The record-union., 1894-08-17
Republicans Will Attempt to Re-
peal the New Tariff Bill.
THE NEW MEASURES REFERRED TIC
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Notable Statement Sent to the Senate
Special Committee Investigating
the Industrial Depression and the
Remedy by President a. c. Fiske
of the Pan-American Bimetallic
League.
snecial to the REconp-UN1ox.

special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16.-The Republi-
can Steering Committee to-day decided to
support the motion to refer the four sup
Elemental tariff bills to the Financial
Committee and seek to amend in various
ways, the principal amendment being for
the repeal of the tariff bill just passed.
They count upon the votes Of Hill, Catfrey,
Blanchard. Allen and Kyle. If the re-
peal amendment should fail they would
seek to substitute bounty provision Tor
the pending bill for free sugar and would
expect to secure the votes of these five
Senators, except Hill. They will also
offer numerous other amendments in
certain contingencies. including one for a
duty on wool. They admit the sugar bill
should pass with an amendment provid-
ing either for bounty or for the repeal
OF the main bin. The House probably
would refuse to accept it and it would
most likely fail IN conference, but they
claim the Senate, especially the Repu bill
can Senators, would not be responsible
for that result.
There is q prospect that if the Repub-
lican members of the Finance Committee
Insist that the Democrats shall I'LL the
vacancy on the committee caused by the
death of Senator Vance before action Is
taken on the supplemental bills, the
Democratic Senators will have trouble in
reaching a decision upon this point.
While the question has not been taken
UP formally by the Democratic Steering
Committee, there is a general under
standing that majority of the Demo-
cratic Senators have united upon Senator
White for the place. Mr.. White is an adj
vocate of the free coinage of silver, and
probably will be opposed by Senators
who do not agree with him on the sub
iect. There are also indications that the
Democratic Senators who are opposed TO
the supplemental bills will oppose any
action al this time, on the ground that
the place is too important TO be blled IN
any emergency like this.
THE BILL REFERRED.
WAsHIN GToN, Aug. 16.-Harris' mo-
ton to refer the free sugar bill to the
Committee on Finance was carried in the
Senate to-day. Free coal, iron and the
barbed wire bills were also referred.
Senator Harris, acting Chairman ofsthe
committee, informed the members that a
meeting would be held for consideration
of the supplemental tariff bills at $3.50 to-
day. He hoped to be able to report them
tomorrow.
MISTAKE IN ENROLLING THE BILL.
WAsH1NGToN, Aug. 16.-The copy of
the tariff bill in possession Of the Chair
man of the House Enrolling Committee
with which the Dill sent to the President
was compared and verified. contains the
following paragraph in the free list:
Free List 467-Diamonds: Miners, gla-
ziers' and engravers' diamonds, not set,
and diamond dust to be used in the
manufacture of watches and clocks.
Senator Jones of Arkansas says the in
tention was to have the word "dia-
mouds' a sub-head, and the mistake of a
semicolon instead Of a colon will not be
allowed to admit diamonds free, especi-
ally when construed with the jewelry
schedule, which especially provides that
uncut precious gems OF all kinds, 10
per cent ad valorem." Senator Jones
says it was the intention to make the
word diamonds in the free list as a
sub-head, and will be construed to make
diamonds subject TO the duty on precious
stones. Secretary Carlisle is too good a
lawyer to construe the Act in any other
way remarked the Arkansas Senator.
The statements of customs officers of
the Treasury Department to Associated
Press representative yesterday differ
from Senator ones. They asserted that
the strict lettering and punctuation of the
tariff bill, and not the Congressional in
tentions, are followed ny the courts. It
is thought quite probable that the matter
may eventually have to be settled by ju-
dicial construction of the mooted point,
provided, of course, that curative be
not applied by Congress before the new
tariff becomes a law.