Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-06
A WHITE ELEPHANT.
Tariff Bill Causes Its Managers
Great UneasineSS.
Louisiana Sugar Men Must Be Suited
or Will Vote Against It.
Measure May Die in the Senate, Killed b,
Lack Of Votes.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5.-The present
week win probably seal the fate of the tar
If bill. The Democratic members of the
conference committee met in an informal
way, today, and again went over the bill,
sgreeing here and there to tentative changes
in the hope that they could hasten the con-
clusion. The senatorial contingent of the
conference was unable to assure their col
leagues of the House that the new sugar
schedule would be acceptable to the Senate
and secure the As votes necessary.
The discussion in the conference, today,
indicated that all parties recognized the
necessity of making an early report of
some kind. The Senate conferees decline
to indicate what the nature of the report
will be, but one states positively that there
would be conclusion reached not later
than Wednesday, possibly by Monday. He
said there could be no compromise on coal
and iron and if the House conferees insisted
upon the House bill as regards these items,
there would soon be disagreeing report.
The House men still demand some conces-
sion on these items.
The parliamentary status of the bill is
giving its managers some uneasiness. The
DILL is now in possession of the Senate
The House can take no action on the meas
ure until after the Senate has acted, and
possibly the result in the Senate causes un-
easiness. Whatever may be the conclusion
reached by the conferees, the report must
first go the Senate. How long it will take
The bill and conference papers to get back
to the House after the matter is again
opened in the Senate, no one can foretell
Disagreeing or agreeing the report is bound
to renew the whole field of debate.
The wool, metal and cotton schedules are
said to be as difficult of solution as the
other three schedules around which so much
political importance clings. Senators Smith
and Murphy resisted from the first any Sc
rious encroachment upont he woolen and
cotton schedules, while, it is said, the re-
tention of the iron and metal schedule in
tact, was the price of silence of certain Re-
pubicans who, should these be ordered re-
duced, will at once resume dilatory tactics
and insist upon talking the conference re-
port to death.
The situation in the committee confer
ence may be briefly summed up. The
House insists upon some material conces
sion on coal and iron ore; the Senate re-
fuses absolutely to give more than reci-
procity on coal. Mr.. Mormay will not lis
ten to any proposition looking to gradu-
sted duty on raw material, or that the duty
be left as it is with the proviso that it shall
expire in three years and iron ore and coal
be then transferred to the free list.
The House conferees will agree to the
sugar schedule recently made public,
the one-ffth basis and the sugar
senator's, so-called, have accepted it.
The Louisiana senators and Allen and
Kyle will not support it, and these
four votes, with those of Mr.. Hill and prob
ably MIR. Irby, would defeat the bill. With
the sugar as now, the Senate was able to
pass the bill only by a narrow margin and
that, too, as now claimed, and in the belief
on the part of the louisiana senators that
bounty would be given them in the confer
ence. This bounty having been refused it
is problemstical if the Democrats could
get the bill through again if not an item
we're changed.
The managers on the part of the Senate
recognize the dilemma in which they find
themselves and naturally dread the contest
that must come. In addition TO this, it was
understood, yesterday, that at least - Re
publicans had bound themselves by tacit
agreement that when the conference report
again came 10 the Senate, they would use
very means in their power to prevent the
bill ever getting off the Vice Presidents
table. This means more tilibustering.