Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-06-09
THE TANIEF COMMISSIONERS
What Tney Area Close Vote ON Confirms
IiOn Probable.

What They Area ClOso Vote ON COnfirNN:.-
IiOn Probable.
Twenty four of the Democratic senators
held 4 caucus last evening to Interchange
views in regard to the fitness of the presi-
dents nomination of tariff commissioners.
No attempt was made to procure caucus
action on the question, and ut the conclu
sion of the conference every senator was
left free to vote upon it in executive ses-
sion according to his own Judgment Or
his individual bias. II was developed,
however, that the Democratic senators arc
practically unanimous in holding that tho
| commission is unfairly constituted, and
should therefore be rejected.
The ground was taken by nearly all the
speakers (including Senator Bayard and
some others who voted for the tariff COM
mission billy that tho proposed member
ship Of tho commission is wholly incOn-
sistcnt with the avowed purpose of tho
bill, which contemplated an impartial
| investigation and looked to recommended
tiOnS that should be free from tho s,,spi-
cious OF sclf-interest.
1t was asserted that two of the nomi-
rees, namely, Messrs. Hays, of Massachu-
setts, ard Garland, of Illinois, are salaried
officers of protective high tariff assCcia-
tiOn, and that 4 third, Mr.. Porter, is " II
stipcndary of the same organization
Messrs. Oliver, of Pennsylvania, and
Kenner. Of Louisiana, were criticised as
being likewise champions of protection
for special interest who might we'll be ex-
pectcd to combine with the above named
members in the interest of high tariff gen.
orally.
MIR. Underwood, of Georgia, was referred
to as "an obscure old man." nominated at
the instance of Georgia protectonists, and
Mr.. Amber, of Ohio, whom Senator Pen
dleton declared he had never heard of
until nominated for place OF the commits
sion, although regarded, to some extent.
as an uncertain quantity" was generally
believed by the members of the caucus to
be also q friend OF high tariff. Mr.. Wheeler
of New York, has, it was said, a leaning
in the same direction.
The seventh gentleman nominated for
membership-Mr. Phelps, of Missouri
was spoken of as tariff reformer, but it
was also announced that he had declined
the appointment.
In discussing the personnel of the COM
mission as 4 whole, several senators ex-
pressed serious doubts as to the intellect
ual competence of the proposed Commis-
siOners to investigate q subject of such
difficulty and complexity as tho tariff,
and to give Congress advice with regard
to it which would have real value and i'm
pOrtaEce.
So far as can be ascertained, there arc
only two Of the Democratic Senators will.
ing to vote for tho confirmation of the
commissioners, namely. Messrs. Brown,
of Georgia, and Jonas, of Louisiana, both
of whom feel measurably bound to do so by
reason of their having respectively recon-.
mended two of the members appointed.
On the other hand, it is understood that
Senators Van Wyck and Ingalls, will vote
with the body of the Democrats against
confirmation.
In this event the determination of the
question will probably rest with the two
members of tho 6 Independent party" in
the Scnate-Senators David Davis and
Malone.
The Senate finance committee, by a
party vote (Messrs. Bayard and Beck vot.
ing negatively, decided to report the
names of the commissioners for contirma-
tiOn.