The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-26


accede to the request of the house for
another conference on the tariff bill, and
its conferees will return to the meeting
with those of the house untramelled by
any specific instructions whatever. This
was the conclusion of the Democratic SEN
atorial caucus which adjourned sine die a
few minutes after 5 o'clock today after a
two days sitting. While the caucus did
not commit itself to any definite line OF
policy in so many words. the conferees
feel, with their Democratic colleagues.
that they understand what a majority Of
them desire and they believe this to be
that they shall stand substantially for the
senate bill This is not the individual
preference of many of the Democratic SEN
ators, but it represents the opinion of most
OF them as expressed in The caucus, as the
only practical course opon to the DINO
Gratis who think the present congress must
pass a tariff bill of some kind, whether it
be what they prefer or not. In other
words the result OF the caucus which has
just closed is the reascertaining OF what
was known when the three days caucus
closed last March-that it is impracticable
pass any tariff bill through tile senate
which does not meet the demands of the
so-calied conservative senators and the
Louisiana senators.
TIE ONLY COURSE OPEN.
It became evident soon after the caucus
convened today that the resolution of S-n-
ator Jarvis to send the bill back Go confer
ence without instructions was the only
course open to the caucus. The other
propositions presented were those of Sem
ator Villas and his friends, one of which
provided for instructions to the senate con-
1erees TO recede from the one-eigbth of
cent differenJial on refined sugar without
any other change in the sugar schedule,
aud the other, TO substitute for the present
tariff schedule duty of 45 per cent ad
Valorem without any differential, and
that of the conservatives to instruct the
committee to stand by the senate amend
meuts.
Senator Hill and two or three others OPP
posed the latter course and .he cOnserva-
htive senators declared absolutely they
would not accept the Villas proposition to
recede from the differeuJial, even though
the Rd val0rem should be increased to 40
per cent or any other sum within reason.
Senator Smith declared such a change
meant the shutting down of the refineries
In his state, the throwing of thousands of |
men out of employment and general dis |
furbance of industrial conditions, such as
he could not contemplate with composure |
and would not accept
No FORMAL INSTRUCTIONS.
The Louisiana senators indicated will |
{ngness, as they had done yesterday, to ac. |
cept the substitution of 40 per cent duty |
straight. The proposition did not, how !
ever, meet general favor as the wisest /
course 10 pursue, in view of The hostilities1
of the New Jersey senator ana those who |
acted with him, and in view of the fact |
that several senator's who stated that they !
agreed with Mr.. Villas in his opposition to |
the sugar trust as a matter of principle, |
advised in favor Of the cessation OF all |
efforts TO give formal Instructions
There have been few secret conferences |
from which so MANY conflicting reports |
emanated. and IL was apparent that each /
senator took away an understanding to |
suit himself as 20 what implied INSTRUCT
ions the conferees were under One thing |
which every one felt assured of was that /
81 votes could be counted on to send the |
bill back to conference.
The speeches today were generally |
shorter than those OF yesterday and were |
a. n rule, devoted to advising strenuous |
effort TO secure party harmony on the
basis of a bill which would receive the
support of fortythree members of the |
senate.
Senator Villas spoke in general terms of
the constitutional right of the house to
originate legislation, aud without deny
Ing the concurrent right of the house he
suggested that the house privileges in this
respect could not be ignored. He eau
toned the caucus to avoid ali appearance
of favorIng monopolies, in view of the
present feeling oG. that subject. Senators
Smith, BlanchaS nd Gallery also made
speeches at length.
THE PARLIAMENTARY STATUS
Senator German devoted himself to &
verbal statement of tue parliamentary |
status of the bill Great earnestness was |
exhibited in the speeches of the New Jer- |
EoV i a ,rs- I
Df those who participated in the caucus !
Fame cut with their faces wreathed in /
smiles and most OF them indicated by their
actions that they believed they had inaug-
prated "A line of policy which would insure
the passage of a tariff bill, Some of them
who would say nothing as to the proceed
ings, announced themselves as confident
Of The ultimate success of the bill.
The vote on the resolution to send the
bill To conference again was not uUaui-
nous. Senator Villas aud a few OF hers or
posed il, snd explicitly stipuating that
their participation in the caucus should
not he considered as binding them to sun
port the report of the conference committee
when again presented.
During the proceedings the attitude of
the Popull~t senator's, Allen aud KYLE I
W no have generally voted with the Dem.
ncrats on the tariff bill, was alluded 70
aud one of the senators present stated that
he had been authorized by Senator Allen
10 say thar he thought the bounty on
sugar should be continued for the
present.
Senators Hill. Murphy and Irby were
again absent from the caucus today. 1t is
understood an attempt will be made in
the senate tomorrow TO Carry into effect
the instructions OF the caucus TO have
the bill sent back to conference, There |
may be some delay caused bv more
speech making, but the senate members
OF the conference committee are of the
opinion that the conference will he re-
opened by Friday morning.
Much interest was given to the discus-
sion on coal Toy a proposition that the sen
ate rate of 40 cents ton should stand.
with provision for admitting coal free
from such countries as make a reciprocity
agreement TO admit coal from the United !
States free. This brought out cousidera-
BILE comment favorable 10 the proposi tiou. |
and it WAS pointed out that this womb
give the Canadian coal free access TO this
and in the end compel Canada to
Re NIT hers
The action Of the senate caucus was re-
ceived with much satisfaction nv MEM
bers of the house. and throuC hout the ey-
ening they gathered Al the public centers
and discussed the prospects II = speedy
settlement. Although the genersl under
standing Of members was that the seua-
tors had not vet decided on iron ore.
and discussed reciprocity clause
on coal. Yet the tendency was 20
strong for termination of tie struggle
that there was no criticism of what the |
senators were expected 10 do Mr.
Springer said that the caucus action |
would he readily accepted by the house.
as the point bad been reached when TIA,
house wanted a bill without any further
wrangle over details. THIS tendency ia
the house TO END The controversy was very
ked TO-DAY and was participated in by
mem bers who have heretofore been ua-