Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1911 — CAUCUS PASSES UNDERWOOD BILL [ARTICLE]

CAUCUS PASSES UNDERWOOD BILL

Free Wool Beaten by Majority Party in House. BRYAN'S POLICY REPUDIATED All Specific Duties Are Changed to Ad Valorem, Which, It is Claimed, Will Prevent Good Deal of Trickery. Washington, June 2. —William Jen Kings Bryan’s attempt to dictate Democratic policy in regard to the revision of the wool schedule is repudiated by the Democrats of the house of repre sentatives. By a unanimous vote in a party caucus they turned down the peerless leader’s demand for free raw wool and accepted the bill prepared by the ways and means committee under the direction of Representative Underwood, which fixes a duty of 20 per cent, on raw wool, as compared with an equivalent of 44.31 per cent imposed under the Payne-Aldrich tariff law. The effect of-the action by Mr. Underwood and his followers in defeating Mr. Bryan’s efforts to impose his will on the house organization will extend far beyond the proposed revision of the woolen schedule It amounts to the serving of notice upon Mr. Bryan that the Democratic organization will not tolerate his assumed leadership and that the responsible leaders are capable of holding the reins against him. It is the impression in Washington that the repudiation of Bryan is the beginning of a serious break in the party. Politicians expect to see the fight carried ultimately into the Democratic national convention. The action of the house Democrats is interpredated as a sad blow for Champ Clark's presidential aspirations In the opinion of many it is bound to result in a break between the Nebraskan and the speaker of the house. Mr Clark did not openly engage in the fight for the Underwood plan of revision, but he is committed to it and Mr. Bryan undoubtedly will hold him responsible. As Washington political observers interpret the result it will mean the swinging of Bryan toward the Woodrow Wilson boom. The Underwood bill makes a reduction of from one-half to two-thirds in all wool duties. Raw wool, which was free in previous Democratic tariff bills, carries a duty of 20 per cent ad valorem, equivalent to from three to five cents a pound. According to Chairman Underwood the proposed wool tariff represents an estimated reduction based on last year’s imports, of a little more than $1,400,000 in the revenues Mr. Underwood estimates a loss of about $7,700,000 in revenues from raw wool, bur a gain of about $6,380,000 in revenues from the manufactured woolens. Al! specific duties whereby a stated sum is collected by the\government on certain grades of wool, are changed by the new bill to ad valorem duties. This is regarded by Democrats generally as one of the most commendable features of the bill, as it does away, they say, with the chances for trickery as practiced under the Payne law. The general average ad valorem on manufactured wool under the proposed law ia estimated at 42.55 per >cent; while under the existing law it is figured as 90.10 per cent. The duty on raw wool under the proposed law is *€• per .cent, while under the existing law it is 44.31 per cent.