Omaha daily bee., 1890-03-10
STATUS OF The TARIFF BILL
gar, Steel Rail and Wool Men
Quarreling.
THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION.
IT Promises to Makes Thing Lively in
Congress-visit Of the Inter-
state Commerce Com
mission.
WAsu1yGToN BUREAU THE OMAHA Bag,
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,
wAsmSaroN. d. O.. March o.

tomorrow Is tue lUJu Ol MAfCn, Tue tulru
date set by the committee on ways ana
means for reporting tariff bill to the house,
but the republican majority seem to be as
far apart now as they were on the lst of
February or the 25th OF February, when like
promises were made The bill was partially
completed four weeks ago with the exception
of three items on which the republicans
split-sugar wool and steel ratls. During
the last three weeks it has been found use
less for the committee to meet, and the
members have not been called together dur
ing that time, They gather in knots of two
or three or four at the apartments
of Mr.. Mckinley or elsewhere and
talk over their differences, put nobody will
WELD and the disposition of the members of
the house who want some sort of
tariff revision Is TO call a caucus and
instruct the committee what to report The
fight seems to be between the west and the
east. Take steel rails. for example. The
western men, Gear of Iowa, La Follitte of
Wisconsin and Burrows of Michigan, want
the duty cut down to $40 ton, while Baine
of Pennsylvania, Mckinley of Ohio and
Payne of New York are unwilling to reduce
it below Si3. although it is probable that
they will agree to 1880, which will be re-
duction of about 80 per cent. The same is
the case with wool. The carpet manufac-
turers want substantial reduction in the
duties on coarse wool from South Amer
ica, and demand it upon the
ground that such varieties are not
produced in the United States and there is
therefore no protection: but the wool
growers, headed by Columbus Delano of
Ohio, agree that IL carpet woods are ad-
mitted free or at a reduced rate of duty the
manufacturers of clothing will use them to
aiulterate fine wool and the Merino sheep
will suffer. The western men also want
some concessions on blankets aud wearing
apparels, which the wool growers will not
concede, but sugar Is the most difficult item
in the whole list, upon which there are as
many views as there are members of the
committee Burrows, Lafolette and Gear.
want the duty removed. Other members
ask cut of 70, or go, or So or 40, or 80 per
cent, while some do not want the present
duty disturbed because of the very
large appropriations that are being
made and proposed at this session,
and which are liable to leave the treasury
without a surplus. The proposition to pay a
bounty on domestic sugar has been aban-
doned as lmpracticable. 1t IS most likely
that the committee will agree TO a cut of 40
or 80 per cent without bounty, but there is
no Immediate prospect OF getting the bill to
the house and the chances of tariff leglsla-
tion are growing less. In fact, many influ-
ential republicans are caAdid enough to say
that they do not care whether bill is passed
or not. because If the pension legislation
that has been marked out for the session is
successful it will become necessary to I'M
pose taxes instead of removing them. On
the other hand, most of the leaders insist
that the republican party ls pledged to re-
duction of taxation and q revision of the
tariff and can not go before the country
without making a record on this subject.
THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION.
There Is going TO be some lively times in
congress over the immigration question. The
senate committee on Immigration, headed by
Mr.. Chandler, will make an investigation of
the operation of the immigration laws, and 1t
may be jolned by the house committee. of
which MIR. Owen of Indiana is chairman.
The democrats are contending that the OBJ.
iect of the investigation IS to make partisan
capital out of the late management of Castle
Garden by showing that IL has been con-
Quoted in the interest of the democratic
party through the New York board of lmmi-
grafton. The real object of the inquiry is to
secure information which will enable the two
committees in congress TO arrive at proper
conclusion as to the best methods of
separating the undesirable from the desir-
able immigrants. The proposition to insti-
tute consular investigations requiring immi~
grants before embarkinR for this country to
prove good character and proper intentions
in the presence of United States consuls Is
not acceptable and could notb be adopted be-
cause it is found upon research to be imprac-
ticable. The lack of familiarity of United
States consuls with foreign languages and
the sacrifices which would have to be under
gone by INDECENT persons in travelling to
posts of consuis and making the necessary
proofs are the bars against this proposition.
1t has been suggested that the duty of deter
mining who shall be admitted as Immigrants
shall be imposed upon the federal officers
elther at the ports of embarkation or
entry and this meets with favor. A number
of persons interested in the subject are to be
heard by the senate and house committees
beginning this week. The prospects are
that legislation will be considerably delayed
by the Investigations and hearings. The
subject of immigration is one of the most
vitality important of the many important
questions now before congress. There is a
feeling that something must be done to bar
out the anarchists, nihilists, communists,
organ grinders, paupers and other undesira-
BILE characters. AT the same time, 1t is not
desired to place any hindrance in the way of
those who wRnt to become good citizens and
who are doing and have done 50 much to i'm
prove cur country and society.
REFERRED TO SECRETARY NOBLE.
The Paddock bill to relieve the purchasers
of lands on the Otoe aud Missouria reserva-
tion by rebating to settlers the difference be-
tween the appraised valuation and the price
paid has been referred by the committee on
public lands to the secretary of the Interior
Yesterday the senator had an interview with
the secretary and urged a favorable report
on the ground that the sattlers are unable to
meet their payments Oh the sales made at
the absurdly nigh prices OF the auction. 1t
is believed that If the consent of the Indians
can be secured to the reduction the interior
department will not ob3eet, as under existing
circumstances long delays and expensive
litigation would result, while prompt
payment would be certainly made
with the change asked. There is
reason TO believe that the Indians for their
own interest will consent to the proposition.
INTERSTATE COMMITTEE.
Senator Paddock, in a long Interview with
the interstate commerce commission yester-
day relative to the condftious existing in
Nebraska and the west due TO high long haul
rates, presented very earnestly the cases Of
the farmers unable 10 market their crops
and urged full and complets investigation.
He asked Commissioners Morrison and Vea-
sey, who will make the investigation, to visit
Omaha, Lincoln and Hastings and not 10
coutine their inquiries TO any one city. II is
suggested that it will be well for the boards
of trade TO show the commissioners some
attention when they arrive.
ROBERT c. BLAINE.
Mr.. Robert G. Blaine whose dangerous
illness with pneumonia caused apprehensions
that he would die AZ about the time his
nephew, Walker Blaine died, is now conval-
escent For some time past Mr.. Blaine has
been the curator of the department OF agri-
culture, but Secretary Rusk has promoted