Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 83, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1909 — TARIFF FIGHT ON IN EARNEST [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TARIFF FIGHT ON IN EARNEST

Pap Delivers Opening Speech for the Measure. CHAMP CLARK OPPOSES BILL These Leaders Are Followed In Turn by Many Members of Their Respective Parties—Senate Finance Committee Agrees to Keep Schedules Becret Until Act Is Completed— Demoeratio Members Will Not Be x Consulted Until Bill Is Finished. Washington, March 22. Both houses of congress assembled at noon. In the bouse the tariff bill was presented for discussion. Sereno E. Payne, chairman of the ways and meaffs committee, delivered the opening speech in, support of the bill, during the course of which he was Interrogated frequently. In opening Mr. Payne declared that the country was overwhelmingly in favor of a protective tariff. “It is an American policy,” he said, and it

seemed to be acquiesced In by the great majority of the American people. He did not believe, he added, that there was a man within the sound of his voice that would rise in his seat and say that he was In favor of “tearing down every custom house in the United States from turret to foundation." Champ Clark, leader of the minority party in the house, followed in a speech in opposition to the measure, and a vigorous attack upon many of its provision. These leaders were followed in turn by many members of their Respective parties. The meeting of the two houses was preceded by meetings of both the Democratic and Republican caucuses to take action upon the committee selections. v Practically the only .business to come before the sOtaate was the reorganization of committees and the formal announcement of their personnel. Most of the old senators in point of service retained former places on the committees. Senators Agree on Secrecy. Emulating the ways and means committee of the house, the Republican members of the finance committee of the senate will take extraordinary precautions to prevent the divulging of schedules agreed upon for the new tariff bill until such time as the bill has been perfected. In the few sessions of the committee that have been held rates have not been discussed at all. The business has been confined to questions of procedure, such as agreeing upon the employment of certain experts in tariff makiug to aid in preparing a bill. All of the Republican senators have agreed that they will not discuss rates outside of the committee room. Following the usual custom, Democratic members of the finance committee i will not be consulted until the bill has been completed. They will have an opportunity to examine it, however, before the measure is reported to the senate, although this courtesy has not been shown in the past and is contrary to the procedure observed by the house committee on ways and meanß in connection with the Payne bill. The Republican members of the ways and means committee completed their bill and it was introduced in the house before the Democratic members of the committee saw it. The first chance | they had to express themselves upon it occurred in the committee after the bill had been referred, and that opportunity was limited. Tables to Be Under Cover. In maintaining secrecy on rates to' be recommended by the finance oommittee it has been decided not to incororate in the bill any figures until the bill is completed. There will be prepared tables, which will be kept under cover in the committee rooms and not taken therefrom by aby member of the committee. These tables will be in the custody of trusted employes. As a further means of preventing disclosures concerning details of the bill, the question of rates will I be postponed until the phraseology ol the various principles to be inoorI porated in the measure has been I agreed upon. In other words, the

form of the hill will be perfected before an effort is made to agree upon any of the several schedules, over which there is likely to be conflict between the senate and the house. Offers Money Panlo Bill Noninterest bearing treasury notes to the amount of one million dollars may be Issued by the secretary of the treasury when in his discretion the business situation requires It, if the bill recently Introduced by Representative Weisse of Wisconsin becomes a law. The notes, which are to be in denominatotns of $5, $lO and S2O and are to be legal tender for duties, public and private until the time named by the secretary for their redemption, are to be redeemable whenever the secretary of the treasury thinks the necessity fpr them has ceased

CHAMP CLARK.