St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-25

SDicuOuS anu AS SrltICtSCu ny |
His Colleagues-Senato Anx-
ious to CLOSE Up the Split
The Sugar Tariff.
WASHINGTON, July 24.-The Demo-
Gratis of the senate today decided to re-
tire behind closed doors for the purpose
of settling their differences OIL the tariff
and trying to reach an anicable under
standing. A programme was arranged
for a caucus, and accordingly at 3
o'clock the senate adjourned, and the
Democratic members walked into the
marble room and closed the doors. Sen
ators Hill, Murphy and 1rby were the
only Democrats present at the capitol
who did not respond to the caucus call.
Senator Hill was not notified Of the in
tention to hold caucus until the last
minute, and then declined to enter it
because of his attitude on the bill. SEN
ator Irby left the capitol with
out giving any explanation of his
absence. Senator Murphy went away
pleading an engagement. The caucus
continued for three hours. and. wltho ut
reaching any conclusion or taking
vote on any proposition, adjourned
until tomorrow at o'clock when an
other meeting will be held. The dis
cuSSion Of some points was very warm
and especially just before adjournment,
when Senator Villas was speaking.
Several senators interrupted him with
questions and criticised the course
he was pursuing in the senate. This
called forth equally tart replies from
the Wisconsin senator. and there was
prosprect of the debate becoming more
personal when, upon the suggestion of
Mr.. German, the adjournment took
place.
The caucus merely served to empha-
size the two facts that the
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS
are all anxious to pass a tariff bill, and
that there are still wide differences as
to the kind of bill they can pass. 1t
was recognized from the beginning that
Senator Villas motion to strike out the
differential duty on sugar occupied
most important position in the present
controversy. and several senators init
mated that until there could be assur-
ances of it's withdrawal no conclusion
could be reached in caucus.
Senators Blanchard and Caffrey, of
Louisiana. were both conspicuous in
| the caucus proceedings. Instead of
| showing any disposition to, yield the
sugar dfferential, they asked that the
conference committee be asked to
retain that feature and the 40
per cent ad valorem, and TO add
the one.tenth of cent additional on
sugar imported from countries paying
| bounty on sugar, and also to continue
| for this year enough of the bounty paid
under the Mckinley law on sugar
| grown in this country to make the duty
| equal to two cents per pound. Senator
! Blanchard said that if the sugar Sched-
ule was made less protective than at
present then he would vote to postpone
the bill indefinitely. He was called to
task by another senator, who told him
| that it would be better that he should
make his explanation by his action in
the senate
THAN IN CAUCUS
! by threat, to which he replied thatlhe
would not fail to show his devotion to
| his state in every proper way in the
| senate. The Louisiana men also re-
| minded the caucus of the result of the
| last conference of the kind, and de-
manded that the agreement then made
be lived up to.
Senator Villas and those who stood
with him, including Senators Mills and
Palmer, expressed great concern over
| the passage of bill of some character
and united in saying that while they
considered the senate bill as preferable
to the Mckinley law, they thought the
| chances for the passage OF bill would
be greatly improved by the elimination
| of the differential, on account of the
temper of the house. They indicated a
Willingness to withdraw the Villas mo-
ton in case an agreement could be
reached OH proposition for a straight
ad valorem duty, and some of those
present formed the impression that
they would be willing to raise the rate
from 40 to 45 per cent. Senator Palmer
advanced this proposition.
During the caucus Senator Harris, in
reply to questions, explained his views
upon the parliamentary status of the
bill. He stated that he considered MIR.
Villas motion out of order, but indicated
that the motion might be changed so as
to render 1t in order. He also stated
that he did not believe that motion to
postpone would be in order, because the
bill was now In. the possession of the
two houses, and not OF
THE SENATE ALONE.
He admitted that there were grounds
for the opposite opinion on this subject,
\. a = a.
would show such motion TO be out of
order.
The only motion made during the
afternoon was one by Senator Jarvis to
send the bill back to conference with.
out instructions, and while nothing
like vote was taken, the indications
now are that this motion will prevail in
the eud. Almost every senator present
made brief addresses during the con-
tinuance of the caucus, and Senator
Villas aud the Louisiana senators were
on their feet several times. Senator
German was one Of the few who did
not speak.
Senator Smiths speech caused some-
thing of a sensation. He said that he
knew of four Democratic senators who
would vote against the bill If the propo-
sition of MIR. Villas should prevail.
During the course of the debate Sena-
tor Jones, replying to an assertion that
had been made that the senate was try
ing to cram its bill down the throats of
the house, SAID that without saying
what had taken place in conference
upon the amendments agreed upon, the
senate conferees had made more COLI
cessions than the house conferees. The
house had agreed to some amendments,
but the senate had agreed to recede
from more than these. Senator Jones
also made a.statement about the sugar
schedule. The Louisiana senators had
said that the change in the date when the
sugar schedule would go into effect from
the original Jones amendment to the
date when the bill would go into effect
was great injustice to them, while the
refining interests were not injured.
Senator Jones said he thought this was