The Indianapolis journal., 1893-10-13
THE TARIFF TIyKERs.
David A. Wells Busily at Work With
the Aid OF N Dark Lantern.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Oct. 12.-The announce
ment by Mr.. Catchings. of Mississippi. who
is the most active member OF the House
committee on rules. that IL was the inten-
ton OF the ways and means committee 10
report the tariff bill about Nov. 20, and TO
pass it in the House before the holiday re-
cess is indicative of the true spirit which
has suggested and is guiding the fate of the
measure. The real basis upon which the
committee has been working was prepared
by David A. Wells, a free-trads
expert" before the hearings which
were given by the committee to certain in
terested persons Before the country had
any chance to indicate its present condition.
through its producers and workers. the
COMMITTEES had received its figures from
which to prepare new tariff law. AS soon
as the hearings were concluded, the COM
mittee, without any data, or even memo
randa from the ne TSss ipaev OF
hied itself away TO little nook in the
basement of the Capitol building. and
there behind closed doors. it has been
A. wells and Secretary Carlisle
and placing them in the form of
knowing Democratic member Of the
ways and means committee some pro-
found and delicate question relating TO his
domestic life ana private family as to In
quire about the most general feature of the
new tariff bill. Chairman Wilson and the
three or four other Democratic members
who really know what the figures are upon
which a bill is being constructed VIII not
even approximate the time when the COM
mittee expects TO report the bill TO the
House. When your correspondent. the other
day, asked one of the three or four DEM
ocratic members Of the committee who are
in the secrets of the likely contents or the
new bill whether it was true that wool
would be placed upon the free list he looked
wise and mysterious, as he replied:
X.tr nf &
contain. That is a secret about which no
member of the majority may speak
But" said your correspondent, your
last party platform pledged free wool as
"oh, yes, yes, yes; that is so. The bill
Us Il true that you will cut the duty on
common woolens in half?"
Another frown, and t 2 mysterious S,s 10 us ana
Now, you are asking me another Sc
cretr'
was the persistent observation.
Then followed long pause and mors
mysterious expression and facial pain
Still more pause, and then the reply, slow
YES, yes, yes, I believe you are right.
Yes, Mr.. Wells has reported cut Of about
so per cent in the duty upon woolens"
"Wfl you put tin-plate on the free listT'
NOW see here, my. friend. you are
trenching upon your welcome acquaintance
with me- / cannot answer you"
Again the mysterious air OF the ways
and means Democrat was broken into by a
reminder OF party pledges, but the informa-
ton was not forthcoming. The member
would not give an answer.
second Democratic member Of the COM
mittee who is possessed OF the profound
secrets relating to the preparation of
the tariff bill-and there are only half OF the
Democratic members Of ways and means
who really know anything about the Sc
crets which form the foundation OF the new
tariff measure-was sought, and this ques-
ssWill You tell me If II is true that coal,
iron ore and logs will go upon the free
list?'
young man, you must not ask me about
any feature of the tariff bill. for we are all
pledged 70 secrecy.
''Rut Mr. Carlisle and Mr.. Wells have both
| said that these articles Will go upon the free
| list and that they have so reported 10 the
| ways and means majority
/ Are you sureF
sPerfectly sure Besides. these are raw
materials. which were pledged by your par
! " i'm the last campaign.
There was n long pause, during which
| the Democratic wiseacre looked steadily
| upon the tile flooring OF the Capitol corri-
| dor Then he replied slowly:
II will answer this one question, and no
| more. Yes.