Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-03-26
The PARTY CAUCUS.
nanmoNy vnOwss ,rs coussr,s
rhe Morrison BiI - to Open tor Amend.
nent aud its Passage m some
snapp agreed Iuos,

bill met at oight o'clock last evening. Tho
/ attendance was very large, there being
/ only ten membors absent, aud they on 40
count of sickness or detention from tho
city.
| MIR. Morrison stated the object uf the
caucus. lie said 1t was for tho purpose of
coming To all understanding, II possible
ON taritl legislation. Democratic members
/ Of the ways and means committee who
| believed III reduction OF tho war tariil
bad presented u measure on which they
desired to havo an expression of opinion
! OF Democratic members Of the House. IL
had been announced in the press, he said,
| that those who were not successful in
! controlling the organization of the House
/ uf Representatives would oppose any
measure for reducing war taxes ON the
! discussion of such measure by this Con.
gress.
lie stated that tho wav taxes derived from
| Internal revenue, which at one time yielded
the government $500, 100000 year, had
bCon from time To time reduced, until only
| the revenue on tobacco, malt liquors AMI
distilled spirits romaiued. He said hc did
not believe in any further reduction Of the
internal revenue rs u matter of principle,
but as a Democrat, desiring the harmony
OF his party, aud for the sake Of harmOni2
ing the conflicting views, he would agree
10 repeal the tobacco tax and tn reduce
the tax ON brandy distilled from fruits,
provided such repeal could DO had in con.
nectiou with the reduction of customs
duties.
For the purpose of testing the sense OF
the caucus MIR. Morrison said that he
would offer resolution, which he did, IN
effect providing that the ways and means
COmmittee's bill should DO taken up, aud
hat Of Oh f.,. 4
siou, "a bill'' should be passed.
a long discussion followed the Offering
of the resolution, whicb was participated
IN by Mcssrs Morrison, Eaton, Converse,
Blackburn, Randall, Hopkins, King,
Morse, Iaboll, Reagan, Roseorans, Tully,
q Neil (MO), MacAdOo, Wilson (W. Va
Warren, Dorshcimer, Hutchins, Holman,
Nichols, Hardomau, Beach, Sprggs
On. ", Adams On. ", and Bland.
Mr.. Randall briefly counsecd modOra
tlon aud couCliatiou, and suggested uu e
excited conference, with a view Of agreeing
upon some bill upon which all the Demo
cratic members could vote-a bill that
would provide for q moderate reduction of
customs duties, aud At the same time for
a partial reduction Of Internal revenue
| taxation.
As TO making tariff bill subject of
caucus action, IN the sense Of controlling
members votes, he said it was contrary TO
Democratic principles and contrary 10 the
principles of representative government to
attempt to biud any one on a great
economic question and thus seek to com.
pei n representative to vote against the
| known opinions and interests OF his con-
| Stituents.
Mr.. Carlisle said he was desirous Of hav.
ing the caucus come 10 some agreement,
II possible, on the reduction of the tariff
In order TO do SO and TO secure such re
duction he would agree TO a repeal of the
tobacco tax aud all licenses connected
with the sale of tobacco and reduction of
taxes on brandy distilled from fruits to
ten cents gallon.
| Mr. Hopkins offered an amendment IL
the effect that the action OF tho caucus
should not be binding upon individual
members.
Mr.. Reagan and Mr.. Holman urged bar
mony, and opposed all efforts to bind the
members of the party by an action Of the
caucus. Both declared that the action OF
the caucus should DO regarded as merely
persuasive.
Several members announced emphati.
! cllly that they were opposed TO the Nor
rison bill, but the predominating
sentiment was largely in favor of consider
ing the bill and Of agreeing to measure
that would receive the sanction of the
House.
Besides Mr.. Randall, Mcssrs Tully, of
California, and Eaton, of Connecticut,
opposed the measure.
MIR. King, OF Louisiana, offered a reso
| luton to the effect that Is COMMITTEES, con
sistlng Ot seven members Of the House
aud six senators, be appointed 10 consider
and report at = future CAUCUS on the
4
voted down.
Mr.. Morrison moved that Mr.. Hopkins
amendment be modified SO rs To provide
that the action Of the caucus should not be
binding upon individuals except to such
an extent as each member might feel in
tiuenced by the wishes of u majority Ol
his associates.
| This amendment was adopted. He then
called the previous question upon the
Hopkins amendment as modified. which
was carried by a vote of Ia to 80. The
resolution was then adopted by yea and
nay vote of Ia to 81.
The following is the resolution as
amended and adopted
ResOlged, That the bill commonly known
as the Morrison tariff bill shall be taken
up for consideration at the earliest practi
cable day, aud reasonable time for debate
allowed thereon and after such debate
that bill be passed for the reduction of
duties aud war tariff taxes.
That the adoption Of this resolution
shall not be considered binding in con.
trolling the individual action of the Demo
Gratis, except TO the extent that each
member may feel that he ought to be
influenced by the expression Of opinion of
a majority of his associates"
Mr.. Carlisle then offered the following
resolution, which was adopted by vote
of 80 to 81 {:
" Reso!Ued, That, in order to reconcile
conflicting opinions and To seclre legisa-
tion reducing taxation, the plan for the
reduction of taxes at the present sessio n
Of Congress shall embrace provision
repeating all internal revenue taxes on
tobacco, snuff and cigars and special taxes
connected Herewith, aud also reducing
the tax ON brandy distilled from fruit to
10 cents per gallon, provided, that such
repeal and reduction shall not DO made,
except in connection with reduction Of
tariff duties"
About midnight the caucus adjourned.
False Prstsnso.
Daniel Singer, of Coatesyille, Cheste r