The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-11
The CRISIS OF ITS FATE.
4 Single Move Now May Win or
Lose q Tariff.

the Key to the Situation at Present.
Conferee Meetings Temporarily sus-
spended-Anxiety and Suspense of
the Tariff Leaders.
Washington, Aug 10.-A crisis in tariff
affairs was reached today, both in the
open Senate and in the secret councils
OF the democratic tariff conferees. When
the conference closed tonight it was
with the understanding that the meet
ings would be suspended for the present.
No time was set for reassembling the
confereeS tomorrow or thereafter,
and it was felt that no further
sessions might be necessary in
case the Senate acted favorable
tomorrow on Senator Hills resolution
directing the Senate conferees to report
the situation of affairs. What was Of
most Importance was the feeling eX-
pressed by the House conferees at the
close of the conference, that in case the
Hill resolution passed, and they believed
it would, the conference would practi-
cally be relieved of its work, and it would
remain only for the House to accept the
Senate bill as a lesser evil, as they be-
heve, than the Mckinley law.
These conclusions were reached after
day of intense excitement among the
tariff leaders.
The day opened with the Senate propo-
sition for free sugar still pending before
the conference. Chairman Wilson and
his House associates were satisfied that
the tender of free sugar was not made in
good faith, and they had therefore re
quested the Senate conferces to furnish a
t1ll ofr 2 he 70 ch If
proposition were accepted, it would be
adopted by the Senate and the bill
passed.
WHAT THE POLL DISCLOSED.
The poll was considered as soon as the
COnferees convened. 1t disclosed that in
the event of the acceptance Of the free
sugar amendment, the bill as whole
would be voted against by thirty-eight
republicans, and by Senators Kyle, Allen
and PETER, populists, and Gallery and
Blanchard, democrats. A total of forty
three votes, or sufficient to defeat the
bill. This poll was made on the best
Judgment of the Senate conferees. The
House men accepted it as showing con
clusively that the tender of the free
sugar amendment while made in good
faith by the Senate COnferees, was a
means adopted by the conservative sen
ators for the purpose of defeating the
tariff legislation and leaving the McKin-
ley law in force"
IN BLACK AND WHITE.
They discussed the situation from this
standpoint, the arguments not lacking in
very pointed and personal criticism of the
motives of those who had offered free
sugar and free coal as well, knowing, as
they asserted, that they would defeat the
bill. The discussion brought out for the
first time the statement that the defen-
Slye alliance between certain senators had
proceeded further than mutual Co-opera-
tion and understanding, and was
now reduced to signed agree
ment. While members of the conference
did not claim to have seen the agreement
they stated as a fact that Senator's Kyle,
Allen, PETER, Blanchard and CaHery had
reduced their understanding TO black and
white and had signed it, to the effect
that they would vote against any bill
which did not contain a bounty clause
for sugar As free sugar would eliminate
the bounty provision the signed agree
ment was regarded as showing that the
five senators, combined with the republi-
cans, would defeat the bill.
HILLS COUP D'ETAT.
1t was while animated comments were
being made on the foregoing conditions
that word reached the conference of Sen
atOr Hills coup d etat in the open Sen
ate. The conference hastily adjourned,
part in the debate. MIR. Wilson was
not disposed to attach much weight to
senator HIPS move at the outset, and
said that it would be futile, as the Sen
ate could not act while the bill
was in conference, This feeling was
shared to large extent, early in the day
Oy House leaders, who characterized 1t as
one of the bluffs which had been made
OF late to demOralize the House conferees
ana force them to yield. Later in the
day, however, this feeling gave way to
one of profound concern over the situa-
uon and the future of the bill.
GRAVE SITUATION.
At o'clock the conference, or a rem
hant OF 1t, again assembled, with the Hill
resolution and the exciting debate thereon,
as tne main topic among them. All of
the house men were present but Senator
Jones was the only Senate cOnfcree in at
tendance for any length OF time, and il
was said Senator Vest felt iudisposed to
confer pending the Hill resolution. Little
or no attempt was made TO take up items
or schedules, the talk being on the sen
alollal general phases lust developed,
ana no progress was made up to 5O'clOck,
"uon the conference separated without
TAlng time for reassembling. The
mouse conferees no longer disguised the
ueep concern they felt over the future of
'ue olll They had made a rough esti-
mate Of the vote on the Hill resolution,
4hd they felt it would pass tomorrow
Iu9er these circumstances they
taid nothing could be done until
tHe resolution was disposed Of If
through some hopeful turn it was de-
t,e'led, they said, it would leave the CON
g'ence TO proceed, and the contest would
ys carried on for the Wilson bill. If,
r9"eIer, 1t was passed it would partic-
o-F discontinue the conference. In that
f''uJ the House men stated with salts
''y yi'u that they would still be
1'e TO the avert the complete
Gg''eat OF all tariff legislation, by having
s's House agree to the Senate bill. They
sHoNe OF this as showing that while tue
"DytaJQn was bad it did not necessarily
uu,."n the defeat of all tariff legislation
%uelner the House can adopt this
,',AIer resort is parliamentary ques-
F" Many members of both Houses
fo.D 10 the opinion that the bill is in the
rS, r1--s OF the Senate and the House can
"'J upon the Senate bill if it desires
r '3 until the conferees act.
n. senate confevees also regard the
rs,'t.. t..'n as very serious, and they sepa-
grl rom their House colleagues in no
'3'e frame Of mind.