The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1894-08-17
WHAT WILL THEY Do {?
Speculation Now Turns Upon the Ac-
tion Likely to Be Taken by
the Senate
UPON HOUSE TARIFF BILLS.
Probable That a Quorum Will Vanish
Before They Can Be Finally
Acted Upon.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.-Beyond the
interest felt in the action Of the presi-
dent Oh the main tariff, congressional
speculation has now turned upon the
probable course of the senate with ref
erence to the supplemental bills.
Neither the Democratic steering com.
mittee of the senate, nor the finance
committee has met since the bills were
introduced in the house, consequently
there has been no official action looking
to decision upon the policy to be pur-
sued. Some Democratic senators pro-
fess to be desirous that the senate should
take them up and dispose Of them
promptly upon their presentation. This
course is advocated alike by Democratic
senators who think the bills would be
voted down, and by some who think
there is a possibility of the passage Of
some Of them with Republican assist
ance.
Think They Would Be Lost.
The advocates on the Democratic side
OF the chamber of a duty on coal, iron
ore and barbed wire are of the opinion
that the bills would be voted down, and
thus the agitation which they foresee
will not cease until the question is
passed upon would be brought to
speedy end. The sugar men, the friends
OF both the refners and planters, are
quite as desirous, for opposite reasons,
that the bill putting sugar on the free
list should not be considered during the
present session. They are undoubtedly
somewhat apprehensive as to the result
in case the senate should take up this
bill, for while the. the Republican sena-
tors probably could be counted upon to
vote solidly against the other three bills,
there are indications that if forced to
vote on the sugar bill they would
divide and there is apprehension
that a sufficient number might vote with
the Democrats who desire free sugar, to
pass the bill. The Republican steering
committee discussed these questions,
and while there was found to be divi-
sion OF sentiment, the majority favored
the postponement of the consideration
OF all these separate bills, and especially
the free sugar bill. If, however, they
should be forced to meet the issue, they
probably would divide on it, some of
them supporting the bill and others
seeking to substitute for it the present
law continuing the bounty. They pre-
fer as a party, however, that there
should be a test on the question of
sugar duty as provided in the senate bill
just agreed to by the house.
A Question of Legality.
1t has transpired that the Republi.
can steering committee had under con-
sideration the question of the legality
in passing the bill, with special refer
ence as to whether the house legiti-
mately had the tariff bill in it's posses
sion, and that the committee was given
to understand that if the Republicans
should decide to raise this question by
resolution or otherwise, they could have
support OF the Louisiana senators and
of Senators Allen and Kyle, Populists,
because Of the failure of the bill to make
provision for the bounty for the present
year.
1t is understood also that the steering
committee decided that the supple
mental bills should be referred to the
finance committee. The belief that if
this course is taken they cannot be re-
ported before the quorum at present
here vanishes. It is known that many
senators are expecting to leave as soon
as the Wilson bill is signed by the vice
president, and the remaining appropria-
tlon bills are finally disposed of.