The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-04
SENATORS IN CAUCUS.
The Democratic Majority Take
Action on the Tariff Bill.
MR.. HILL STILL BELLIGERENT.

he Alone Votes Against the RESOLUTION to
Press the Amended Measure to speedy
Passage-New Jerseys Junior senator
Fails Into Line.
WASHINGTON, May 4-By a vote of 81 to
!, six of the forty-fou Democrats being
absent, the Democratic senators In caucus
yesterday adopted resolution agreeing
TO support tile tariff bill of the finance
committee, including tho compromise
amendments that have been agreed upon
by the many conferences of Democratic
senators during the past two weeks, The
resolution was presented by Senator Cor
man, of Maryland, the chairman of the
caucus, and discussed at some length, as
the session lasted from q few minutes
after 4 O'Clock until nearly o'clock.
The six absent senators were Mills, Muir
ply, Lindsay, Irby, Butler and Gibson, 1t
was claimed that they were all accounted
for, and assurances were given that they
would support the tariff bill. The only
persons in whose absence there might be
any Significance are Senators Murphy and
Mills, the understanding being that all
others were in accord with any bill sup
ported by the majority of the Democratic
senators. Senator Mills was not at the
ucBhtc uuEihB tuc uhJ, anu Y ne Cetii ioi tio
caucus was sent to his house.
Senator Murphy's caucus notice was
also sent to his residence as he was absent
from the Capitol His positionsall along
has been one of doubt, but several Demo-
cratic senators assert that he will supn"-..,
the bill, and he is counted in INC forty.
three which are clalm.,. as certain 10 vote
Il s.s favor.
. In rrfesentinR the resolution and stating
the object Of the caucus Senator German
made a conciliatory speech He said it
was necessary to make concessions ip Or
der to secure the united support Of the
party, anu he further asserted that it
would need Democratic majority to pass
the bill, He stated that concessions had
been made on all Sides and it was believed
that the measure, with the proposed
support which was absolutely necessary
70 nRss Democratic tariff bill.
Senator Mcpherson, of New Jersey,
spoke In support oi the resolution, ai;;;a. 1
dwelt at some length upon the concessions
which northern and eastern Democrats
had been obliged to make and what they
had to give up to meet the demands of the
south and west. He claimed that the CON
sessions 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 re-
marks were received with a great deal of
satisfaction, for while he said he was not
satisfied with the bill, and was unalter-
ably opposed to the income tax. he was
ready to support the measure with the
amendments which had been agreed upon,
although he claimed that what were
called concessions by the southern and
western men were but small compared
with the concession which eastern sen
ators made In supporting the bill with
the income tax provisions
Senator Jones said that he had seen the
necessity for amending the bill, and after
giving the matter due consideration had
concluded that 1t was possible that the
bill as first reported had not been suffi'
riently considerate of the interests OF all
sections. He had then endeavored in con
nection with others to remedy the defects
as he saw them, and in doing so had tried
10 consult senators representing all shades
Of opinion.
He gave the reasons why the majority
the south and west wanted the income
tax and why the minority from the north
and east were opposed to 1t, and said that
while out of Difference to tho majority il
had been kept in the minority had beer
granted the concession of a limitation OF
the time the law should continue in force
and TINT while the period had not beer
fixed, 1t would probably be placed at five
years. He said also that many of the in
quisitorial features had been omitted, but
that the amount exempted and the rate
of the taxation had not been changed. Ht
also said that the sugar schedule had beer
changed SO as to provide for an ad vaioren
duty of 40 por cent, and an additiona
duty of one-eighth of a cent on refined
sugar, with a penalty OF one-tenth of {
cent on sugar imported from countries
paying bounty on sugar, the present Law
with the bounty to stand until tho first G
January next.
He said that the ad valorem tax wa,
not materially different from the sugal
provisions in the pending bill. He alst
stated that large number of othel
amendments had been made, but did mo-
mention them in detail nor make any ex
PLANTATION of them except to say that il
no case were the rates of duty fixed Al
Senator Hill In his speech took occasion
TO compliment Senator Jones for the pa
triotic and intelligent interest he had dis
played In adjusting all differences, but de
Shared that SO irreconcilable was his oppo
sition to the income tax that he SHOULD
feel at liberty to offer any amendment h
saw proper to any paragraph In the bill
30 long Rs the income tux was part of 1t
Notwithstanding the resolution. He de
voted himself largely to the income tax
and said that while he was pleased to hea
OF some of the changes that had beei
made, he regretted that the income pro
vision was still retained. He denouncet
tho compromise on this account.
He repeated what he had said In hi
public speech that no Democratic nationa
convention had declared for an incom
tax. He also called attention to the fac
that the demands OF the Democratic part
for free raw material had been ignore,
and said that wool was required to stant
alone out of all the list as representing tn
fruits of this demand. He charged fatl
that the income tax had been retained TO
ihe purpose of placnting the south AM
west, and said that because, II for no othe
reason, New York would have to pay 8
per cent. of the tax If imposed he shout
antagonlze the tax to the END he dc
clared that he was not Modified by tn
Limitation of time, If the tax was righ
upon principle 1t should go In permar
emily; II not right, 1t should be expunge
entirely. 1t looked, he said, as II tn
change had been made for the sole pui
pose Of getting votes, 1t could not be dc
fended upon that ground, and he warne'
the party against preparing bill whie
would require too much defense.
Senator Hill was the only senator VIII
voted against the resolution.
Grand Master Ramsay Acquitted
CEpAR RAPIDS, Ia. May 4-Grand Mas
ter Ramsay, of the Tslegraphers' brother
hood, on trial for tampering with th
wires Of the Cedar Rapids, Burlington an
Northern road, during the recent strik
IN that road, was acquitted by the jury