St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-13
GUESSING ON THE TARIFF.
YORK or THE CONFERENCE COMMIT
TEE MUCH DISCUSSED.
,eUMoas THAT COAL AND IRON

Have Been Placed on the Ere e
List-RepublicLn Members of
the Conference Committee In
dignant Because They Have
Not Been Invited to Attend
the Meetings-HaIl Is Angry.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-There was
more interest manifested today among
senators and members of ths tariff
conference committee than OIL any
previous day since the conference
of the Democratic members of the COM
mittee began, and the air OF both the
house and the senate was full of rumOrs
as to what had been done. Many Of
these stories were considered sufficiently
well founded to Justify senators and
members in discussing them as accom-
pliShed facts.
The most persistent of these rumors
was that coal and iron were to be re-
stored to the free list as they were when
the bill passed the house.
A thorough investigation revealed the
fact that this story grew out Of CONVEX
Sation between members of the commit.
tee and senators and representatives not
connected with it, and while it had not
been stated i'll these conversations that
the committee had agreed upon these
changes, the outside members were
given to understand that this was the
programme, and that it was to be put
into execution by the joint efforts of the
house confereeS and two of the
SENATE MANAGERS
of the conference. The members of the
committee spoken to upon the subject
after the adjournment of the committee
declared that no action had been yet
taken uyon these two items, and they
went so far as to declare that they had
not even been discussed.
They made the same denial ofanother
story which was current, to the effect
that changes had been decided upon in
the sugar schedule. This. like the coal
and iron ore rumOr, gained persistent
circulation, and it was sufficiently ma
terlal to gain the attention of the Louisi-
ana senators and cause them to declare
themselves very openly i'll opposition to
any lowering Of sugar duties and to go
so far as to indicate determination to
oppose the bill when it is returned to
the senate if it should be found that
the rates had been changed to the ma
terial injury of that industry.
Ever since the Democratic members
of the conference committee began their
meetings last Monday without inviting
the Republican members to be present,
there has been manifested disposition
on the part Of Republicans of both
houses to critcise the partisan method
of the proceedings, and this diSSatiSfac-
ton took shape today in the introduce
ton today by
SENATOR HALE
of a resolution calling attention to the
failure of the Democrats to call full
conference of Democrats aud Repub-
licans. Senator Hale later said that the
resolution was the result OF an under
standing among several Republican
senators. He expressed the opinion
that the resolution would develop an
Interesting debate in the senate to-
morrow.
This proceeding on the part CT
the Democratic eonfereeS u.s." he
said, unprecedented in the history of
the country. The law says that con.
IerenceS between managers on the part
OF the two houses shall be full and free,
and contemplates that they shall be
held after the appointment of the
managers. 1t has now been
ten days since the tariff bill
passed the senate and almost
week since the conference asked for
was conceded by the house, and yet, SO
far as the Republican members of the
conference committee know, there has
been no conference whatever. They
have receive no notice of any, and, of
course, the meeting been the Demo
cratic senators and members is purely
unofficial. We of this side of the cham
Der think we have a right TO know
what is being done with so important
measure as the tariff bill, and when
the conference is to be called, it at ali.
We also think that the country has a
a right to knowledge of the facts,
and have. therefore. decided to make
our opinion TO that effect known"