The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-05-04

Washington, May By a vote of
81 to 1, six of the A Democrats being
! absent, the Democratic senators in
caucus today, adopted a resolution to
support the tariff bill of the finance
committee, including the compromise
amendments that have been agreed
upon by the many conferences of Demo-
cratic senators during the past two
weeks.
The resolution was presented by
! Senator German, of Maryland, the
chairman of the caucus, and discussed
at some length, as the session lasted
from few minutes after o'clock I'M
| til nearly o'clock.
The absentees were Messrs. Mills,
Lindsay. 1t was claimed they were all
accounted for, and assurances were
given that they would support the tariff
bill. The only persons in whose alb
sence there might be any significance
are Senators Murphy and Mills, the
understanding being all others were in
accord with any bill supported by the
majority of the Democratic senators.
Senator Mills was not at the Senate
during the day and the call for the
caucus was sent to his house, It is
believed he has some objections to the
concessions that have been made, but
he had previously announced he would
support any bill that provided for reduc-
tons in the present law.
Senator Murphy's caucus notice was
also sent to his residence, as he was
absent from the capitol. His position
has all along been one of doubt, but
several Democratic senators assert he
will support the bill, and 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 notices in
time. None of them have been counted
as against the bill, and it was said they
would endorse the action of the caucus.
In presenting the resolution and stat
ling the object of the caucus, Senator
German made conciliatory speech.
He said 1T was necessary to make con-
cessions in order to secure the united
support Of the party, and he further
asserted that it would need a Demo-
cratic majority to pass the bill. He
stated that propositions had been made
on all sides, and it was believed the
measure with the proposed amendments
would now meet the support which was
absolutely necessary to pass a Demo-
cratic tariff bill
Senator Jones, of Arkansas, the MEM
Der of the finance committee, who has
taken the most active part in the prep
laration Of the amendments known as
the compromise bill, made q. speech in
which he explained at great length the
proposed amendments and told why
they were necessary. He did not dis
cuss or read all of them, but selected
the most important and those affecting
the greatest interests.
Senator Mcpherson spoke in support
of the resolution, and dwelt at some
length on the concessions which nor
thern and eastern Democrats had been
tobliged 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 on
one side.
Senators Palmer and Villas made long
and vigorous speeches, urging party
harmony and the necessity of early ac-
ltion.
Great interest centered in the speech
of Senator Smith, of New Jersey, and
his remarks were received with a great
deal of satisfaction, for while he said
he was not satisfied with the bill, and
was unalterably opposed to the income
tax he was ready to support the meas
ure with the amendments which had
been agreed upon, though he claimed
that what were called concessions by
the southern and western men were but
small compared with the concessions
which eastern senators made in sup
porting the bill with the income tax
provision.
Senator Hill was not placated. He
spoke only a short time, but 1t was
long enough for him to convince the
caucus that his vote would not be for
the bill, if the income tax remained in
lit He said his position was well
known: he had made his statement be-
fore the country and there was moth
ing to add to what he had said. What
ever the so-called concessions might be,
they could not compensate for rider
IN the bill which neither the needs of
the country nor the party demanded.
Without saying so in direct terms, there
was none who listened to him, who be-
reved he would support the bill.
The vote showed what those who had
called the caucus expected. The con-
Iferences that have been going on among
the Democratic senators for two weeks
have given the leaders the information
las to how the different senators stood,
but they wanted official caucus action
upon what had been agreed in in the
conference room.
The roll was called, in order to place
all on record, and thirty-seven senators
voted in favor OF the resolution ana
one senator OdilD against it. The vote
was received with genuine qualification,
las many of the senators believed it
signified that the tariff bill would pass.
The senators present were: Bate,
Berry, Blackburn, Bankhead, Brice, CAT
frey, Call, Camden, Cockren, Coke,
Daniel, Faulkner, George, Gordon, Cor
man, Gray, Harris, Hill, Hunton, Jar
Wis, Jones, McLaurin, Mcpherson, Mar
tin. Mitchell, CWis.), Morgan, Palmer,
Pascoe, Pugh, Ransom. Roach, Smith,
Turpie, Vest, Villas, Voorhees,, Walsh,
White, (Cal)
The two principal speeches made dur
ing the caucus were those of Senator
Jones, explaining the reasons for and
the origin of the compromise, and Civ
ing some of the details of the amend
ments, and by Senator HILL in opposi-
ton to the bill, as it was proposed to
amend it. Senator Jones said that the
sugar schedule had been changed so as
to provide for an ad valorem duty of
20 per cent, and an additional duty of
one-eighth Of cent on refined sugar,
with penalty of one-tenth of a cent
on sugar imported from countries pay
ing bounty on sugar under the pres
ent law, with the bounty to stand until
the first Of January next. He said that