The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-13

pass the Senate bill by the adoption of
the Hlll resolution. 1t was agreed, how
ever, that no such haste was necessary.
PARLIAMENTARY STATUS
On the contrary it was felt that the
| House in having possession Of the bill
and parliamentary right to pass it at
any time had everything to gain and
nothing TO lose by deliberate action.
Under these circumstances it was
deemed advisable to inform the House
fully as to the situation, and to explain
/ that precipitation in accepting the
Senate bill would gain nothing,
while deliberate action in awaiting
to see what the Senate would do,
might accomplish much good. 1t is
pointed out in this connection that the
/ House need be in no fear of the Hill resO-
| luton being rushed through. Mir. Viii
/ son and his associates have some strong
| friends in the Senate, notably Senators
| Villas, Gray, Lindsay and others, who
| could, if the occasion required, insist on
/ very complete debate of the Hill resolu-
! tion, which might last from day to day.
/ This the House conferees regarded as
/ assuring them a breathing spell and as
making it plain that the House need not
rush to its conclusion.
| CRITICAL YET.
/ Entertaining these views, the House
! cOnferees did not believe that it
was necessary or prudent for the House
! caucus tomorrow morning to then and
! there passa resolution to at once accept the
! Senate bill. They realize that the situa-
| ton IS so critical that the question Of ac-
! cepting the Senate bill might come before
! the caucus and develop such overwhelm-
| ing and reslstlesS strength that it would
/ be useless to oppose it. They were pre-
| pared for this emergency and were ready
/ TO accept 1t If 1t came They would not,
! however, counsel it themselves, and if it
came it would have to be the Outgrowth
| OF this spontaneous sentiment in the eau
/ Gus. 1t was felt, however, that a dispas-
/ siOnate statement of the case, showing
that the House would lose none of its
rights TO pass the Senate bill by deferring
action for a day or so, would bring about
a conservative result in the caucus.
PERHAPS SECOND CAUCUS.
Exactly what this action will be was
not definitely outlined, although the
House conferees felt it would perhaps be
best for the crucus to adjourn and wait
to see what the Senate did. Then, if
need be, another caucus could be held,
and more intelligent action taken after
the Senate had acted.
In the meantime the House would lose
nothing if the Hill resolution was de-
feated, and the House conferees think
| there is at least an even chance of its de-
feat, then the conference between the
Senate and House could be resumed with
every prospect, in the judgment of the
House conferees, that a speedy agree
ment and report could be reached if,
on the other hand, it was passed
then the second caucus would accept the
Senate bill or take such other action as it
| desired. In any event the House confer
ees feel there would be nothing lost by
waiting for the Senate to show what it
intended to do. AS yet, they say, the
coli S1r,r.
Senate are merely menaGes, and it is
well enough to wait to see if they become
accomplished facts.
Meanwhile the Senate is quiescent, and
is disposed to remain in a state of mac
tivity until the House shall have had an
opportunity to express itself upon the
situation. There is undoubtedly desire
on the part of a large majority of the
| democratic senators, practically all of
them, unless it may be the louisiana SEN
ators, to have the House take possession
/ of the bill. This is due to the
general belief in the Senate that
the House will accept the Senate
amendments and that the Senate bill
will thus become law, and to the fear that
if the bill should again go into the Senate
it would be indefinitely postponed, while
on the other hand it is believed that if
the House should agree to the Senate
| amendment, the Senate would acquiesce
J III JuJS dCJlOu anu waive GQ6 technical
objections which might be raised over the
possession of the bill.
1t is understood that even Senator Hill,
Notwithstanding his opposition to the
bill, would be disposed to accept the
favorable action of he House as final,
and permit the bill to go to the President
without raising any parliamentary ques-
tions.
The Hill resolution has had its day in
court and has gone to the calendar, and
could not be taken up except upon a vote
of the Senate. 1t is also suggested that
without the actual possession of the bill,
a motion for indefinite postponement
would be out Of order, and that the only
process by which the Senate could secure
possession would be through a motion to
reconsider its action granting a conference
and then to ask the House to return the
bill.
There would be two difficulties in the
way of the execution of this plan. Re
consideration could not, in view of the
lapse OF time since the granting of the
conference, be had except by unanimous
consent, and even with this secured and
the request made upon the House. the
return of the bill would depend upon the
courtesy of that body. 1t would, there
fore, seem that the Senate can do moth
ing with reference to the tariff at the
! present stage.