New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-20
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.

tariff question and decided that the bill re-
ported from the Ways and Means Committee
should be taken up as soon as the Naval bill
is out of the way, and pressed to a conclusion.
The Senate continued the discussion of it's
tariff measure and the Post Office bill In tho
House Mr.. Moore, of Tennessee, introduced
resolution providing for the amendment to the
Constitution to enable the enforcement of con.
tracts entered into by any of the States of the
Union.
BETTER CHANCES OF TARIFF REFORM.
ACTION OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUs-rHE WAYS
AND MEANS BILL TO BE PRESSED To CoNCLU.
SION.
fBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON. Jan. 19.-" Everything is all
right" said Representative Ketcham, as he emerged
with smiling face from the Republican caucus this
afternoon.
g II the best caucus we ever held" remarked
Congressman Dezendorf hesrnly.
&c l never saw greater harmony or better dlsposi-
ton exhibited IN caucus,v was the comment Of
Represent ative Burrows.
These are fair sampls of the remarks of Republi-
can Representatives respecting the proceedings
of to-day's conference the Tariff bill, which
last ID less than an hour and
half. The number of Representatives, present
aOout 1870. was unusually large and the absence Of
men representing any particular shade of opinion
respecting the tariff not sufficient to be notice
able. In other words, it was airlyTepresentative
gathering of Republicans from all parts of the
Uuion
Mr.. RobesOn who presided, stated that the caucus
had been called by request of the Republican
members Of the Ways and Means Committee to con-
sIder the Tariff bill reported by that committee.
Chairman Kelley then explained the general nature
o the bill reported, which, he said did not
correspond in Its details with the one
recommen led by the Tariff Commission. which
had been found crude aud imperfect
IN many particulars. Ii had b zen found t1at some
portions of the recommendations of the commission
depended upon the reports of sub-comnittees which
had never been acted upon by the full com mission.
1T had been the duty of the Ways and Means Com
miltee carefully revise the work the Tariff Com
mission and, 50 far as practicable to eliminate its
cruditIes and ncOngrui ties
When Judge Kelley had finished, Mr. Lynch
asked how the members of the Ways and
Means Committee stood the question of reporting
the bill fivoraby to the Ho Use, aud was informed
that the Republican members generally sustained
the report, while the Democratic members, with ex-
ceptiOns, opposed 1t.
Judge Kelley said that Mr. Haskell would ex plain
the oil more in detail, which Mr II sslell pro-
cceded TO do. He said that the work Of the COM
mittee had resulted IN reductions every schedule
III the bill except One both as to rates aud the
oasis of importatIons and revenue that the aver
age reduction on the blsIs of imports would oe
about II per cenc; that the total net reduction
won d be as least $95 900 001. au thlt the reluc-
tons generally would affect articles of prime neces
sity To emphasize this he asserted that the reduc-
IA,
cent being chiefly on the cheaper grades. The
duty on wool had been reduced 10 per
cent but that had been consented to,
as the committee UNDERSTOOD b. th) Ma
tional Wool Growers AssocIation-a statement
which appeared to quiet Mr BefOrd who h ID be-
gun t. exhibit symp Oms OF uneasIness. Mr. Has
Acll SAID a. i'm .ted the lOtal reductions the
basisof last years inp0rta IONS rs follows sugar,
Sl2O00,000 to $1J000,000; wool and wOoien
goods $3.00000O; silk, $3,0O0,00O; metals
~ OJO 900, nearly. rhc Fernando Wool bill left
TIN plate at 2 cents; it hal Deeu reduced TO l.3
per pound. The reduction on iron aud sieel will
amount to about 20 per cent
the ImDortations oe last year; chemicals, etc.
50 100000 Articles which paid DUTY OF
aoout 81 00O, 900 last year had been added TO tho
free list. The total increase recon- nended by ths
commttes would amount to about 81 100000.
"
been reduced fro IN S2s to SlS per ton. The COM
mlttee hal also rcadjusted and removed about
2,O)O incongruiti.s aud inequalities due to
Treasury decisions and rulings which appeared to
have leaned decidedly in favor of free trade
Mr. Haskelps defence of the bill was strong and
well arranged. He took exception to n statement
in to-day's tribune to the effect thai there is
sentiment IN favor of dropping the bill of the Ways
and Means Committee and substituting that OF tho
rarlf Commission. and broadly and earnestly de-
med the existence of any such sentiment or purpose
And yet great many Republican Repre-
scntat,ves entertain such sentiment, although
it may never blossom into purpose
or express Itself in q vote. Nevertheless Mr. Has
keil thinks that the bill recommended by the Tariff
Commission cannot be adopted as whole, bfcause
100 items at least in controversy are not embraced
at all in these recommendations. Mr.. Haskell also
asserted that ths rates proposed by the Ways and
Means Committee are as whole lower than those
recommended by the iarif CommlssIon-an as
serion which can hardly be gainsaid Tor
reasons fully explained in TIE TRIBUNE to-day.
It all dept nds upon the guesser In conclusion, Mr.
Haskell eloquentIy besought his party friends to
stand by the bill reported from the COMMITTEES,
adiuring them to remember that the vote they
should give on this measure would probably be tho
most important in its consequences that they would
ever cast-a peioration which elected considerable
applause
Speaker Keifer then moved the Of tho
caucus that the Tariff bill be taken up soon as
the Naval bill shall have been passed. and pressed
to conclusion. A proposition was also
made to cut Off pro-iorma amendments
during the discussion, but this left to be dis
posed of when an emergency shall arise. La the
general discussion which en,ued the i'm )ortance OK
daily and constant attendance by Republican Keep
resentatives was dwclt upon by General NcCook
and others and it was tacily agreed that absentee
ism should bo discouraged by every practcsbls
means, Mr.. Kasson gong so far as to advocate the
cancellation of all existing pairs should it be re-
quired by any diatory proceedings on the part OF