The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-06
SENATOR'S AND The TARIFF
The Finance Committee Talks the
Matter Over.

No Financial Legislation to be Put
Forth to Block the Way Until Long
After the Tariff Bill is Disposed of.
The Questions of Granting Hearings
After the Bill Passes the House Dis-
cussed.
Washington, Dec "a meeting of the
Senate finance committee was held this
morning. There will probably be no
financial legislation at this session, at
least until long after the tariff has been
disposed of. No positive action was taken,
but the general drift Of the talk of the
senator's who joined forces in securing the
repeal Of the Sherman silver purchase act
showed plainly that there was to be no
resurrection of silver legislation, and no
pushing of financial measures of any sort
or character The tariff was the princi-
pal topic Of discussion at the meeting
Should there be hearings on The tariff
when the bill came before the Senate, OF.
should these hearings be commenced
now, were questions propOunded, and
which, when the committee adjourned
had not been answered. Senator Voor-
hees will have charge of the tariff bill in
the senate I'll
HEARINGS on THE TARIFF
The democratic members of the COM
mittce think that the people interested in
the tariff should be given the opportunity
OF being heard, but the impression gath
cred By the republicans was that the
committee would Insist that these hear
ings should take place before the bill
passed the House. This position was
cOmbatted by the republicans, who as
serted that those interested in the tariff
schedules dld not desire to address them
selves To an abstract subject but to the
direct question of rates. These rates, the
republican members of the committee in
sisted, were more than likely to be some-
thing quite different in the bill as it comes
to the Senate, from the rates that are in
the bill recently made public.
THE REPUBLICANS ADVOCATE HEARINGS.
The republican senators asked that
public notice be given that hearings
would be held after the bill came before
the Senate, but the committee adjourned
without coming TO a conclusion on this
matter.
Senator Voorhees,, chairman Of the full
committee, appointed the following sub
committee on the tariff: Senators Jones,
of Arkansas, chairman; Mcpherson and
Vest, democrats; and Aldrich and Allison
republicans. All of the democrats ara
now members, the democratic represent
auOn on the old subcommittee having
charge Of this matter being Senators
Harris and Carlisle. Senator Harris was
omitted from the present subcommittee
at his own request.
THE COMPARATIVE STATEMENT.
At the full meeting Of the ways and
means committee this morning the re-
mainder Of the comparative statement,
showing the changes in the tariff rates
made by the new bill, was presented to
each member. The session was devoted to a
general discussion of some Of the minor mis-
takes which Crept into the printed COPY
as result of the hasty preparation of the
measure IL was decided that no fur
ther sessions Of the full committee shall
be held until next Monday, NJ which time
the tariff schedule will be taken up sor
consideration and amendment.
THE INCOME TAX.
The statement is officially made to-day
that no conclusion has yet been reached
by the majority members Of the COM
mlttee regarding an income tax. No
such conclusion, it is said, can be had uu-
til the amount OF the deficit for
the next fiscal year is known
and the data from tho treasury depart
ment and census Office bearing upon the
subject is received
Moreover, the committee is apparently
giving little heed to the internal revenue
schedules. "Ihe schedules" u" as mem
Der expressed il today, ARE still in the
air"
THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEATURES.
The Inconsistencies and incongruities
In the administrative features that have
been productive Of endless litigation, are
now being considered and upon these AS
sistant Secretary Hamlin, of the Treas
ury Department, is giving the committee
the benefit of his suggestions.
Chairman Wilson believes that not
more than three days will be devoted TO a
discussion Of the tariff schedules by the
full committee If this expectation be-
realized that portion of the bill may be
reported to the House about ten days
hence. 1t will be accompanied by the re-
port Of the majority members, which
Chairman tWilson is now writing.
PROLONGED SESSION.
DShortly before 3 o'clock Chairman Will
son and nearly all of the democratic men,
bers Of the committee met and continued
the conference with Assistant Secretary
Hamlin until o'clock, when a recess was
taken until this evening at the treasury
department. Chairman Wilson was COM
PEELED TO absent himself from the meeting
several times in order to accord private
hearings TO those who wished
TO explain their ideas in re-
gard to the duties fixed in the
published bill. which they are particu-
larly interested in. Much Of the bill was
gone over, the object Of the meeting being
to correct the phraseology and verify the
figures from an administration stand
point. The republican members of the
committee were not invited TO the meet
ing, and ex-Speaker Reed, who had occa-
sion to visit his committee room while the
session was in progress, was denied ad-