New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-12
Democratic Congressman
and Republican SEN
ators Oppose 1t.
PRESIDENT TO BACK
EFFORTS FOR PASSAGE
Demands for Party Caucus
Blocked for Fear Opposition
Would Be Too Strong.

W FoGpb-
content, amounting almost to a spirit
Of revolt, cropped out among Demo-
cratic members of the House to-day
over the emergency revenue bill agreed
on by the majority of the Ways and
Means Committee, and only the infu-
ence Of the President can put through
the bill as it now stands. 1t was
learned to-day that Notwithstanding
Mr.. Wilson's espousal of the bill, 1t
emerged from the conference OF the
Democrats by the narrow vote Of s TO
<. and it has brought about serious
situation in the Democratic ranks.
In order to put through the freight
tax provision il was necessary for Mr.
Underwood bluntly to inform mis- col
leagues that the President had an
proved the idea and wanted it in the
bill. A few moments earlier the COM
mittee had rejected the freight taxa
ton scheme, and even after Mr.. Un'
derwood used the mystic name OF the
President five Democrats-Messr
Kitchin, Hull, Collier, Garner and Dick
insOn-said they could not support
such a provision.
Mr.. Kitchin, who will succeed Mr..
Underwood as majority leader, an
nounced that he wanted the bill to be
known as the bill of the President and
Mr.. Underwood, and not as that of the
Democrats of the Ways and Means
Committee. He asserted that the ma"
jority Of the majority were at heart
against a tax on freight and that with
out the Presidents insistence upon the
item it would have no chance whatever.
Mr.. Kitchin, backed strongly by Mi.
Garner and Mr.. Collier, insisted that
the freight tax would be a trouble
maker for the Democratic party, be-
cause the country has been demanding
CHEAP transportation, the railroads had
been denied increases in freight rates
and yet the party in power was pre-
pairing to increase the country's trans
portation bills, besides supplying the
railroads with an argument for future
increases.
Mr.. Kitchin also complained that
President Wilson had heard only one
side Of the uuestion-that he had con-
suited Mr.. Underwood and those IN
favor of a freight tax, but had neg
lected to learn the views of the oppo-
sition. As heir apparent to the leader
ship of the Democratic House, Ar.
Kitchin thought he should have been
consulted and so informed his col
leagues. The session throughout was
a lively one, and the bill barely OBJ
tanned votes sufficient to bring it out
as a party measure.
At further caucus late to-day Mr..
Kitchin moved that the bill be sub
mitted to a Democratic caucus. The
vote was tie and the motion was lost.
Mr.. Stanley moved that in asking Tor
4 special rule to rush the bill through
provision be made that no amendmentS
be in order, and this motion received
tentative approval.
It may be impossible, however, for
the Democrats TO avoid caucus, so
great is the discomfort over the ran
road freight tax. A petition signed by
TWENTY-FIVE members is sufficient to call
a caucus, and with five members Of the
Ways and Means Committee known 10
be opposed to the bill as it will be re-
ported, Mr.. Underwood must exercise
diplomacy to prevent p party confer
ence which may undo the work OF the
committee.
II is understood that if the revolt is
not checked the President will send
letter to Mr.. Underwood saying that
he cordially approves of the freight tax
provision and wants it enacted. An
insurgent Democratic member Of the
WAYS and Means Committee to-day eX.
pressed the hope that the Senate would
kill this provision, or at least would
hold tho bill up until after the cleo
tions. He insisted that a stamp tax
would be preferable TO i tax on freight
The keynote of Republican Opposi-
ton to the emergency revenue bill was
sounded to-day by Mr.. Mann, the
minority leader, who asserted that II
the Democrats would practise economy
in expenditures there would be no need
of extra revenue. He also contended
that tax on railroad freight could
not properly be collected without the
issuance of new tariffs by all common
carriers, and that the entire scheme
was one conducive Of confusion and
discomfort.
A movement was started among
Democrats with rural constituencies TO
offer an amendment to exempt from
taxation freight shipments from farms
10 the market centres. Mr.. Under
wood said there could be no such ex-
emption, because a large amount Of tax
able freight must be of this character.
The plan to shut off amendments to the
bill will increase the resentment Of
members on both sides of the chamber.
The revenue bill will be introduced
in the House Saturday afternoon, and
will be submitted to the full member
ship of the Ways and Means Committee
Monday, when, it is expected, the Re
publcans will file vigorous minority
views. Mr.. Underwood plans to call
the bill up in the House under special
rule on Tuesday, and it will be rushed
to passage, although the President may
have to come out publicly for the meas
ure TO force its adoption.
Opposition to the proposed freight
tax among Democratic as we'll as Re
publican Senators was displayed to
such an extent that the prediction was
made that the Senate would reject the
measure and substitute for it a stamp
tax if the bill were passed by the
House. There is sufficient opposition
to the House measure to foreShadow a
long and bitter fight in the Senate.
Suggestions were made by House
Democrats to their party colleagues in
the Senate to express their disapprOyGl
Of the freight tax before the bill is
taken up by the House, but the latter
decided to wait until the bill is brought
to the Senate before making their fight.
Senator'S Gallinger, Norris and other
Republicans were OutspOken in their
opposition to freight tax, and Sen
ator Thomas and other Democrats in
dicated that they would propose the
substitution of stamp tax. One Of
the chief objections against the freight
tax is that it will be borne mostly by
the Northern states.
Efforts to reach a compromise in the
Rivers and Harbors bill were con-
tinued to-day. Democratic leaders and
the Republicans who are opposing the
bill held conferences throughout the
day with the prospect that many of the
projects to which exception was taken