The daily gazette., 1883-02-26
THE TARIFF STRUGGLE.
AN EXCITING CONTEST AM
TICIPATED.
PROSPECTS OF THE MEASURE.
An Attempt to be Made to Apply the
Gag Rule" 20 Force II Through t,,a
Aonse->Judge KeIley's scheme,

WASHINGTON, Feb 25.--The probable
| action of the House on the gag rule to-
morrow Is .he leading topic in Congressional
circles: While there is very little hope ex.
pressed In any quarter for the passage of a
tarin Dill this session, the processes by which
congress Is to hide its incompetency and dis
grace from the country excite the closest at
tentlon and delicate figuring. The djspositiop
to find way out of the present dilemma NAV
ne said TO spring from desire to shift the
responsibility rather than from any expecta
tion OF accomplishing any result which
leads to public relief. There q no General
expectation OF securing either tariff or A
revenue bill this session. Although there
arc some sanguine enough to believe that
some sort Off reduction of the revenue will
De made, they can't tell exactly how.
ROW ANTICIPATED.
The broaching of the gag rule tomorrow
will precipitate a row that will In ali proba-
billty last all day. This rule is TO tie the
House up to the question of non-eoncurrence
IN the Senate tariff measure and send it to
conference committee. Much doubt is ex-
pressed as to whether a sufficient vote can
be obtained to pass the rule, though an
active canvass has been in progress and an
eHOrt made to secure o written pledge
from every Republican to support It.
The probability is, however, that
the rule will be adopted under
inc operation Of the previous ques-
ton. The Democrats, it is claimed, are
solidly opposed to the rule. 1t may be
saiely presumed, however, that, while few
Republicans are opposed to it also, It will
be passed. This may not be done to-mor-
row, as quorum of Republicans will BIZ
necessary to order the previous question and
quorum tomorrow is doubtful. With the
adoption of the gag rule the Senate bill will
go TO the conference.
THE REAL FIGHT.
1t is when the measure comes from the
conference committee that the real fight
will begin. The Democrats, under fbe
leadership OF Randall, Blackburn, Carlisle
and Morrison, will assume the broad ground
that the Senate had no right to originate
revenue bill. In this they will be supported
by Robeson, Bayne and leading Republi-
cans. That the conference committee will
be able to do in two or three DAYS what
the Tariff Commission, the WAYS and Means
Committee of the House and the Finance
Committee of the Senate failed TO do in
months of labUr-that is, provide a bill
which will satisfy the conflicting interests
is incredible. The difficulty of SO framing
bill that will hold the Pennsylvania orotec-
uonists without losing the moderate tariff
Republicans is believed to be insur-
IhOunbaDle. fennSylVanla holds the
key to the position, az she held the key to
the Speakership, but Pennsylvania refuses
deliberately to sacrifice her own interests,
equal to the interests of sixteen other States,
for the sake of amending the tariff laws
and helping the Republican party out of
bad fix. Colonel Bayne said tonight that
so far as he was concerned he should
stand on the constitutional rights of the
peoples representatives to originate revenue
bills, and he should have done so had
the bill passed by the Senate been perfect in
every detail. As it comes to the House it is
Objectionable both In form and in principle
and should be opposed on both grounds.
He, with others, is opposed to delegating
the rights of the House to a committee Of
five to fix up such an important measure, to
be passed without consideration and without
debate.
JUDGE KELLEY'S SCHEME.
Judge Kelley has fallen back on his little
tariff revenue scheme and will introduce a
bill which, it is claimed, will meet the wishes
OF majority of the House. This is to be
rushed through and over to the Senate,
where free speech still prevails and where