Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-21
WORSE THAN EVER.
The Middle In the Matter Of the T9in
Reform Bill.
SENATE MEASURE OR NOTHING.
rb,, Seems 10 he the Opinion of Those
Best Posted-The Approaching
District Conventions

w
cial)-The Senate was the centre OF at
traction to-day. The House. In fact, was
deserted by most OF its members. They
came over 10 the other end or the Capi-
tol 10 hear the speeches on the tariH
question, and particularly the remarks
Of Senator Hill. That gentleman draws
more than any one at present In the
upper branch Of Congress. Whenever IL
IS announced that he will speak stand
ing room Is at premium long before the
Senate is called 10 order. The galleries
were literally packed to suffocation to-day.
The New Yorker spoke with more vigor
than usual. Indeed, he was dramatic at
times. A clean-cut man, in the prime oil
life. the possessor OF excellent health
and a person OF the finest moral charac-
ter and purest habits of life. as well as
an indefatigable student of public az
fairs. Senator Hin Is one OF the best
equipped men in the United States Sem
ate. II makes no difference how few are
with him, Mr.. Hill goes for what he be-
lieves TO be right, regardless OF news
paper criticism, and though he has been
numerically abused, he to-day showed
by his speech that President Cleveland
has come around to his position. 1t was
a great day for Senator Hill. even though
in his advocacy of free coal and iron-ore
he will bring down the wrath of many
Virginians upon his head. He has never
had any idea that his amendment would
carry, but he wanted to put on record
q ho no charged him
with opposing the bill through narrow
and selfish motives.
The Virginia and North Carolina mem
bers OF the House were nearly all in the
chamber listening to the powerful speech
OF Senator Hill.
MUDDLE WORSE THAN EVER.
1t was one Of the llvelest days of the
session, and there is now worse muddle
than was anticipated.
Senator Vest, Of Missouri. one Of the
members of the Finance Committee, as
well as one of the conferrees on the
part of the Senate. in measure ar
ralgned the President for Inconsistency on
the free raw-material question. Mr.. Vest
read from the Presidents famous tariff
message TO Congress in December, 1887.
to show he did not then have such views
regarding coal, iron-Ore, and other raw
material. Just then both Senators Cock
rell and Pugh jointly handed Mr.. Vest
a pamphlet, and from that the latter read
an extract from Mr.. Cleveand's letter of
acceptance Of 1892. to prove that then
the President wanted only "freer trade
in raw material" This kind of argument
was powerful help to Virginia and
West Virginia coal and iron-ore.
The charge being freely made that the
Pot In
leading Democratic senators who framed
a compromise bill they were certain could
be passed, the belief Is stronger to-day
than ever that ii must be the Senate bill
or nothing. The speech Of Senator Smith,
of New Jersey, clearly indicates that If
the Senate bill Is pulled to pieces, he will
vote against II, and so will other Demo
Gratis, for whom he said he was authorized
to speak.
CARLISLE'S POSITION.
It has been repeatedly stated In the
Dispatch correspondence that the Secre-
tary of the Treasury favored practically
the Senate tariff bill. and. az the letter
of Mr.. Cleveland, together with the re-
marks yesterday i'm the House by Chair
man Wilson, might throw doubt on
the accuracy OF the claim, or else indi-
cate that Mr.. Carlisle and Mr. Cleveland
at this juncture TO make few more
statements in connection with the very
lively row that has been precipitated.
The Wilson bill as originally reported.
and that bill was substantially framed
by the Treasury department officials,
provided for a duty on one fourth OF
cent on refined sugar. That is exactly
double the amount in the Senate bill.
Now. Mr.. Wilson, who seems TO be after
the trust with "A sharp stick, evidently
forgets that 1t was the House that voted
down his provision. and put sugar on the
free list. When that was done Secretary
Carlisle went before the Senate Finance
Committee, and renewed his demand that
the duty on refined sugar should be at
least a quarter of a cent a pound, making
"A strong point that such a duty was
needed for revenue-producing purposes.
\ compromise was made which reduced
the duty to one eighth of "A cent a pound,
and the President says I'm his letter TO Mr..
Wilson, that while the trust Is an aw-
ful thing and sugar Is delicate ques-
ton" it is better to let that rate OF
duty stand. rather than have "A big row.
The Senate bill. which Senator Daniel
so forcibly declared many weeks ago had
public sentiment behind il. could have been
passed easily but for the rearing and
charging of the House Democrats. who
seem To think that the promise made two
years ago by Senator Mills, of Texas,
that New England manufacturers should
have free raw material must prevail,
even If there is no tariff legislation. II
these men are to have their way, tie
coal and iron-ore OF Virginia must be
given free to the manufacturers up In
that section, and at the same time the
duties on the goods manufactured by these
people are TO remain outrageously high.
in order to crafty a lot of Mugwump
college professors in the North who have
about as little practical sense as doc"
Everett, the accidental member from Mas
sachusetts.
The best information obtainable at this
writing is that the Senate will not CON
sent To place coal and iron-ore on the
free list, and in that event Virginia in
dustries will.not be laid PROSTATE at the
feet of the northern manufacturers.
WHAT DANIEL SAYS.
Senator Daniel said this afternoon the
Senate was bound to stand by its own
bill. To recede at this stage of the contro-
versy was simply out of the ques-
tion. He said also that he favored strong
ly the revenue duty OF 40 cents a ton, and
so far as he was able to judge only few
votes would be cast in favor OF putting
these articles on the free list.
Another southern senator expressed
the opinion that unless the House yielded
the whole tariff question would go over
until the winter session.
THE STATE CAMPAIGN.
The Dispatch correspondent has within
the past several weeks talked with a
number of visiting Virginians in regard to
what action ought to be taken in the
State on the political issues which now en-
gage the attention of the country from a
national standpoint. There will be no
State convention in Virginia this year.
and. therefore, the various congressional
conventions viii have to adopt the resolu-
tions. 1t is customary in off-years like
this one for these conventions to speak
out, and the general sentiment Is they
should be heard from when they meet
during the next two months. Opinions
differ as to how far the conventions
should go on some questions, but the sill
yer issue Is the one that appears to In
terest more people just now than any
other question. Representative Jones Is
positive there will be an emphatic declara-
ton on this subject when the First Dis
trict convention meets. II would only be
natural that his friends and supporters
should come out boldly for the white
metal, as he has been staunch and
uncompromsing advocate of silver, even
refusing last year TO vote for the uncon-
ditional repeal OF the purchasing clause
of the Sherman law. He would not
consent to that action until something
n, gon1 mr. hatfer WAS DrOmfsed In its