Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-08
M ANY R u NJ @ R S
A Tariff Agreement May Be Reached
~ Tomorrow.
SUCH is SENATOR JONES' OPINION
Result of Several Conferences That
Have Been Held Today.
r Z NOR AS TO TERN S

ferees have reached an informal agreement
as to sugar. coal ard iron ore. and that a
general agreement on the tariff bill will be
reported as soon as the formal adjustment
Of the other schedules can be got through
With. The troublesome points of difference
are substantially settled. and it is believed
to be matter of hardly more than routine
labor to adjust the general schedules.
The details of today's session are not to
be had, but the report of an agreement was
circulated freely Immediately after the ad-
Journment Of the morning session. This re-
port was premature as to a general agree
ment but there has undoubtedly been sub
stantially an agreement On the principal
points. and the whole matter may be set
tied tomorrow, so that the republican con-
ferees can be called in to the afternoon ses-
sion.
The Sugar Schedule.
The sugar schedule will unquestionably
be the compromise proposition published in
The Star some days ago. giving 10 per cent
on raw sugars. 40 per cent on the value of
the. raw sugar contained in the refined and
differential of 10 on the refined.
On the coal and iron question there is be-
lieved to be g compromise which will give
neither the House nor the Senate all they
want. but will split the difference. what is
Yielded ohNthe one hand being compensated
for on the other.
An agreement may be formally reached
this afternoon aad 1t is almost certain not
to be delayed later than tomorrow.
1t is believed that in the settlement Of the
coal and iron ore dispute the other
of them will be made free.
German and Smith Consult.
Senators Jones and Vest OF the tariff
conference committee and Senators German
and Smith. acting on behalf of the conser-
vative Senators. held a meeting today pre-
vious to the converting of the conference
and 1t is understood decided that the time
had arrived when the conference should
come to an end. either by an agreement OF
a disagreement, and that they arranged a
program for bringing about this result
This program as detailed. was to have
the Senate conferees do their utmost to
secure an agreement at the morning con-
ference and in case Of failure to urge that
a disagreement be reported without further
delay. and failing to secure the consent Of
the House members to this plan for the
Senate conferees to go into the Senate and
Grafton of the tariff bill In conference.
When Senator Jones was asked as to the
truth OF this report he neither confirmed
nor contradicted 1t. but simply said 1t was
impossible to say what might happen.
What senator Jones Says.
ence said that If there was a program for
the Senate conferees on the tariff to ask
to be discharged In existence he was not
aware of the fact. He did not deny that
the Senate confesees might ask to be dis
charged. but added that he did not think
that such request would be made today.
He also stated that the proceedings at the
morning conference had not left the situa-
ton materially changed from what it was
after adjournment yesterday.
The Air Full of RumOrs.
When the tariff conferees adjourned at 1
O'Clock the air was full of rumors Of all
kinds, among them being statements that
an agreement would be reached a. the
afternoon session. 1t was also asserted that
the agreement included u recession by the
Senate conferees on sugar. and an adjust
ment of the coal and iron schedules The
conferees were all non-committal and de
clined to say anything. a leading conserva-
tive Senator said that The house must tske
the respohs rbiifry Of riskins another vote
upon the bill in the Senate, Indicating that
If a vote is 6ak,n on the bill that 1t may
be defeated.
Consulting with Speaker Crisp.
Chairman Wilson and Represent alive
Montgomery Joined Speaker Crisp in his
private Office after the recess of the con-
ferees. = The, report was soon circulated
among members, and generally credited.
that an agreement would be reached today.
This could not be positively confirmed, how
ever, from any Of the conferees One of
them said that there was sure to be a bill,
but he would not say how soon. Chairman
Wilson, when asked as to the report, said
with diplomacy that he hoped 1t might be
true. Being asked directly If IL were true,
he replied: Not as this deponent know
eth" He was evidently in a hopeful mood,
however.
Another House conferee denied the report
that an agreement was certain today He
said, however. that the conferees felt that
the great point at issue (he would not say
what 1t was) might be settled at any mo-
ment. He expressed more hopefuness of
agreement than at any time before.
Out of the many conflicting reports at the
noon recess of the conferees it became evil
dent, and was so stated by those most
intimate with the conferees, that an agree
ment was very near at hand aid might be
reached tomorrow. Representative Strauss
of New York, who is closely associated with
Mr.. Wilson, gave it as his opinion that
there would be a complete agreement by
Saturday at the latest.
An Agreement Tomorrow.
Senator Jones of the Senate conferees on
the tariff bill said, at I'D today, that he
thought the tariff conferees wsuld be able
to report an agreement tomorrow.
The Republican, Position.
The republican steering committee of the
senate nous frequent sessions these days,
and this morning held a session of con-
siderable importance in view of The various
propositions that have been threatened In
the Senate by ihe dem )crats. One main
point was practically agreed upon. The
republicans think that /: is time tc de-
bate the differences that exist in the DEM
ocrdtic ranks. The proposition that has
been made TO make sugar free was also
discussed this morning and the bearing il
would have upon the success of the bill.
The opinion was expressed that by putting
sugar on the free list the votes of the
Louisiana Senators would be lost to the
bill, but that Senator PETER might vote for
it. The republicans cay that IL a PROPOSE
ton is made to put sugar the free list
it wili receive the support of nearly the en-
tire republican side.
Senator Smith of New Jersey, who was
in consultation with the Senate conferees
said that he expected the full committee
would be called together tomorrow and a
bill reported. He said he could give no
details except to say that the compromise
sugar schedule announced last week would
be a part of the agreement.
One of the republican conferees said he
expected the republicans would be called
in tomorrow and Senator Harris, a demo-
cratic conferee. said to another Senator
that an agreement was in sight.
All who. say anything about The bill de-
cline to discuss details. but indicate that
concessions have been made. one report
said that, as between coal and iron ore.