National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-03
STATUS OF TIE TARIFF BILL.

SIAIDS Ot III IAlGlFF bllIlJs
Tho Effort for n Compromise Between
she Friends and Opponents or the Nor
rlson Bill Fats.
For some days there has been talk Of
compromise between tho friends of tho Morri-
son tariff bill and its opponents in the demo.
cratic party, by which, in view of certain
concessions to DO made to the wool interests,
the vote Of the wool men should be given in
favor of tho amended Morrison bill. 1t is
now understood that this proposed compro-
misc has fallen through, and that tho Morri-
son bill must takO its chances on It's own
merits
The failure was due to the impossibiity of
roconciling the demands of the wool men
with tho concessions which the friends of the
Morrison bill were willing to make. The
latter IL is understood, approached the
subject Of q concession somewhat in this
wise Wool, thoy said had suffered n reduction
of about Is per cent. by the tariff act of 1Ss3,
and there would DO some reason for the com.
plaint of unfair discrimination against this
particular interest, If IL should be included
in the further reduction of 20 per cent.
proposed by tho Morrison bill. They could
SEQ thor way clear to oxempting wool from
tho operation of this further reduction,
leaving the rates on il. reduced Is per cent.
below those of 1867. Would the wool men
vote for the Morrison bill amended in this
manner?
To this proposition it is understood that tho
latter replied that thoy were not willing to
submit to one wrong for the sake of avoiding
q greater ono they would not admit, by vot.
ing for bill thus amended, that tho wrong
committed in 1883 was right; they would
vote for tho Morrison bill if the rates of 1867
on wool were restored, otherwise they pro-
| posed that every tub should stand on its own
] 4 4 al..Nf F.s l.. III
| rison bill would havo to get along without
| them.
Tho matter came to decisive point yester-
day. when Mr.. Geddes of Ohio, representing
/ the wool interests, went to SEQ Mr.. Morrison,
/ and laid the ultimatum of his faction before
| him. Mr. Morrison informed him that tho
/ house had voted down the proposition to re-
store tho old rates on WOOL and that he could
not consent to such proposition and he added,
| he was doubtful even whether he could
entertain the proposition to exempt wool
from the 90 per cent. horizontal reduction
proposed in his bill.
| Nj. Hurd, OF Ohio and another member of
the ways and means committee who were
| present at this conference, If such 1t may be
called, agreed with Mr. Morrison, and OK
! pressed similar opinions.
In view of this failure to effect q compro-
mise the democratic opponents of the bill
assert their opinion that the Morrison bill
will be defeated by tho striking out of the
enaCting clause. The programme with re-
gard to the method of defeating the bill
! has, however, been changed, and instead of
the motion to strike out coming from the re-
| publican side it will be made by democrat
| probably either by Mr.. Eaton or Mr. Con-
verse. 1t is thought that the movement in
opposition to the bill will be strengthened by
such course, and the republican opponents
of the measure, with this in view, will waive
tho opportunity Of making political capital
which taking the lead in opposition to the
bill would give them.
The friends of the Morrison bill on the
othor hand say that the motion to strike out
the enacting clause, if made, will be de-
feated, and that tho bill, with some amend.
ments perhaps, but practically with all its
present features retained, will pass the house.
Some of them think that Mr. Morrison has
made a mistake in closing general debate on
the bill so soon, as in their opinion the debate
gains friends for tho measure every day that
| it runs.
To-day Mr.. Converse, of Ohio, will make
certain propositions looking to n reduction of
the tariff rates, which he will endeavor to
have printed in tho Record, and he will ac-
| company their presentation with the state.
ment that if the Morrison bill should reach
| the stage ut which amendments are in
order he will offer them as amend
inents. Tho principal feature of his pro-
posed amendments is that they contemplate
general horizontal reduction of 10 per cent.
! from the present rates of duty on all mer-
Chandise imported in American bottoms, in
place of the 20 per cent. horizontal reduction
proposed by the Morrison bill on all merchan-
| disc, however imported. Another important
point Of difference between tho plan Mr..
Converse will propose, and the Morrison plan,
is that i'll tho list of articles which Mr..
Converse proposes shall como in free, neither
coal, salt nor lumber is to be found.