New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-08
ALL AT SIZES AND SEVENS.
DEMOCRATS AND TIE WILSON BILL.
THE NUMBER AIRAYED AGAINST 1T IN
CREAsING-PRODUCEIS OF PETROLEUM
AGHAsT AT ONE PROVISION.
TRIBCNR1


u,osbinqton. Dec. IF it takes eleven Demo-
Gratis four months to frame a revenue bill which
all Of them can support, how long will it take
ooo Democrats in the House Of Representatives
.. fix that bill so that all of them can vote for
%" was the question asked to-day by Re-
nuhlican Representative. That would be diff
cuIt question for even Chairman Wilson to
answer He is afraid to bring the bill when
completed before a Democratic caucus, because
he realizes that it would be modified i'll many
prominent features. if not shorn of some of
IFS most important provisions or mangled be-
vond recognition. Not a day passes without
adding to the number OF Democrats in the House
who declare that unless one or another pro-
vision is modified or eliminated they VIII iight
tho hill, These Democrats are taking steps to
have the measure subjected to the collective
criticism of Democratic caucus, and one of
them said this afternoon that their strength
now reached forty votes and daily ncreas-
ing.
PARLIAMENTARY LAWYERS.
All TODAY the corridor leading to the room
NJ tho Wavs and Means Committee was thrOnged
with widowed and misunderstanding men-many
of whom were paid lobbyists who prefer to
no called parliamentary lawyers"-who be-
seged the locked door of the room and impor-
tuned the haggard doorkeeper to carry cards
to one or another of the Democratic statesmen
who were struggling with the remaining but
most necessary provisions of the great revenue
reform bilr' of 1895. Occasionally one OF them
would come into the corridor in response to the
demand of a man more importunate more
influential than any of his companions. 10 De
bounced upon by half-dozen other anxious
suppliants soon as he escaped from the nrst
one If they are not working for contingent
fees. the parliamentary lawyers are reaping
a rich harvest for never were they more busily
employed. ,,., oo
wa. that the Democratic members had fixed up
a bill upon which they could agree Another
was that they had been persuaded or compelled
TO abandon some of the ad valorem rates nrst
agreed to and return to specific rates. Ahother
was that the Democrats are all at SKIES ana
sevens yet with no immediate prospect OF an
agreement" and so on
DEMOCRATIC PROTESTS.
.oro see Democrats trying to reform the tariff
Is like watching a man trying to reform 'he
works of his watch with an axe" Mr.. Reed is
reported to have said. Other comments more
or less severe are heard on every side, and some
Of the severest are made by lifelong Democrats
who are engaged pecuniarily interested IN
various branches of productive industry
Men who are engaged in the petroleum IN
dustry stood aghast' when they discovered that
crude petroleum, which is dutiabie under eSls, ,
ing law at 10 per cent ad valoren' anu Ie,'i'e9
petroleum, which is dutiabe at - per cent au
vaorem are both placed on the free list under
the head petroleum in the proposed Dill Ihey
assert that Russian petroleum couid De ialu
down at New-York. Philadelphia or any other
port on the Atlantic seaboard duty free at %
TO 40 cents a barrel, at existing prices in Rus
sis and present rates for ocean transportation;
The reason why this action of the majority OIL
the committee was not discovered sooner was
that the word petroleum was hidden In a
long paragraph in the new free list under the
head cf oils" In the existing law. the cor
responding paragraph does not include cotton
seed oil. croton oil or petroleum. all OF which
are In the proposed free list. but it does IN
cude all the other oils. such as almond amber
"a ienut cinnamon civet etc. which are in
cluded in the proposed free list.
1t is practically settled that the bill VIII be
reported to the House on Wednesday, ana gen
eral debate will begin the following Monday.