Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-07-20
RAW MATERIALS.
House Expected to Main
tain lis Position.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
II Is Generally Regarded as Making
the Situation More Complicated.

TO whether the tarin situation had been
sjmplified or further complicated by the
president's letter was the subject OF much
proceedings Of tn, LAY.
The letter, together with Mr.. Wilson's
speech, constituted a declaration of pol
icy which was very satisfactory to the
revenue reform element In the house IL
was construed to mean that the house
would never yield Its principle OF free
raw materials. and In this IL had the
strong support and influence Of the presi-
dept
sugar conflict there was wide divergence
of opinion The Louisiana members pro-
fessed to be well pleased with the presL
dents letter, and said that IL clearly reco.-
nized and approved the policy OF raising
revenus from sugar On the other hand,
those mem bers who have most persistently
urged free sugar expressed apprehension
over the letter. They said II seemed to
make q deadlock certain.
Representative Sperry Of Connecticut,
one Of the Democrats who voted against
the Wilson bill after making hard oam-
psign for protection for the tobacco In
terests of his state, Is inclined TO think
that congress is involved In a deadlock.
He said that he did not see how either the
senate or the house could yield. particu-
larly as the senate conferrees did not
have the necessary votes 70 pass any other
than the senate bill. "The presidents
letter." he said, ''cuts both ways"
From the Republics standpoint the
general view was expressed by Repre-
sentative Hopkins Of Illinois. Republi-
can member Of the ways and means COM
mitteei
president Cleveland's letter IL without
precedent Ia the history of the country" /"
said he, "the Queen Of Englsnd-even the
Georges In their most arbitrary day
would not have dared to express such
views TO legislative branch Of govern
ment II absolutely precludes the possi-
bility Of the passage OF tariff bill The
senate cannot yield after such letter
without humiliation aud disgrace and
the house cannot yield without disre.
Rsrding the Views Of the president, and
IL in any event the house should yield Co
the senate bill. the plain meaning Of the
letter Ia that the president would veto the
bill The president has therefore made =
tariff settlement impossible"
On the Senate Side.
The news of the reading OF President
Cleveland's letter was not long In travel
ing from the house Co the senate. Mr..
Wilson had kept his ssoNt of the pos
| session of the letter we'll guarded, and it
proved a decided sensation. Informs-
ton az TO the contents OF the document
was eagerly sought alike on both sides Of
the chamber,
tak INT IN ha In
cloak room and read In turn by groups
Of senators Of four OF fve, one Of them
generally reading IL aloud to the others,
and In other instances two of them look
ing over the shoulders and reading with
the senator holding the copy.
After senators became familiar with its
contents they again gathered in groups
to discuss the document So intense and
general was the interest that for two or
three hours very little attention was paid
to routine proceedings on the hoor Of the
| senate. While no senator hesitated TO
express his views. privately, the Demo
cratic senators were loath to submit to
| interviews for publication.
They said that the circumstances were
unusual. and that their action as a body
being opposite TO the position taken BY
the president. they could not give pub
licity to their opinion.
During the afternoon there were sew
eral conferences among the Democratic
leaders, and &c first there was disposi.
ton to refuse further conference on the
| tariff bill. This was advised by quite a
mum Der who felt very much aggrieved
at the course taken In the house
Upon the suggestion Of q senator,
known as conservative, 1t was agreed that
! a peaceful policy would be the best. 40
cordingly several well-known Democrats
went about and advised moderation in
the coming speeches They suggested
that having got thus far. 10 was now best
| TO devote every effort to secure the sdop
| tion of the bill aud to avoid any friction.
Senator Mills said; Il endorse the sen
timents expressed ia the pi esident's letter,
especially what he says concerning lead
and iron ores II I had my way. all ores
would be on the free list II the bill can
be defeated let those who advance the ex-
treme ideas expressed In the senate bill
bear the responsibility.
Senator Hawley (Rep., Conn saidi 1T
| Is the greatest mistake ever made by Il
president OF the United States and ought
to be resented" "
Senator Hill said: II prefer to say
nothing at this time os TO the propriety
OF wisdom of the letter. IL comes rather
late and may complicate the whole situa-
tion and defeat all tariff legislation what
ever II the president, instead OF writing
/ q letter, had exercised bis influence TO as
sist me Ia getting votes for free raw ma
aserials. when was making the fight In
the senate. the present unfortunate com.
plioations might have been avoided. ]
trust there will be more votes now for
fses raw materials when bring forward
the proposition again In the senate. which
expect 70 do. The skies are threaten.
ing"
Loss OF MALI q MilfIon