The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-18
AGREE To DISAGREE.
Democratic Tariff Conferees
Notify the Republicans.
SUGAR is ONE STUMBLING BLOCH
Coal Ii Ansther-The House Son-Con-
ours In senate River snd Har-
Dor Amend menfs-

wAsHIsaroS CRY, July 1.-THE first
formal conference on the tariff Dill, with
all the senate and house members, both
Democratic and Republican, present, was
held today and continued only about an
hour. An adjournment was then taken
until 2 O'Clock tomorrow. The proceed
ings of the full conference consisted OF an
effort on the part OF the Democrats TO en-
tighten their Republican colleagues upon
the elements Of disagreement between the
members of the two houses without re-
vealing the methods BY which they have
sought to get together or the details OF the
proceedings Of the Democratic conferences.
1t had been expected that the Republic
can conferees would indulge in some criti-
eism at the optsst for having been kept out
of the conference in It's initial stage. but
the Republicans had little TO say beyond
formal greetings, and waited until Senator
voorhees,, as head of the Democratic con-
ferees. ade formal and full statement of
the situation. He said no discourtesy to
the Republicans had been intended. The
meetings had not been conference meet
ings, but had been confined to an
effort 10 bring about some settled
policy among the Democratic con-
he was frank to confess the efforts toward
an agreement had not proved successful.
The features OF the disagreement were gone
into to considerable length by Mr.. Voor-
hees and his associates. He said the coal,
sugar, wool and cotton schedules had been
the bone of contention. but he did not
give particulars in any case except that or
sugar, with reference to which it was
stated that the house members had indi-
Gated willingness to grant some duty on
that article. but had objected TO
the differential duty on refined sugar.
On the other articles which had
been the basis of disagreement. Mr..
Voorhees, and the Democratic members of
the conference contented themselves with
saying that the Democratic conference of
the two houses had contended each side
for its own bill. This had been especially
true in the metal and wooden schedules.
the senate amendments to which had been
strongly objected TO by the Democratic
house conferees. They said that among
other special articles in the metal sched-
ule, the house members had held out for
iron ore and for the house rates on lead
ore containing silver. cutlery and steel
rails. Thsy had also demanded-so il was
reported 10 the full conference-free coal.
In the general discussion the Republican
conferees gathered that sugar, iron ore,
coal, the wooden schedule. cotton schedule
and Observation-Disclosures ores were the chief
questions of disagreement.
The question finally arose as to what
would be done, now that full conference
had assembled 1t was suggested by SEN
ator Aldrich that the bill should DE taken
up, item by item, and considered by Re-
publicans and Democrats, but the point
was raised that this appeared to be hardly
worth while, in view of what the Demo-
Gratis had Just disclosed; that there was
no prospect of agreement on the main
question. There was no further propo-
sition submitted and no programme out
lined, so the conference adjourned until
o'clock tomorrow, the Democratic con-
ferees agreeing to meet prior TO that hour
TO further consider the course to be pur-
sued.
As result of the days meeting the Re-
publican conferees concluded that a gem
eral disagreement would be reported to
both houses within a few days. There
was no distinct statement or proposition
to this effect. bat il appeared to be the
only conclusion 20 be drawn from what
had occurred.