Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-08-27
PARTY DISCIPLINE
.CHAFES UNDERWOOD
Sco|ded by Senator Stone for
Amendments to the
Revenue Bill.
URGED TO CONFORM
TO CAUCUS DECISION
Alabaman Refuses to Recognize
Right of Seatholders to Dictate.
Amendment Voted Down.

row among Senate democrats, in
which Senators Underwood and Stone
played the leading parts. enlivened the
yesterday afternoon.
Senator Stone. as a member of the
finance committee, undertook to lecture
Senator Underwood for insistence upon
amendments to the pending bill. which
has been approved by a democratic
caucus Of the Senate. This Senator
Underwood resented hotly.
The fight was started when Senator
Underwood offered an amendment to
reduce from $4,000 to $4,000 in the case
of single persons, and from $4,000 to
$4,000 for married individuals, the ex-
emptions under the income tax. Mr..
Underwood contended this would add
IS, 100000 revenue and would stabilize
the measure
Amendment Voted Down.
The Underwood amendment was
finally voted down by a vote. of 81 to
1s, but not until many bitter exchanges
had taken place between democratic
senators.
CHAIRMAN simmons OF the HnanCS
committee reminded the Alabama sena-
tor that it was a long standing Senate
practice for senators to stand by the
decisions of their party caucus. Senator
Stone. also a member of the committee,
declared Senator Underwood deserved
censure for his attitude toward the bill.
rs the Senate degenerated to point
where the individual senators must
take orders from those who serve on
committees because their constituents
in
years?" retorted Senator Underwood.
Refuses Dictation.
81 do not recognize the right Of any
member to dictate to me. II that be
can question my loyalty to the democratic
party in victory or defeat"
The amendment received the support of
only five democratic senators. They
were Senators Bankhead, Hardwick, Lane,
O'Gorman and Underwood.
In his denunciation Of Senator Under
wood Senator Stone coupled the exemp-
tors declaration that the proposed dye
stuffs tariff is Gndemocratic. The sena-
tors attitude toward the bill, he said,
savored of 'heroics.'
Senator Underwood replied to that by
saying If his conduct in the matter was
to be accepted as a proper basis of party
criticism of him he was willing hereafter
to stand alone.
Underwood Answers Back.
You dare to lecture me-" said the
former House leader, because I dare
to repudiate a part of your bill that is
a stencil in the nostrils of the demo-
cratic party. 1 approve of the finance
committees legislation on this bill in
the main. but I know no reason why
the finance committee should see fit
to arrogate to itself the right to die
tate to Others"
Mr.. Underwood said it was conceded
that binding resolution had been
adopted by the caucus on the bill and
that if there had been one and he had
agreed to it he would stand by it and
bow his neck" He had bowed un-
willingly recently. he said, to a binding
caucus on the immigration bill. The
revenue bill, he declared, had been
"concocted by certain gentlemen in the
Senate trying to dictate to this side of
the House what it shall do
Senator Williams, in charge of the
income tax section of the bill, opposed
the Underwood amendment. Senators
oliver, OGorman and Thomas spoke in
favor Of it.