Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-24
Tariff-1he Commission Bill.

A Washington special to the Chicago
Tribune states that the prospects are that
the tariff commission bill will be
discussed IN both branches of Con-
gress during the coming week. In the
Senate 1t is the purpose to call up the Nor
rill bill as soon as the arrears Of pensions
resolution Is voted upon, which, It is hoped,
will be the ooh. In the House, Mr.. Kasson
will endeavOr to bring up his bin as soon as
the post office appropriation bill, which is
now partly finished, is completed. The ap-
proach of the debate has given rise to re-
ports that both parties will attempt
to decide upon a policy with regard
to this measure In caucus. The Demo-
Gratis are seriously considering this.
The Republicans, whose leaders are
rather more committed to the plan, are not
as vet determined upon a caucus, but 1t
is very possible that the Democrats will at
tempt, as they have once before this ses-
sion, to define the position of their party on
this subject In caucus. One of the Demo-
cratic Representatives claimed to express
the opinion OF large class to-day when he
said: GA good many of us are disposed to
vote for the commission bill because we
wish to have the Republicans assume the
responsibility for It's success or failure, and
in any event IL the commission should be
created we propose TO point to it as an in
dication that the Republicans sought DELAY
and avoided by such a makeshift the re-
spOnsibilitY for the tariff revision which Is
SO necessary. The great majority of our
party Is opposed to the commission plan
upon its merits, as we think that Congress
should undertake the work OF revision, aud
not delegate It's authority to body of ex-
perts. For that matter, nothing can be dele
gated, as the whole subject will have to be
acted upon by Congress when the commits
sion reports. The only Democrats who are
actually in favor OF the commission plan are
the pennsylvania men, who represent the
tariH interests. They are for the commits
sion plan for the very good reason that they
see In 1t another opportunity to postpone
the revision OF the tariff, which sooner or
later must be made. They think, too, that
the plan is losing ground in the country,snd
they wish TO have action upon it as soon as
possible. Irrespective of the merits of the
commission bill, a good many members viii
vote to have it considered Immediately. since
the Ways and Means Committee has given
out that they shall not take definite action
upon any bill relating to the tariff until Il Ia
known what disposition Is to be made OF the
commission bill. The Representatives of
the different interests, therefore, which have
measures pending before the Ways and
Means Committee are anxious that the bill
shall be disposed OF.
One of the Democratic members of the
Ways and Means Committee saws the COM
mittee will regard the action of the House
upon the KassOn bill as a vote OF instruction
on tariff matters. Il has been learned With
In few days that representatives of the
sugar interest here are opposing the tariff
commission bill on the ground that the
passage Of that bill will tend to still further
postpone the settlement Of the complicated
questions connected with the collection Of
the sugar duties.