Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-03
WANT TINE TO CONSIDER.
CONGRESSMAN NOT READY TO TALK
OF THE MILLS BILL.

A variety of Views Among Thos. who
Tackle the subject iamdalrs Probable
Course-The Hopes Of the Committee
Loss in Greenbacks-House Proceeding
Doings of the Land once.
WASHINGTON CITY, March 3-The Mills
tariff bill was naturally subject of consd-
cradle discussion at the capitol Friday. A
good many congressman declined 10 talk
about its merits or dement's They had not
read it critically and in comparison with ex-
listing tariff schedules, and in order 10 discuss
it intelligently wanted mora time in which to
compare it with existing law and TO under
stany many of the proposed changes One
general criticism passed by some Democratic
congressman from the southern states, i the
omission of internal revenue reduction. They
say the people in the tobacco producing states
are more interested in the repeal of the
tobacco tax than in tariff reduction, These
congressman do not talk AS they were willing
to postpone consideration of that question
until after the revision of tariff is attended
to, and il the ways and means committee do
not soon bring in a tobacco tax reduction bin,
will no doubt propro>e it as AN amendment to
tho tariff bin
Randall IL Is understood, has n measure Of
his own which emboles "a plan for consider
ablo Internal tax reduction, and with which
he will antagOuize the Mills bill. Ohio Dem
ocratic congressman are slow in cIiticslng tho
Mills bill, though in general way they all
deprecate the free wool clause Some of
them will fight the bill Us long Us that clause
is in it.
The Democratic members of the ways and
means committee, and most of the members
of their party, look upon the measure as wise
can not he defeated and that it viii receive
the approval Of great majority of the poo
pie at large The Republican members of
the committee, Kelley, Reed, Browne, No
hnley and Burrows and majority of their
party express contrary opinion. The meas
ure receives their unqualified condemnation,
and they are prompt to declare that il can
never paSs the house in its present form,
There il an air Of uneasness observable ON
both sides, and members are trying to aScer
tain just how their colleagues will stand in
the impending contest in the house.
The Star, commenting on the situation,
says: "lhe key to the situation lies in the
hands of "A small minority in either party 1t
may be accepted as certain that Mr. Randall |
and some of his former followers will fight |
the measure with determination, How strong
MIR. Randulls following will be is yet to be |
learned. The greatest friction within the |
Democratic party will be, of course, over the |
proposition to put wool on the free list, and |
the sugar item is another element of dscord |
The wool men and the sugar men are greatly |
dissatisfied with the condition in which |
they find these products in the bill Theparty |
line is sure to be broken on these questions,
though il is 10y no means certain that all those
who are disatrected by the treatment of these
industries would vote against the bill,
yk,a,, ff,I
items were still retained Their efforts
will be TO have them stricken from
the bill. Failing in this, they are not
sure themselves probably of how they would
act. The committee on ways and means
have calculated at each step how much each
TEN would strengthen or weaken the meas
lIe, and they have attempted to offer com.
pensation in other particulars for the obiec
lions certain features aroused They cacu
ate upon the reduction Of the duty on
wooden goods, which they claim will reduce
heir cost correspondingly to the consumer,
% more than compensate the farmer for the
oss of protection on wool The loss of pro
ection ON wool amounts, according to this
calculation to $4,000, 900; the saving ON cloth
ng to Sl2OOO,0O0. The sugar men are given
heir choice between free sugar as the other
,arty would probably offer, and a reduction
If % per cent. las offered by this bill
Getting the sense of the house as well as
hey have been able to, the Democrats of the
committee express the opinion that they will
ave fairly good majority for the measure
fter it has passed through very fierce fight,
That the fight will be fierce there is no room
or doubt The majority of the committee
xpects to get the bill before the house in
bout ten days Meanwhile the internal rev.
nue. features will have been considered, and
he two will go in together, either as two
or combined. Which method will
Ne adopted has not yet been decided There
will probably DE a caucus Of the majority ,
eld before the matter is called up in the
ouse, for the purpose of discussing the meas I
re and ascertaining with some degree of
ertainty just how they stand, Such eau
us would be for counsel probably, and not
oercion. There are 50 many items in the
ill operating one upon another that members 5
equire to study the bill with great attention l.
efore they can determine just how they do
land"