New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-16

FREE SUGAR BILL WOULD PRODUCE DEF
ICIT or $4,000 ooO-IIOw THEREFORE.
Mr.. VEST ASKS. COULD THE SEN
ATE PASS THE WILSON BILL
OR ANY FREE SUGAR BIrL7
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRBUSrl
Washington. Avg 15-The miseries and en-
barrassments Of the Democratic leaders in Con-
gress were painfully intensified to-day by the
appearance Of a letter from Secretary Carlisle
to Senator Harris. warning the Finance Com
mittee Of the Senate that the passage Of the
"popgun' Tariff bills through that body would
inevitably cause a deficit OF sSO.OOo.OOO in this
years revenues. This prompt and unequvocal
reputation by the head OF the Treasury De-
partment, supposedly representing the President
Of the idiotic and ostrich-ke policy Of Speaker
Crisp Chairman Wilson and the other House
managers, put an end at once To the ridiculous
"popgun, campaign already started In the Sen
ate itself by Mcssrs Gray, Villas. Mills and
Berry The more responsible OF the Senate man
ayers saw at once the folly Of attempting to feed
their grudge against the Louisiana Senators ana
the few Northern Democrats who had forced
through the German schedule by removing duties
which the Administration thus publicly declared
to be absolutely necessary to meet the expenses
and obligations OF the Government Ihe hal-
formed scheme OF the more radical reiormerS
on the Finance Committee OF rushing through
the House Free Sugar bill was consequently
abandoned as impracticable. and the more or less
hopeless substitute scheme Of revenge was de-
vlsed Of enacting 20 or 40 per cent al vaiorem
fat schedule on all sugars without dinerential
Of any sort on the refined.
That tho original biz ever had any chance Of
massage is not credited for a moment by any
weI-informcd observer II politics at the capitaI.
But that after the receipt ~ MI CafIisie
roin,ed robule 10 the Democratic majority for
It's intended sensolcss and blundering rad upon
tho revenues = the Government any Democratic
Senator should have seriously advocated this
afternoon the passage Of free sugar bill only
shows the alarming exteIt to which political
folly and incompctency now dominate the coun-
cus ~ n. Democratic party in both branches
- Congress Mr.. German had, indeed. already
urudont,v decided that no "popgun' bill should
be allowed 10 pass to Mr. the completeness ot
hts recent victory over the House and the Presl-
scn, put the renonstranc" II the Secretary u
IA. Treasury against the reckless and lrresponsi-
bile programme OF vengeful and consolatory leg
lslation advocated by the so-called friends oil
the Administration were only needed 10 enpha-
s,ze tho soundness OF this decision and to vindi-
cate the conservative and substantial charac-
ter MS a revenue producing measure, OF the Dill
which the Maryland Senator had thrust upon
the House and the President.
REPROOF FOR IGNORANCE AND INCA
PACITY.
~ Mr. Carllsic's letter contained. then. re-
proof Tor the incapac.ty and ignorance II the
House leaders. and II the Administration Demo-
crats I'm the Senate, It's warnings carried also
n serious reflection upon the President, who had,
for the sake of revenge on Mr.. German. sane
toned the destructive 'popgun' campaign "i
Messrs crisp and Wilson. not only against taxed
coal and taxed iron orc. but against taxed sugar.
Mr. German was not slow To grasp the weapon
thus carcessly offered him by the PRESIDENTS
subordinatc and from to-day on his fight u
suppress the "popgun" bill will be prosecuted.
not on the plea that his own personal and pollu-
cal credit are involved In their reputation, but
on the more congenial ami plausible ground that
he and the other leaders in the Senate nave been
nuhlIcly Appealed to by Secretary Carlisle to
save the Treasury from the consequences ot MI
Cr,sn's Mr. Wilson'S and Mr. Clevelands folly.
The Carlisle letter laid before the Senate to-
day by Mr.. Harris has had somewhat curious
/ 4
body Yesterday it looked If Mr.. German and
the "Conservatives" would bc obliged to relvupon
strategy I'm caucus rather than upon their
strength in the Senate to postpone and defeat
this reckless measure. number Of Western
Republlcans having decided to vote FOR the House
bill IL seemed as If direct issue would result
I'm the repeal OF the recently enacted Gorihah
schedule Much parliamentary tact would con-
seauently have been required TO shelVe the
threatening free sugar measure. But to-day
letter from Mr. Carlisle drove from the Dill the
proat hulk of its Democratic advocates. and pre-
cIpltated the unsettled and still irritating contro-
versy over the details OF a proper revenue
schedule on sugar. As no Republican Senator
would vote for a duty of any sort on sugar ana
as few Democrats after reading Mr.. Carhsl"s
letter could agree any definite or promising
| scheme OF sugar duties Mr.. Germans task be-
| came simply Of settng one conflicting opih-
| ion against another. and. after a few days OF
wrangling. OF quietly shelving the whole subject
| Of controversy
AFRAID TO VOTE
| So far at sea- indeed. was the Democratic side
| to-day that a vote Of any sort on the sugar
question was sedulously avoided. and the Senate
| adjourned with motion still pending to refer
| the free sugar and other "popgun bills 10
| the Committee on Finance. This notion made
hy Mr. Harris was antagonlzed by the ultra
"cuckoos." now strangely left In the attitude ot
battling against the views Of the President ana
| the Administration Mr. Harris VIII proDaoy
muster following enough, however, 10 succee"
| with his motion. and II the bin comes out ot the
| Finance Committee again 1t will undoubtedly be
amended so as to carry fiat duty on all sugars
OF 30 or 40 per cent ad valorem. It's career there-
| after will depend the parliamentary comDiha-
! lions which may be effected either to transform
It's character TO defeat 1t by some other means
| OF indirection.
| Since the publication Of Mr. Carisles ie''ei
| many Republican Senators have become quite
| Indifferent to the fate of the Sugar DILL Inc
| osno,s,hilt,v ~ killing II I'm defence of the