Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-31
The TARIFF BILL
No Great Headway Expected to Be
Made Next Week.
VOORHEES, And ALLISON WIILLEAD OFF
No Telling How Long This Debate
VIII Last.
NOT SURE OF PASSAGE

The present outlook does not indicate that
fery great headway will be made with the
arm bill in the Senate next week There
Ire number OF other questions, including
Iwo appropriation bills which are pend
ns' ana which the Senators interested In
'nem VIII doubtless try to have considered
before the tariff is taken up, to the extent
OF ehsrossing all the time Of the Senate.
Senator Voorhees, will undoubtedly make
mis- opening speech in support Of the bill
and Will be followed by Senator Allison in
behalf Of the republican side Of the cham
Der during the week. and It Is probable
that few other speeches will BE- made on
both sides. but 1t is the general opinion of
Senators that the week will not exhaust
great portion OF the speech-naking which
the bill will surely develop.
Probable Length of the Debate.
Democrats and republicans naturally diff
Ter widely in their estimates Of the time
mat VIII be required for the disposal Of the
bill The more sanguine of the democratic
members of the finance committee place the
time at month. and one of them said to-
day that, in his opinion. the fate of the bill
would be known within three or four weeks
Of the beginning of consideration. Repub-
hcan Senators generally laugh at this esti-
mate, and some of them go SO far to say
november. 1t Is understood that this talk
on both sides Is largely for effect, but back
or II there is desire and purpose on the
part or the democrats to have the bill dis
posed or at the earliest practicable moment,
while the republicans mean to hold 1t off as
long as there is any possibility OF encom-
passing its defeat. The democrats also bas
their calculations upon their present inten-
don Of making comparatively few speeches
and OF thus not anording the republicans
any more ammunition than the bill itself
gives Their opponents, on the other hand,
are counting on doing a great deal of talk
lng and of drawing the friends Of The bill
INTO controversy despite themselves and
thus forcing them to aid in the consumption
OF time.
Not sure of Passing 1t.
The democrats are not so positively sure
Of passing the bill as is generally supposed,
and they realize that there are two or
three shoals that are likely to give them
considerable trouble. The most serious Of
these are the sugar schedule and the in
cOme tax.
There will. unquestionably, be a de-
termined effort on the part of the eastern
element Of the democratic side of the Sem
ate to defeat the income tax. and the
champions OF the bill realize that if the
republican Senate should stand solidly
against the tax 1t would be defeated. They
count upon losing about ten democratic
votes upon the amendment sure to be
offered for the elimination of this part of
the bill. but they think they will get about
an equal number of votes in favor of its
retention from among western republican
Ser atOrs. They also say that whatever
course the populists may pursue when it
comes to acting upon the bill as whole
they will stand soIidly with the committee
Tor the income tax. Consequently they feel
comparatively secure with reference to this
part Of the bill. still, there Is an element
OF uncertainty about II of sufficient
potentialIty to render the prospects at least
Interesting to the Onlooker and to the
Senators themselves Senators Hill and
Mcpherson Of the democra tic side of the
chamber have already given notice OF their
Intention to antagOnize the income tax
and are both preparing speeches again st
Ii, which will be heard at an early stage
OF the debate.