The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-04
And All Present but the New Yorker
Vote to Support Compromise Bill
Arranged to Please ''Kickers."
MIR. HILL MAKES A SPEECH
And Vigorously Protests Against
the Income Tax Feature.
Remarks of Jones and 0thers-0utline
of the Changes-Murphy and Mills,
Two Possible Directors, Absent.

10 i, SIX OF the fOurty-fOur Democrats De-
ing absent, the Democratic Senators in
caucus to-day adopted resolution agree
ing to support the tariff bill of the finance
committee, including the compromise
amendments that have been agreed upon
by the many conferences of Democratic
Senators during the past two weeks. The
resolution was presented by Senator Cor
man, of Maryland, the chairman of the
caucus. and discussed at some length, as
the session lasted from a few minutes afte.
A o'clock until nearly o'clock.
The six absent Senators were Mills. Muir
ply, Lindsay, Irby. Butler and Gibson II
was claimed that they were all accounted
for, and assurances were given that they
would support the tariff bill. The only
persons in whose absence there might be
any significance are Senators Murphy and
Mills, the understanding being that all
others were In accord with any bill sup
ported by the majority of the Democratic
Senators. Senator Mills was not at the
Senate during the day. and the call for the
caucus sent to his house. 1t is be-
lieved that he has some objections to the
concessions that have been made. but he
has previously announced that he would
support any bill that provided for reduc-
tions in the present law Senator Muir
phys caucus notice was also sent to his
residence, as he was absent from the Cap
itol. His position has all along been one
of doubt, but several Democratic Senators
assert that he will support the bill, anG he
is counted in the forty-three which are
claimed as certain TO vote In favor of the
bill. The other absentees are either out of
the city or failed TO secure notice in time
None of them has been counted as against
the bill. and it was said that they would
indorse the action of the caucus
In presenting the resolution and stating
the object of the caucus Senator German
made a conciliatory speech. He said Ii
was necessary to make concessions in or
der to secure the united support of the
party, and he further asserted that 1t
would need a Democratic majority to pass
the bill. tie stated that concessions had
that the measure, with the proposed amend
ments. would now meet with the support
which which was absolutely necessary TO pass
EXPLAINED BY JONES.
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, the MEM
Der of the finance committee who has taxi
en- the most active part in the preparation
or the amendments known as the compro-
mise bill, made a speech IN which he ex-
planned at length the proposed amendments
and told why they were necessary. He
did not discuss, nor read all of them, but
selected the most important and those
affecting the greatest interests.
Senator Mcpherson, of New Jersey, spoke
in support OF the resolution, and dweit at
some length upon the concessions which
Northern and Eastern Democrats had been
Obliged to make and what they had to
give up In order TO meet the demands of
the South and West. He claimed that the
concessions that were talked of by the
other senators were not wholly one
side. Senator's Palmer and Villas made
long and vigorous speeches urging party
harmony and the necessity of early action.
Great interest centered in the speech of
Senator Smith, of New Jersey. and his re-
marks were received with a great deal of
satisfaction, for, while he said he was not
satisfied with the bill and was unaIterably
opposed to the income tax, he was ready
TO support the measure with the amend
ments which had been agreed upon al
though he claimed that what were called
concessions by the Southern and Western
men were but small compared with the con-
cessions which Eastern Senators made In
supporting the bill with the income tax
provisions
Senator Hill. of New York, was not pla-
Gated: he spoke only short time, but Ii
was long enough for him to convince the
caucus that his vote would not be for the
bill IL the income tax renamed i'm il He
said his position well known; he had
made his statement before the country
and there was nothing to add to what he
sons might be they could not compensate
for rider in the bill which neither the
needs of the country nor the party de-
manded. Without saying so in direct terms
there was none who listened to him who
believed he would support the bill.
The vote showed what those who had
come into the caucus had expected. The
conference which had been going on among
the Democratic Senators for two weeks
to how the different Senators stood, but
they wanted official caucus action upon
what had been agreed to in the conference
room. The roll was called in order to
place all on record and thirty-seven Sena-
tors voted In favor of the resolution and
one-Senator Hill-against it. The vote was
received with genuine qualification, as
many of the Senator's believed it signified
that the tariff bill would pass. The Sena-
tors present were: Bate, Berry, Blackburn,
Bankhead. Brice, Caffery, Call, Camden,
Cockrell Coke Daniel, Faulkner, George,
Gordon. German, Gray, Harris. Hill, Hun
ton. Jarvis. Jones of Arkansas; McLaurin.
Palmer Pasco, Pugh, Ransom, Roach.
Smith, Turpie, Vest, Villas, Voorhees,,
Walsh, White.
JONES'S AND. HILLS SPEECHES.
The two principal speeches made during
the caucus were those of Senator Jones. ex-
planning the reasons for and origin Of the
compromise and giving some of the de-
tails OF the amendments. and by Senator
Hill in opposition to the bill as it is pro-
posed TO amend 1t. Senator Jones said
| that he had seen the necessity for amending
| the BILL and after giving the matter due
| consideration he concluded that il was pos
| sible that the bill as first reported had
| not been sufficiently considerate of the in
terests of all sections. He had then en-
deavored in connection with others, TO
| remedy these defects as he saw them and.
| in doing SO. had tried to consult Senators
| representing all shades Of opinion. He gave
| the reasons why the majority OF the DEM
| ocratic Senators representing the South and
West wanted the income tax, and why the
minority from the North and East were
opposed TO il, and said that while out of
Difference 20 the majority il had been kept
| in the minority had been granted the
concession OF a limitation of the time the
| law should continue in force, and that
| while the period had not been fixed, IL
| would probably be placed at five years He
also said that many of the inquisitorial
| features OF the bill had been omitted, but
| that the amount exempted and the rate OF
taxation had not been changed. He also
said that the sugar schedule had been Sc
changed as to provide for an al valorem
duty OF 40 per cent and an additional duty
| OF one-eighth OF a cent on refined sugar
with a penalty OF one-tenth of & cent on
sugar imported from countries paying a
bounty sugar, the present law with the
| bounty to stand until the lst OF Jan
uary next. He said that the ad
| from the sugar provision in the pending