The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29
REPORTED SENATE WILL TRY ID DELAY TOLLS REPEAL BILL Intimated That Prolonged Filibuster Has Been
 Determined Upon LIVELY DEBATES HELD YESTERDAY Fitzgerald Joins Anti-Repeal Forces. Senator Reed Injects New Issue
 Into Situation--Carry
 Fight to End

Washington, March S.--Reports that an
 organized effort will be made in the Sen
 ate to delay passage of the bill repeal
 ing Panama toll exemption aroused ad- ministration leaders today, while gem eraI debate of the issue in the House continued to hold public interest. The intmating that a prolonged filibus- ter in the Senate had been determined upon. now that the first decisive battle had been won by the President, was re- ported to several senatorial supporters of the administration, and 1t was suggest ed that Senator OGorman, chairman or the committee on interoceanic canals, all ready was delaying consideration of the measure by his committee.
 Senator O'Gorman was asked when he expected to call his committee together to consider the matter, which already is before it, Senator owen having intro- duced a repeal bill, similar to the Sims House measure. two weeks ago. During the day Senator Crawford, a member of the committee. had returned, the chair
 man having stated previously that he
 would not take the issue up in commit- tee until the South Dakota senator reached Washington.
 Await Houses Action There will be no meeting of the conn mittee," senator O'Gorman asserted, 'un- til the bill comes over from the House, which probably will not be until Wednes- day. Senators simmons and Shields are o,,1 hA inf act until every member had been given an opportunity to be heard.
 How long the issue would be held in committee Senator OGornan would not predict declaring that there were other important matters of legislation to keep
 the Senate busy, such an antitrust and appropriation bills who probably will vote to repeal the toll exemption, declare today that they did not look for a vote in the Senate within six weeks" the New York senator added. 1 Senator Owen, democratic member of | the canals committed. wno Is leading the | preliminary fight for repeal, asserted to- 1 night that any attempt to delay the bill l in the Senate unduly would be foolish. He intimated that deliberate delay in the 1 committee might result in forcing the 1 Issue before the Senate on a motion to discharge the canals committee from the consideration of the subject
 l Any disposition to pettifog in this
 matter" said Senator Owen. Obviously
 would be a silly thing to do As far as
 Senator OGorman is concerned think {, he is disposed to delay now. I person | ally expressed to him yesterday a wish
 that the committee might be called to consider the repeal bill which I intro
 duced two weeks ago. If he does not
 take it up promptly I can say thls !
 purpose.
 l A Party Asset
 Senator OGorman seems to take the view that this controversy is party
 asset instead of a party liability. think the result of the vote in the House yes | lterday will have some effect. inasmuch as 1t shows where the big majority oi ithe party stands"
 | Debate on the repeal bill drew crowds ltc the House galleries today. although the climax there was reached yester- |