The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-04

By the Associated Press

D4 ine heeOCldleu A-tNA
WAsHlSGToN. May 3.-By vote of 81
to /, aix of the A Democrats being aO'
sent, the Democratic senators in caucus
Today adopted q resolution to support
the tariff bill OF the finance committee,
including the compromise amendments,
that have been agreed upon by the many
conferences of the Democratic senators
during the past two weeks. The resolu'
ton was presented by Senator German
OF Maryland, the chairman Of the eau
Gus, after discussion OF some length, as
the session lasted from a few minutes
after O'Clock until nearly z O'Clock.
The sbsentees were Mess. Mills, Muir
ply, Irby, Butler, Gibson and Lindsay.
1t ia claimed they were all accounted
for, and assurances were given that they
would support the tariff bill. The only
persons in whose absence there might
have been 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 eau
Gus was sent to his house. 1t is be-
lieved he has some objections to the
concessions that have Deen made, but
he had previously anncaDoed he would
support any bill that provided for re-
ductions 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 Demo-
cratic senators assert he will support
the bill, and he ia counted in the 43
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 bsen counted as against the bill,
and it was said they would endorse the
action of the caucus.
La presenting the resolution and stat
ing the object of the caucus, Mr.. Cor
man made a eonciliatory speech. He
said it was necessary to make conces-
sions in order to &c cure the united sup
port of the party, and he further assert
ed that it would need Democratic
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 abso-
lutely necessary to pass Democratic
tariff bill.
Senator Jones of Arkansas, the mem
ber of the finance committee who has
taken the most active part in the prep
arations of the amendments known as
the compromise bill, made a speech in
which he explained at length the pro-
posed amendments and told why they
were necessary. He did not discuss or
read all of them, but selected the most
important and those affecting the great
est interests.
Senator Mcpherson spoke in support
of the resolution and dwelt at some
length on the CONCESSIONS which north
ern 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 on
one side.
Senators Palmer and Villas made long
and vigorous speeches urging party har-
mony and the necessity of early action.
Great interest centered in the speech
of Senator Smith OF New Jersey, and his
remarks were received with q great deal
OF satisfaction, for while he said he was
not satisfied with the bill and was un al
terably opposed to the income tax, he
WAS ready to support the measure 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 sem
ators made in supporting the bill with
the income tax provision.
Senator Hill was not placated. He
made only short speech, but it was
long enough to convince the caucus that
his vote would not be for the bill if the
income tax remained in it. He said his
position was well known; he had made
his statement before the country, snd
there was nothing to add to what he had
said whatever the so-called concessions
might be, they could not compensate for
rider on the bill which neither the
needs Of the country nor the party de-
manded. without saying so in direct
terms, there were none who listened to
him who believed lie would support the
bill.
The vote showed what those who had
called the caucus expected. The con-
ferences that have been going on among
the Democratic senators for two weeks
have given the leaders the information
as to how the different senators stood,
but they wanted official caucus action
upon what had been agreed on in the
conference room. The roll was called in
order to place all on record, and 81
senators voted in favor of the resolu-
tion, and one senator (HilD against it.
The vote was received with genuine
qualification, as many of the senator's
believed it signifed that the tariff bill
would pass.
The senators present were: Bate,
Berry, Blackburn, Bsnkhead, Brice,
Csffery, Gall, Camden, Coekrell. Coke,
Daniel, Faulkner, George, Gordon, Cor
man, Gray, Harris, Hill, Hunton, Jar
Wis, Jones, McLaurin. Mcpherson, Mar
tin, Mitchell (Wis.), Morgan, Palmer,
Psscoe, Pugh, Ransom. Roach, Smith,
Tufpie, Villas, Vest, Voorhees,. Walsh,
White.