
New York Tribune correspondent, and
although there has been no evidence Of
Welding ut the White House democratic
| leaders in the Senate look forward with
more confidence than they have hitherto
! displayed to reaching compromise
which will save them from the precarious
/ situation in which they now find them
| selves.
WILSON HAS THE SAY.
! Compromise rates on wool and one
half cent pound on sugar have been
suggested. At a word from the Presi.
dent an amendment to this effect could
'be adopted by the finance committee, OF
I'm caucus where the bill will he unde,
| consideration for a week or more befor,
| it runs the gauntlet Of the Senate
proper,
Such a course would leave tho Presi
dent the victor in the tariff fight, witt
"a substantial reduction to his credit, anC
at the same time tho senators from tbs
sugar and wool States would he able L
vote for the bill without feeling tina
, they were signing their own politiCa
death warrants.
Senators have been flooded with pro
tests from the sugar States az resul
of the debate in the Senate when tho bill
was sent over from the House last week
| From Colorado were hundreds of tele
grams from commercial and civic or
ranizatiuns taking issue with some o
the statements made by Senator Thoma
and protesting against free sugar Demo
cratic senator's admitting the power q
the masters rod, are taking solace IL
the belief that as applicants for mercy
! armed with the emphatic protests o
their constituents, they vii! meet Wit
greater success.
40 HEARINGS LIKELY.
There IS little doubt that the democrat
will gain their point in the preliminar!
clash with the republicans on the aues
ton Of hearings Although several dem
ocrats expressed themselves to their con
stituents as IN favor of hearings, the
have been brought into line and viii vot
with the majority against the fenros
motion. There is even possibility tina
some of the republicans will support tn
democrats, largely on the ground that
would be ineNpedient to delay the pas
sage of the bill. which is sure to be er
acted, and to keep the business Of tn
country in state of uncertainty lone
er than is absolutely necessary.
Threats of the administration to !nves
tigate manufacturers who reduce wage
az the result Of tariff revision wer
echoed Yesterday by Senator Williams
who said criminal prosecutions OF OF
Tenders would be undertaken by the dc
partmont OF justice Il It were shown tina
the wage reductions were brought abou
, by conspiracy or combination whic
affected Interstate trade or commerce.
Senator simmons will discuss the tart
with the President IN a few days an
, will, it ia expected, receive from him I'll
, final word on the schedules and item
which are the subject of dispute anon
q the democrats,
+ PORTO RTCANS ENTER PROTEST.
Paralysis OF industry in Porto Rio
y and weakening of the ties betwee
the United States and the colony wi
result from the proposed tariff rev
sion, according to statement Issue
T last night by the members of dele
g cation from the island sent TO Wasl
! ington under special act of the Leg
islature. Its members are the speake
20 of the House of Delegates, Jose d
d Diego. the president of the executiN
# council Martin Travieso, and Carlo
d Cabrera and Hector NJ. Scovillc, prom
d ineut planters and business men.
The result of the free sugar claus
e coupled with the reduction of the tai
e iff on citrus fruits, would, according
p the delegation, be fourfold: Paralys
d and destruction of the system of pull
+, lie education; paralysis of the develop
n ment of public works and sanitation
the throwing into poverty and miseI
l. of 5000 families Of laborers, repr,
l. sentng 100000 men, women and Chi
y. dreu and teh weakeninE of the ti'
OF affection between tho people