Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-13
WAIT is THE GAME
Both Houses Are Playing as to
the Tariff Bill.
HOUSE LEADERS DECIDE ON A PLAN


Caucus Tetay-Nothing Certain, How
ever. Is known to What will he the
Result. Ms Each House seems Incli0ed
to Wait 1or the Other "A Complex Stu
alton to Find q solution For.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug l2.-The hope
Il general about the senate that the pres
ent will be the last week of the session.
This is based upon the belief that the
tariff bill will be disposed of in some way
early in the week, and with the tariff out
OF the way final adjournment can be
brought about Mt almost any time. The
tariff is the unknown quantity. Almost
everything depends upon the action of the
house on that bill. Ii the house should
decide to accept the senate amendments
the senate could be prepared to suspend
proceedings OF almost any day after to-
morrow. II the house should decide upon
the opposite course there is no saying
what might happen in the senate. The
tariff is engrossing the attention of both
houses and what will be done with that
matter depends largely upon the outcome
Oh the Democratic caucus now in session.
Postponed Action in the Senate.
1t was confidently expected by the know
Ing ones that the senate would take action
which would bring things to a sharp crisis,
but this was averted by the vote in that
body by which Hills resolution TO call on
the senate confcrrecs to report progress
was again sidetracked fer an executive
session which. in spite of the fact that
Cockrell-who moved it-said was to con-
slider "verg important" business did not
last ten minutes. People inclined to criti-
else say that the executive session WAS
sprung with the object not of attending
20 very Important business but of avoid
:Eg the same. So the Hill business was
gotten out of the way and breathing
spell was secured during which the house
viii decide-perhaps-w it will do.
The Call for the Caucus.
Ihere was one thing about the
call for the caucus which is 60
ing on this morning which differs
from the call for the one held last
week-it bears the names of Crisp and
Wilson; in fact it was those two gentle
mea VINO came to the conclusion that a
caucus was necessary-they and the
house conferrees. As soon as the neces-
sary number of signers had been obtained
Crisp went over To the senate and told
was one of the main causes for postponing
the Hill resolution, as the caucus would
give an opportunity ior the house to de-
termine upon its policy before the Hill
resolution was taken up again. The pur-
pose OF the caucus. according to such su-
tGority us Crisp and Wilson, is for the
house conferrees to inform the Democrats
Jus. how matters stand, from their point
| of view.
An Issue That Will he Sprung.
1t is accepted as certain, however, that
! the direct issue of 1.-THE senate bill or no
! bill' will be precipitated at the caucus.
Several members stated their intention
| to present resolutions on this line in the
event that the tariff leaders did not do it.
Fithian of Illinois said that while he
would defer to the conferrees before initi-
ating such a move he would introduce a
resolution if no one else did directing the
| ccnferrees to get the best bill possible and
report it. While this would not directly
order the acceptance of the senate bill it
would be that bill IL it were the best DOS
sible one which could be reported at once.
Conference with Secretary Carlisle.
Wilson and Montgomery of the house
conferees and Strauss of New York had q
conferences with Secretary Carlisle at the
Arlington hotel at which the situation
was discussed and careful consideration
given to the proposition to have the house
take the senate bill in it's entirety and
subsequently correct any defects by pass
ing separate bills. Thurber came over to
the conference with n MESSAGE from the
president. When Strauss left the confer
ence he said that no course had been de-
cided upon