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JULY 4 1913
The Commoner.
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Democratic Caucus Proceedings
Following are Associated Press dispatches:
Washington, June 25. Free sugar in 1916 and
free raw -wool now are established in the tariff
revision bill, having been approved late today
by the democratic caucus of the senate after a
two days' fight. The sugar schedule, as re
ported by the majority members of the finance
committee and practically as it left the house,
was approved by a vote of 40 to 6. Free raw
wool as submitted by the majority and just as
it passed the house swept the senate caucus by
a vote of 41 to 6. This ratification of Presi
dent "Wilson's tariff policy, he having insisted
upon the wool and sugar propositions before
the ways and means committee in the beginning,
came after a long series of developments since
the tariff bill passed the house, in which the
president has been an active participant. When
the fight of the anti-free sugar and anti-free
wool democrats was getting hot, the president
issued a public statement declaring that any
suggestion of compromise on his wool and sugar
schedule ideas absolutely was out of the ques
tion, and later he stirred all administration
leaders to action when he made his charge
about the existence in Washington of an "in
sidious lobby," investigation of which has
brought results regarded as favorable to the
tariff bill.
The six democratic senators who voted
against free sugar on the final vote approving
the schedule were: Hitchcock ctf Nebraska,
Newlands of Nevada, Ransdell and Thornton of
Louisiana, Shafroth of Colorado and Walsh of
Montana. The six who opposed free raw wool
to the end were: Chamberlain of Oregon, New
lands of Nevada, Ransdell and Thornton of
Louisiana, Shafroth of Colorado and Walsh of
Montana. .
No attempt was made in the caucus today to
bind the members to the action of the caucus.
The question will come up when the entire bill
has been passed upon. Some members will fight
it, but administration leaders said tonight they
believed only the two Louisiana -senators would
ask to be released from the caucus pledge if
one is submitted. The general opinion is that
a binding resolution will be offered.
Approval of the schedules came after pro
longed discussion and after several amendments
had been voted down. On some of the amend
ments the opposition showed little strength, the
maximum being ten votes for Senator Shafroth's
amendment to the sugar schedule. This would
have eliminated free sugar and substituted a
duty of approximately one-half cent a pound on
refined sugar. This amendment was lost by a
vote of 37 to 10, Senators Thompson, Chamber
lain, Hitchcock, Newlands, Shafroth, Lane,
Ransdell, Thornton, Tillman and Walsh vot
ing for it.
When this had been lost Senator Thompson of
Kansas offered an amendment to retain the
Underwood rate for three years, reducing 50
per cent in 1916 and 25 per cent each suc
ceeding year until it reached the free list.
Senators Chamberlain, Fletcher, Hitchcock,
Newlands, Shafroth, Tillman, Thompson and
Walsh supported this amendment. The amend
ment offered by Senator Thornton to eliminate
the free sugar provision and maintain the
Underwood rates indefinitely was supported only
by Senators Ransdell and Thornton.
Senator Walsh offered the amendment to tho
wool schedule, proposing a duty of 15 per cent
duty ad valorem on first class wools and that
wools of the second and third class such as car
pet and clothing would be free. This was de
feated, 39 to 7, senators voting- for it being
Chamberlain, Newlands, Shafroth, Thompson,
Thornton and Walsh. Three senators were ab
sent, Culberson, Owen and Lewis.
Senators Ransdell, Thompson, Newlands,
Thornton, Lane and Shafroth took up most of
the time for the opposition, while the chief
administration defenders were Senators James,
Thomas and Pomerene.
When sugar and wool had been disposed of,
the caucus ratified the committee amendment
placing hair of the Angora goat on the free list.
Consideration of the agricultural schedule
then was resumed and a dispute at once arose
over the committee amendment putting a coun
tervailing duty on wheat and flour. As the dis
cussion developed the opposition grew and de
cision of the question went over until tomorrow.
Some democrats asserted following the adjourn
ment that the countervailing duty would bo
stricken off, leaving -wheat and flour on the an
restrlcted free list on a parity with cattle aad
meats.
Senator Ransdell did not openly declare he
would bolt the caucus, but made it plain he
would fight the bill on the floor unless a change
were made in sugar. Other senators thought
it practically certain that neither Senators
Ransdell nor Thornton would remain in tke
caucus if a binding resolution were preeeated.
Senator Thomas spoke at length in favor of
free sugar and free wool.
Senator Newlands, opposed to free sugar at
this time, argued for a more gradual redact!
in all tariffs.
Two far-reaching amendments to the adminis
trative provisions of the tariff bill aroused op
position in the democratic senate caucus today.
One was that prohibiting importation of aay
goods, except immediate products of agriculture,
forests and fisheries, wholly or in part manu
factured by children under fourteen years old.
That provision was declared by many senators
to be the most drastic protective measure any
manufacturer could ask for greater as a pro
tection against foreign competition than high
tariff rates.
The amendment to grant to the United States
court of appeals concurrent jurisdiction in cus
toms cases, involving more than $100 with the
customs court, also aroused attention. Some
democrats thought the proposal an entering
wedge toward elimination of the customs court.
Washington, June 23. House democrats in
caucus today agreed upon the abolition of the
commerce court as. a party policy and, turning
deaf ears to pleas from their leaders, rejected
a plan for the creation of a budget commltteo
to control appropriations. Representative
Broussard of Louisiana, champion of the com
merce court, precipitated caucus action on tho
niooted question by offering a resolution to
authorize hearings of the Sims bill to abolish
the court. Speaker Clark denounced the tri
bunal as useless and expensive, and Represen
tative Adamson of Georgia, chairman of the
interstate commerce committee, offered a reso
lution, declaring it to be the sense of the caucus
that the court be abolished at the present ses
sion, due care being taken to protect and provide
for jurisdiction over pending and future litiga
tion. The resolution was adopted by viva voce
vote.
Democratic Leader Underwood led the fight
for the budget plan and had the support of
Speaker Clark, Representative Fitzgerald, chair
man of the appropriations committee, and other
powerful house leaders. Mr. Underwood de
clared that appropriations were running beyond
bounds under tho present system and urged re
form through a committee on "estimates and
expenditures" with control over all appropria
tions and power to fix the maximum for each
session of congress. This practically was the
plan originally advocated by Representative
Shirley of Kentucky.
Opposition to the proposition developed Im
mediately, led by Representative Hardwick of
Georgia. Representative Tribble insisted that
a budget committee centralizing control of ap
propriations among committee chairmen and
other ranking members would constitute tho
most gigantic trust ever formed. Mr. Hard
wick's resolution to lay the plan on the table
was carried, 95 to 80.
A CURRENCY PRIMER
Representative Stanley Bowdlo of Ohio, has
prepared for the United Press tho following
currency primer:
"Suppose I had a big coal mine located right
on a big railroad. I might suppose that this
was real wealth to me and great good to the
city over there. But wait a minute this mine
is nothing to me and nothing to that city unless
I. can get at proper times and In proper number
the necessary freight cars from tho railroad. A
working mine plus cars, is wealth for every
body. A working mine minus freight cars, is
bankruptcy. Do you get It?
"Now suppose the men managing that rail
road conspire to create a car shortage at any
mine, where am I? Why, I'm up against it.
I'm ruined. And I'm ruined long before tho
law can offer mo any redress. Many a mine
owner has met ruin that way.
"Now, then, money Is the car that gets our
product to market. No matter what we havo
had on our shelves, or in our factories we aro
powerless wkkt dottars. Dollars enable us
to reack . Ike market. Tkey ar tke c!1bb&
wktek coa-revs r valves to amu A moaej
shortage Is precisIy like a ear aaortage at ta
xalae.
"A few railroad men. jatt a little wklle ago,
had power to do jst as tkey pleased. Bt tkey
were exposed aad row the tat&rstate coert
co-auaJmsfott Is tacomataad la ataay way. The
railroad Dtek Tarptas save not the power tkat
tkey ed to kave.
"Tkls goveraaat. as regards carreacy. It
coafroated rftk precisely tke aaate eoadUJoas.
"Tke aaestioa is. tv skall we stop these saea
wko kave power to stop tke flow of curreacy
kere or tkere? Tke troekle Is aot with tke coal
la tke ariae aor wltk tke goods ia tke factory.
Tke trouble fas wltk tke aea who now control
the oar 'dollars' to take tke goods to tke market.
-Ia 1507 we kad a saoaey shortage In this
coaatry. Men wko kad good money In banks
got baek deposit certificate for latniedlato use
Tke money bad apparently evaporated. Of
course, some banks actually kad It. But tttose
banks kad created a panic aad tke smaller
banks were as mack up against it as were their
depositors. This condition may be created again
at any time.
"Tkis administration claims that no man, or
set of men, should have such power. Such
power Is simply tke power fiaally lo enslave
tkfcs race. 'The problem is to free men from
the power to create a money shortage.
A IUKD'S KYK VIEW
Declaring that explanations of the currency
have not been simple enough to acquaint the
common people of the exact way in which IU
provisions will affect him. Representative
Bulkley of Ohio, veteran democrat of the
house banking committee gave to the United
Press a "bird's eye view" of the Wilson-Glass
measure. He said he desired that the "maa
In the overalls" as well as tho bankers and
financiers bo advised what effect tho bill will
have. Bulkley's "slmplIQed" exposition of tho
bill follows:
"The Wilson-Glass bill will free the cur
rency and the crodlts of the country from tho
domination of any business group; place tho
reserves of our banks where they will do tho
most good; prevent the piling up of the coun
try banks resources In Wall street to support
stock exchange operations; provide a safe and
sound government currency adequate In volume
to the needs of the country's business, and
make It possible for the small business man to
obtain through competition such credit accom
modation as his business and character merit.
"The problem Is not an easy one and financial
sharps have been puzzled for years to sug
gest the sort of reform that is needed In our
banking and currency laws. The Aldrlch mone
tary commission worked two years trying to
solve tho problem and failed. But tho present
bill meets with general favor and bids fair to
be favorably reported from our commltteo after
all details shall havo been thoroughly threshed
over and passed within the next few weeks.
"The Glass bill provides for elasticity of
currency, mobilization of reserves and govern
ment control of the nation's financial affairs.
"What will be its effect?
"First, there will bo fewer financial panics.
No manipulation of the money market to create
artificial stringency will bo possible, becauso
Interest rates, volumo of currency and exten
sions of credit will all bo controlled in tha
interest of the public by a government board.
There will be no ground for tho fear and dis
trust which sometimes brings on panics, be
cause every one will know that enough currency
and enough credit will always bo available to
meet all legitimate needs.
"The working man will always get his pay
In government currency as good as gold and
will not be asked to accept clearing house checks
or other substitutes, becauso employers will
always be able to get tho currency which their
business justifies.
"Tho small business man will be ablo to bor
row at a lower rate, and to secure more adequate
accommodations because tho brnks will feel
more free to Invest In tho commercial paper of
their local communities, knowing that they cam
immediately realize on this paper by re-dls-countlng
whenever they need to do so."
A BARGAIN OFFER
A limited number of broken sets of Com
moner Condensed will be closed out at a speelal
low price for quick sale. Soo offer on page 16.
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