The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-08-23
Victory for the Senate.
Washington correspondence

The long struggle over the tariff bill
came t. a close at . CLOCK Monday
evening. when the House by a vote OF
lS2 to IO5 decided to discharge the
House corferrees from furth r cOnsid-
Grafton OF the bill, recede from its op.
position to the 63i a endments and
agree to the same. 1t was a complete
victory for the Senate. The House
made an absolute surrender.
The result grew directly out OF the
sensational course of events in the
Senate and in the capitol precipitated
by Senator Hill Friday. Up to that
time the House conferrees had stood
firm against the Sena e amendments,
especially on the three disputed sched-
ules OF coal. iron ore and sugar. n
the temper and voice of the House
was for ava to the end. u
the indications tina the Democrat, OF
the Senate might be unable to longer
hold a majority of the votes in line tor
even the Senate bill and that the bill
was in desperate jeopardy forced the
House Democrats TO immediate action.
The Democratic cOnferrees Of the House
at last admitted that they we're beaten
and that another vote could not be
risked in the Senate: that it must lie
either the Senate bill or no bill.
The whole question was prccipitated
at the caucus held Just before the
House %convered. at which, after a
thorough review of the situation and
speeches in favor OF receding hv
Speaker Crisp. Chairman Wilson and
others, it was decided to take
the Senate ill and Immediate
ly afterward pass separate bills
placing coal. iron ore sugar and barbed
wire on the free list. ana by so doing
place the House on record and at lea I
partially overcome the humiliation in.
volved in its defeat. The program,
arranged in the caucus was carried OF,
to the letter in the House after ; !
iron-clad special order.
The caucus met promptly. Tx
was no wait for a quorum. Eten
Chairman Holman banged the desk
with his gavcl there we c l53 ncmlcrs
present. Ten minutes later every
democratic member in the city ~ in.
side the chamber. There was Gcvcri-h
expectancy on every fac. All felt that
the eyes of the country were upon
them. The Senator themseives-cold
and far removed from public touch -
betrayed their interest in the outcome
OF the caucus. fven Senator German,
calm and ever in perfect control OF
himse +. cut his greeting, shorter than
usual. And Senator Brice twirled hi.
glasses around his foretinger with
great rapidlty.
In administration circles there wa
keen anxiety. There. more kcenly
than anywhere else perhaps, the i'm
portance of the caucus action was APP
preciated. Nothing but the Senate
bill seemed probable. IN the hotels,
club7. streetcar and streets What
will the aucus do?" was the sole topic.
Some men like John Dewitt Warner
spoke Vehemently for continuing the
fight. But the majority favored sur-
render n the prompt settlement of
the controversy already much too pro-
longed.
Proceeding in Secret.
The doors of the House were tightly
c!o.ed and extra guard, placed to pre-
Vent outsiders hearing anything of tho
proceedings within. No o'e was per-
mitted in the gallery corridors. and it
wa only after great effort that the
Sergeant-at-arms va, induced to open
the w~orking-rot of the press gal cry.
Us congressman came from the caucus
chamber they wer' button-holed for
information, and like coed sensible
men answered all questions fully and
promptly.
The caucus was exciting, but not to-
multuous. Wilson. McMillin Crisp
and Cochran spoke. the last in opposi-
ton to the surrender, and then the
vote was taken on the all-important
point OF surrender or no surrender.
The resolution offered by Speaker
Crisp to accept the Scnat bill went
through with a whoop.
immediately after the caucu, ad-
Journcd the rules committee withdrew
to the Speakers room to prepare a
rule providing for the immediate con-
sideration of the tariff BIZ. The ma
.ority in caucus having decided to sur
render, the lest way to carry out its
decision wa to surrender.