Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-14
CAUCUS
Proceedings That Led 10 Acceptance Of
Senate Bill.
SUNDAY NIGHT CONFERENCES.
Sneaker Crisp Believes That Half Loaf
Is Better Than No Bread "-Coclsran
Against Concurrence.

WASHINGTON, August 13-Ihe HOUSE
Democratic caucus to-day adopted a reso-
luton. by vote Of $50 TO q, discharging
the House conferrees from further con-
sideration of the tariff bill and agreeing
to the Senate bill The resolution also
provided that sugar, coal, iron-ore, and
barbed wire should be put on the free
list by means OF separate bills which II
was proposed to report from the ways
and Means Committee at once. The reso-
luton in It's full text was as follows:
Resolved. That II is the sense OF this
caucus that the order heretofore made
requesting a conference with the Senate
on the disagreeing votes OF the two
houses on H. r. 1854 be rescinded: that
the conferrees heretofore appointed on
the part of the House be discharged from
further duty in that behalf. and that the
House recede from its disagreement 10
the Senate amendments to said bill. ana
agree to same.
Resolved further, That the House shall
at once proceed To the consideration oil
separate bills. placing the following ar
ticies on the free list-viz.. sugar in all It's
and that the Committee on Rules be and
hereby is requested to report an order
providing for the prompt consideration OF
such motion and bills"
IL was not until to-day that the fact
became known that long conference was
held yesterday at Speaker Crisps resi-
dence. which was attended by the four
corferrees on the part Of the House.
as we'll as by the Speaker himself Al
this conference the situation was fully
reviewed. the legislative status OF the
Senate bill was fully discussed, and the
conclusion reached that a resolution agree
ing to the Senate bin should be offered at
to-days caucus The conference did not
break up until midnight. When 1t be-
came known 10 a select few, n prominent
Democrat whose influence with the con-
ferrees has been very strong. went 70
the Speakers room to urge that action
be deferred a day or two at least.
EARLY MORNING TALK
1t was then o'clock. The Speaker.
arose, and he and his caller discussed
this new proposition for more than an
hour. but the Speaker was firm. and re,
fused 70 recede from his position.
At half past o'clock this morning the
four House conferrees. MIR. Breckinridge,
Of Arkansas. and Mr.. CatchnGs. of Mis-
sissippi. Joined the Speaker In the latter's
rooms at the Capitol Here again the
programme to b. followed was discussed.
with some Of the number counsellng de-
lay. The report OF the caucus shows that
Mr. Wilson suggested that the matter of
agreeing 20 the Senate bill be laid over
temporarily, but the sentiment OF the
caucus In favor OF unraVelling the tariff
snarl by accepting the Senate measure
was so strong that the Chairman's re-
quest passed unheeded. and the resolution
was carried like whlrlwlnd
The propositions of the resolution were
divided. on the first proposition TO dis
charge the conferrees and accept the
Senate bill the vote was l3o to p. No
division was taken on the remaining
portion OF the resolution, which WAS
/ moved by Speaker Crisp
I CRISP FOR CONCURRENCE.
In doing So Mr. Crisp said he believed
that the House should continue to night
as long as there remained even a despe-
rate hope Of success lie believed that the
House bill, with the Senate amendments,
was better than no bill Ii better than
the Mckinley bill. which he believed it
was it was the duty Of tn House 10 ac-
cept il. ana get for the people what they
could. \ half loaf was better than no
bread. After conference with Secretary
Carlisle and other parliamentary authori-
ties he believed that the bill was in the
hands Of the House. and therefore believed
that action In the direction OF the resOlu-
tiou which he would offer could be car
rcd out
Mr.. Warner Of New York. asked II
m mbnrS should not do the duty for which
they were sent here and leave the Senate
to meet its own responsibilities, and leave
the people to q al with il and the MEM
/ bers of the House.
Mr.. Crisp did not reply 10 the question
but closed by saying that returning 10 the
people without any bill was not to be
thought Of
Mr. Cochran, Of New York, opposed the
resolution. He made the point that as
vet neither the Senate nor the conferrees
had taken any action % lead the House
to surrender. The proposition practically
was at the dictati0n of four unnamed
men, that the House abandon it, duty.
COCHRAN IN OPPOSITION.
When Mr. Cochran said this there were
loud calls and cries Of How about the
/ New York senator's etc.
lie repudated the action Of any senator
from any state who was responsible for
such a course as had been suggested An
attempt was practically being made not
To disagree. but to kick the House CON
ferrees out Of the conference. Should the
House agree to this? II four unnamed
men had the Democratic party by IN"
throat then. for IS sake said Alr.
Cochran, let US know 1t. The previous
question on the resolution was then called
for. while the Louisiana members were
calling for recognition.
The Committee on Rules met imme-
diately after the caucus adjourned. but
as MIR. Cultivate. OF Ohio. one Of the
Democratic members was not present. the
Republicans. by tie vote prevented
action. and the committee adjourned.
Mr. Cultivate went 10 Cresson Springs
Penn. Saturday. 10 visit his family. flls
return was delayed. but he reached the
Capitol at o'clock. In twenty minutes
after that the Committee on Rules had
again met and carried into effect the
caucus action. as related in the report OF
the House proceedings.