The herald., 1894-08-13
SUNDAY AT THE CAPITAL.
No Rest for the Tariff
Leaders.
Preparations for the Final
Struggle.
Conferences at the White House and
Elsewhere.
Generals Going Over tho Ground and
Learning tho Topography OF
the Proposed Field Of
Battle.
By the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-Thie has not
been day OF rest for the tariff leaders.
They have been on the go from early
morning until late tonight. 1t has been
a dsy of conferences at the White
House. at the private residences OF tho
conierees and at the hotels.
Secretary Carlisle was with Cleveland
throughout the afternoon. The senate
and house conferees made no effort to
get together. and they remain as wide
apart as when their meeting broke up
on Friday night. The house conferees
were in consultation informally most of
the day, though at no time were they
all together at once.
Chairman Wilson spent the day with
Representative Breckinridge of Arkan.
sas, at the Normande hotel, aud was
there called upon by the other conisrees.
Mr.. Wilson did not see the president
today.
The discussion among the conierees
was as to the line of action at the eau
Gus tomorrow and in the subsequent
proceedings in the house and senate.
They reviewed the situation from every
possible standpoint and prepared them
selves for all emergencies. As one of
them said tonight. it was going over the
field Of battle and learning the topcgra-
ply of the ground ON the night before
the great fight.
At the outset the house conferees sat-
isfed themselves of the parliamentary
situation OF the bill. They had done
this with the greatest care. Speaker
Crisp had been asked to examine with
thov <1~v, - knn -. A. -
and he in turn consulted Secretary Car
Isle, who, "a ex.speaker of the house,
is regarded as one of the best authori-
ties on parliamentary law. From the
examination which has been made the
conferees were fully satisfied the house
of representatives bad the right to pass
the senate bill now or at any time.
This determination went much further
than has heretofore been understood. 1t
WAS that the house, having the actual
physical possession of the tariff bill,
could pass it with the senate amend
ments before the Hill resolution passed
tomorrow or after the Hill resolution
was defeated.
So confident were the house conierees
OF their right to pass the bill at any
time, that they regarded their rights az
entirely unaffected by anything the sem
ate could do with the Hill resolution, or
with any other resolution. They recog-
nized that there were some precedenta
against this position, but they regarded
their overwhelming force as authority
with them, and they therefore accepted
it as settled that the houee had supreme
authority over the bill without reference
to what the senate might do tomorrow
or thereafter.
This conclusion was Of the utmost i'm.
portance in bearing on the action OF the
caucus tomorrow. 1t assured them. in
the fret place, that there was no need Of
pfecipitate action toward accepting the
senate bill before Hills resolution could
be taken up in the senate at ii a. m,
and it had been feared at frat that the
house caucus, which begins at 10 a. M,
will be compelled to take hasty action in
accepting the senate bill, in order to
prevent the house from losing its oppor-
tunity to pass the senate bill by the
adoption of the Hill resolution. 1t was
agreed, however, that no such haste was
necessary. On the contrary, it was felt
that the house, in having possession OF
the bill, and q parliamentary right to
pass it at any time, had everything to
gain and nothing to lose by deliberate
action.
OnuoE tuoeo CitCumbtduc66s III WAS
deemed advisable to inform the house
fully as to the situation and to explain
that precipitation in accepting the
senate bill would gain nothing. while
deliberate action in waiting to see what
the senate would do. might accomplish
much good. 1t was pointed out in this
connection that the house need be in no
fear of the Hill resolution being rushed
through.
Mr.. Wilson and his associates have
some sterling friends in the senate,
notably Senators Villas, Gray, Lindsay
and others, who could, if required, insiet
on very complete debate of the Hill
resolution, which might last from day
to day. This the house conferees re-.
garded as assuring them a breathing
spell, and as making it plain the house
need not rush to its conclusion.
Entertaining these views, the house
conferees did not believe it was neces.
sary or prudent for the house caucus to-
morrow morning to then and there pass
a resolution to at once accept :he senate
bill. They realized that the situation is
so critical that the question OF accepting
the senate bill might come before the
caucus and develop such overwhelming
and res;stless force that it would be use
less to oppose it. They were prepared
for this emergency, and were ready to
accept it if it came. They would NOT.
however, counsel it themselves, and if
it came it would have to be the out
growth of this spontaneous sentiment in
the caucus. 1t was felt, however. that a
dispassionate statement OF tile case,
showing the house would lose none OF
it's rights to pass the senate bill by de-
ferring action for day or 80. wot Id
bring about conservative result in the
caucus.
Exactly what this action will be will
not be definitely outlined. although tns
house conierees thought IL would per-
hsps be best for the caucus to adjourn
and wait to see what the senate would
do. Then, il need be, another caucus
could be held and more intelligent ac-