Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-14
Probably Not Many Changes in the
Wilson Measure.
IF 4 SUBSTITUTE WERE REPORTED
An Uncomfortable Fight Might Be
Precipitated.
COMMITTEE SESSION TO-DAY

N seaeeinent tndt tn0 committee on n
nance Of the Senate intends to restore the
outy on wool Is regarded by some Of the
best informed men in both houses Of Con-
sress as an utter absurdity. Mr. Mills. who
Is member Of the subcommittee prepar-
ing the bill. has made almost his life's work
the placing of wool on the free list and
the reduction of the wooden duty, and the
otter members Of the subcommittee, while
not as ardent as he. are in general accord
with him on this question. The hitch
which has occurred in the committee over
the question OF a sugar duty is liable to
ieao 70 the retention of sugar on the free
low.
Probably Not Much Change.
In the opinion of Senators who have
taken pains to inform themselves, several
OF them with the idea of having the Will
son bill radically amended. the outcome Of
the struggle is going to be that the COM
mittee will report the Wilson bill back to
the Senate almost as 1t is. leaving the dem
ocrats to support 1t or else take the re-
sponsibility for its defeat.
The duty on coal will undoubtedly be re-
stored. but with the uncertainty as to su-
gar. this is the only important change which
Is not In serious dispute. There appears to
be very good reason for the desire on the
part of democratic members of the commit
tee to report the Wilson bill as nearly as
possible in its present form, rather than to
report a substitute.
IL N Substitute Were Reported.
Were the committee of the disposition to
10 so and should report a substitute for the
Wilson bill In the form of an entirely new
measure it would be a signal for one of the
most remarkable and possibly disastrous
fights Congress has seen for many years.
1t has long been contended by members Of
the House that the constitutional provision
that revenue and appropriation bills shall
originate in the House is broad enough to
prohibit the construction of an entirely new
bill by the Senate as substitute for q
House revenue bill. There seems now to
be no probability of such a substitute be-
ing passed by the Senate, but should there
be the House would take the position that
the Senate, while IL might amend the House
bill to almost any extent which did not
destroy 1t. could not adopt new bill as a
substitute for the House bill. and such a bill
would not be given recognition by the
House as an act, and therefore could not
be the basis of conference.
The tarin subcommittee OF the Senate
committee on finance was in conference to-
day In the room of the finance committee
with the other democratic members, Sena-
tor Vance being the only absentee.
The conference was devoted to a report
upon the progress made by the subcomnlit-
tee on the tariff bill and to a general dis
cussion of the disputed points, such as su-
gar, coal. iron ore, lead ore, income tax and
the whisky tax. 1t is understood that
Messrs. Jones, Vest and Mills have agreed
upon the changes to be made in most OF
the minor features of the bill. but have left
these more important questions, involving
In many instances party expediency, for
later consideration on their part and by the
full democratic membership OF the commit
tee.
The Louisiana Senators do not abate their
demands in the least because of the atti-
tude of the House or of the subcommittee
and they and other advocates of a duty
on sugar do not conceal the opinion en-
tertained by them that if a sugar duty is
not provided the bill will be placed in grave
peril in the Senate. The subcommittee is
opposed to a sugar duty, but may yet listen
to the opportunities in the end The point
is not settled yet and it will probably be
about the last matter finally determined.
The coal, lead ore and iron ore men are
all quite confident today Of securing con-
cessions.
Senator McPherson Present.
Senator Mcpherson sat with the commit
tee today and it is understood evinced a
determination to take far more active
part in the proceedings in the future than
he has taken in the past He has been i'm
PEELED to this course by the opportunities
of his constituents, many of whom, being
manufacturers, find the bill Objectionable
10 tnem- w nile ne mas not as yet annOunc-
ed any decision to change his attitude Of
compliance with the wishes of the demo-
cratic majority after the questions involved
shall be decided. he is likely to take a very
firm stand before this time in opposition to
many of the schedules as fixed by the
House.
He will not only make the fight for them
In committee, but may make 1t on the
floor of the Senate and only vote with the
majority of his democratic colleagues when
the final vote shall be reached on the bill.
The democratic members of the commit
tee are still Of the opinion that the bill
will be in shape for presentation to the
full committee at its regular meeting next
Tuesday, but say there will be much
labor necessary to put it in shape by that
time.
The conference of the democratic men,
bers of the finance committee on the tariff
bill continued until 1 o'clock. While none
of the important questions in dispute were
decided beyond irrevocable change, some Of
them were passed upon tentatively.
The decision is, briefly, to extend the
bonded period on whisky and increase the
tax to $1.20 per gallon, to put a duty on
coal, and TO leave the iron schedule as 1t is
In the House bill. The question of a sugar
duty is still unsettled
Senator Voorhees, authorized the state
ment that the bill would be ready to be re-
ported by next Tuesday.
FRANK KIERNAN PARDONED.