The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-14

member, for final consultation. The cur
rent of feeling among the members of the
House seemed to be setting strongly in
favor of accepting the Senate bill without
further delay.
At 10 O'Clock Crisp and the conferees
fled out of the Speakers office and took
seats in body. At that time 153 Demo
crais were on the floor.
Chairman Wilson took the floor imme-
diately after rollcall. The members
crowded around him, listening intently to
every word. Wilson began with recital
of the difficulties encountered. He said
each step had been pursued with an ar
dent desire to support with honor the de-
sires of the House to resist what was re-
garded as the unreasonable demands OF
the Senate. He reviewed the differences
in the conference on the disputed items :;
he took up each proposition on sugar, aud
spoke of the vast profits to the sugar
trust which would result from many OF
them. He did not indulge in the sharp crit
icism that was expected on the motives OF
the Senate conferees. Wilson spoke of
the fight made by the House conferees for
a specific duty on sugar, on the ground
that under the ad valorem system 1t
would be impossible to tell. on account of
the invoice methods, the exact advantages
which would accrue to the sugar trust. He
made a remarkable statement. He had
been credibly informed and believed that
the sugar trust. anticipating the enactment
of the Senate sugar schedule, purchased
SIP, 000. 900 worth Of raw sugar. If this
was true. he said. the profits accruing to
the trust from this investment on account
of the Senate schedule would be at least
$40, 600.
"Ths great battle" said Wilson, warm
ing up, 'is between the American people
and the sugar trust. 1t is battle in which
the trust has taken the people by the
throat, and 1t will never end till they
throw off the grip"
There was enthusiastic applause at this.
He then proceeded to state that the House
conferees had been willing to concede
almost everything except these vital items,
sugar, iron and coal. The Senate con-
ferees had also seemed willing to concede
much, but were apparently dominated by
the knowledge that if they conceded what
the Representatives demanded the bill
could not pass, and the agreement would
be useless.
Wilson closed at II :05 o'clock. having
talked just an hour. Montgomery, Nc
MilIin and Turner corroborated his state
ments.
Crisp followed. He spoke with much
spirit, and round after round of applause
greeted his remarks. He spoke of the
critical condition and apparent need to
accept the Senate bill, and then, if need
IN for
iron and coal. He said it was the Senate
bill or nothing" AS long as there was
desperate chance of securing the conces-
sions the House demanded ne was in favor
of standing out. but he was satisfied the
time bad come when further insistence by
the House was useless. He offered the
following resolution:
Resolved, That il is the sense OF this caucus
| that the order heretofore made requiring con-
ference with the Senate on the disaereeing
votes of the two houses Oh Bouse bill asa be
rescinded that the conferees heretofore ap-
pointed by the House be discharged from fur
ther duty in that behalf, and that the House re-
cede from its disagreement to the Senate
amendments 10 said bill and agree 10 the same.
Resolved. further. That the House shall at
once proceed to The consideration Of separate
bills placing the following articles on the free
list VIZ: Sugar In all its forms, iron ore, coal
and barb wire.
The Committee on Rules is required to
report an order providing for the promp pt
con nsideration of such motions and bills
This was adopted by an overwhelming g
vote, the noes being almost insignificant.
A burst of applause greeted the reading
of the resolution, but half dozen irate
Democrats were on their feet, demanding
ecognition, prominent among them being
Bourke Cochran of New York.
Owing to the lateness of the hour a rule
was adopted limiting further speeches to
five minutes. Then Cochran delivered a
vigorous and eloquent speech against sur
rendering TO the Senate. Better no tariff
legislation than the Senate bill" He de-
clared that there was no necessity for the
House to surrender as yet, and challenged
Chairman Wilson's statement that four
Democratic votes in the Senate would be
lost TO the bill if the fight proceeded. He
demanded the names of the four Senators,
but Wilson refused to give them.
The previous question was demanded on
the Crisp resolution, and ordered by vote
of 112 to 81. Among those who voted
against the previous question were the
Louisiana mem bers. Cochran of New York
and others. Thirteen minutes were then
given TO the opponents of the resolution to
state their position.
McMillin followed in vigorous style.
He repudiated the statement made by
Cochran that the Senate bill was worse
than the Mckinley law.
Robertson of Louisiana objected to the
resolution of the free-sugar provisions,
and generally protested against the treat
ment of Louisiana. As the hour of II
o'clock approached, at which the House
was to meet, the cry of Vote. vote" went
up from the impatient members. Robert
son of Louisiana continued to urge that it
would be bad faith to cut off the Louisiana
planters from the bounty on this years
crop, on which they had reckoned, when
they put it in.
During the fifteen minutes debate,
Chairman Wilson rose and pleaded with
the caucus not to take action to-day. He
said that whatever was the mind of the
House there was no necessity for imme-
diate and hurried action.
McMillin of the WAYS ana Means Com
mlttee also made a speech. He declared
In favor of the Crisp resolution, saying
Mckinley law.
Representative Tucker OF Virginia Of
fered resolution thanking aud commend
E.