The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-10
CONFERREES SNARLING
Another Day of Idle Talk on the
Tariff Bill.
SENATORS PREVENT COMPROMISE.

The House Conforraes Proposed to Place
Coal on the Free List. but This tho
5enators Refused, and the Sugar sched-
uie IL Again Revived.
WARRINGTON, Aug. 10,IThe Democratic
tariff conference had expected to be able
TO announce an agreement yesterday. In
stead Of reaching any definite conclusion
the day closed with the bill in quite as
uncertain state az ever before in its his
tory, with the situation H. no wise i'm.
proved, with the feeling between the
friends Of the senate bill and the house
bill intensified instead of allayed, and
with no one prepared to say what the out
come would be or when the end would be
reached. 1t was apparent at the very be-
ginning Of the conference that those who
had come to the conclusion at the ad-
journment of Wednesdays session that
an agreement would be arrived at yester-
day had not taken sufficiently into ao-
count the possibility of misunderstand-
ing or change of mind.
This discovery was made when the sem
ate conferrees prepared to go on with the
bill upon the basis of a duty of forty cents
per ton on coal and free iron ore, where
upon the house confcrrees announced
their unwillingness to accept this arrange
ment, and stated that they would insist
upon a reversal of these terms, with coal
free and iron ore dutiable, II either was to
be, as they understood that they were to
have choice between the two. The
syowal of this position produced immedi-
ate confusion, and led to an exchange of
remarks which were not altogether polite.
The senate conferrees thereupon decided
n he atnta pf fruir tn ba
servative senators, and when the confer
rees adjourned called Senators German,
Brice, Smith and Murphy into consulta-
ton. Tho whole situation was outlined
10 them. They were not only made ac-
quainted with the demand of the house
conferrees for free coal, but We're also
given to understand that other material
concessions would be expected by the
house conferrees along the entire line Of
tho bill, including woolens, cottons, met
ais, glass and earthenware.
They decided upon an emphatic mega.
tive in reply to the proposition, saying
that If the body Of tho bill was not pre-
served virtually as it passed the senate
the report of the conference when made
would not be accepted by the senate Sem
ntor Brice proposed an innovation in the
shape of proposition that the house con-
eShhSeS be BiNCH an opportunity W SttuTo
free sugar. The senate conferrees adopted
the suggestion of Mr. Brice and presented
the proposition to the afternoon session Of
the Joint conference. 1t is understood
that the proposition created some sur
prise on the part of the house members,
who at first evinced a disposition to ac-
cept, but after considera BILE discussion Of
tie merits of this feature of the PROPOSE
tion and Of the other features, involving
the acceptance of the other senate amend
ments, declined to vouchsafe an answer
without further consideration The aucs.
ton was therefore undisposed of when
the conference adjourned for the day.
The Republican senators were also in
consultation with the senatorial tariff
conferrees during the day, and it is un-
derstood have given notice that II there is
material change in the more important
schedules relating to manufactured ar
tieles they will resist the immediate dis
position Of the committees report when
made, and have stated that In that event
more tariff oratory may be expected.
The house conferrees have their side Of
the situation to tell Chairman Wilson
authorized the statement at the close OF
the conference that the reports current
through the day to the effect that Presi-
dent Cleveland had interfered with the
informal agreement reached Wednesday
night were wholly unwarranted and un-
true. Mr.. Wilson said that the executive
was carefully refraining from exertin1
any influence on the copfsrrees, and was
leaving the members to shape their courses
as they saw fit. The chairman called OH
the president occasionally he said, but it
was not very often, and at these times Mr..
Cleveland showed a delicacy in saying or
Mi htt,n, fnh l..
rs an exertion of executive or administra-
ton influence on the work of the workers.
As to the misunderst andings through
out the day, the house men understood
when the conference adjourned Wednes-
day night that the senators had conceded
that either iron ore or coal WIS to 20 on
the free list, the other remaining on the
dutiable list. While the house men had
given no definite announcement of their
choice between the two items it was gem
orally understood that they would prefer
to have iron ore on the free list When.
however. they entered the conference yes
terday they had concluded among them
selves that it would be preferable to have
coal on the free list, leaving iron ore du-
table at forty cents ton. This conclu-
sion was definitely announced to the sem
ators, but the house men were surprised
them the choice was somewhat abated.
What had caused the change WAS not
made clear, but in discussing it the house
conferrees said with no little feeling that
1t was clearly due to the influence of those
interested in the sugar schedule. and was
apparently another effort to involve the
informal agreement on sugar reached last
week.
Whether the difficulty will be solved
today or will be declared off entirely il
not clear to the house conferrees. In the
event of an understanding on coal and
iron today the house conferrees expressed
the hope that the Republican onferrees
might be called in this evening or tomor-
row, although tho differences developed
yesterday coal and iron, MS well rs on
some other schedules, make the chances
Of full conference less hopeful today
than they were Wednesday night
Dug Their Way Out of jail.
MAYvILLE, N. Y, Aug. 1o,-Five pris-