Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-07-26
WILL TRY IT AGAIN.
Senate Democrats Decide on
Another Conference.
NO INSTRUCTIONS TO CoNrERREEs.

NO INSTRUCTIONS TO CONrERREEs.
Only . General Sort of Understanding That
the Senate Position Should He Main
tained-Reciprocity Offers . Way Out OF
tho Coal Dihiculty, but the ''Sugar In
the GOurd" Continues to Remain There
in-Prospect for Agreement.
WASHINGTON, July o6.-The senate will
accede to the request Of the house for an
other conference on the tariff bill, and
the conferrees will return to the meeting
with those of the house untramemled by
any specific instructions whatever This
was the conclusion of the Democratic SEN
atorial caucus, which adjourned sine die
few minutes after o'clock p. IN yes
terday after two days sitting While
the caucus did not commit itself to any
definite line Of policy in SO many words,
the conferrees feel with their Democratic
colleagues that they understand what q
majority OF them desire, and they believe
this to b. that they shall stand substan-
TALLY for the senate bill.
Represents the General Opinion.
This IS not the individual preference of
many. nor perhaps of majority of the
Democratic senators, but it represents the
opinion of most of them as expressed in
the caucus as to the only practical course
open to the Democrats who think that
the present congress must pass a tariff
bill of some kind, whether it be what
they prefer or not. In other words the
result of the caucus which has just closed
| IS the re-ascertaining of what was known
when the three days caucus closed last
March-that 1t is impracticabie to pass
any tariff bill through the senate which
does not meet the demands of the so-called
conservative senators and the Louisiana
senators.
Proposition of Jones Accepted.
1t became evident soon after the caucus
convened yesterday that the resolution of
Jones to send the bill back to conference
without instructions was the only course
open to the caucus. The other propositions
presented were those of Villas and his
friends. one of which provided for instruc-
tons to the senate conferrees to recede
from the one-eighth Of a cent differential
on refined sugar without any other change
| in the sugar schedule. and the other TO
substitute for the present tariff schedule a
duty OF 40 per cent. al valorem without
any differential, and that of the conserva-
tives to instruct the committee to stand
by the senate amendments.
Some Differences of View.
Villas and two or three other senators
opposed the latter course and the "con-
| servative" senators declared absolutely and
| emphaticaily that they would not accept
| the Villas proposition to recede from the
dlfferential even though the ad valorem
should be increased to 45 per cent or any
other sum within reason. Smith declared
that such a change meant the shutting
down of the retineries in his state, the
throwing OK thousands of men out of en-
ployment and general disturbance of
industrial conditions such as he could not
con template with composure and would
not accept.
Proposition Not Favored.
The Louisiana senators indicated a will
| ingness to accept the substitution of a IS
per cent. duty straight. The proposition
did not, however, meet with general favor
| as the wisest course to pursue in view of
the hostility of the New Jersey senator
| and those who acted with him, and in
| view of the fac: that several senators who
stated that they agreed with Villas in his
opposition to the sugar trust as matter
OF principle. advised in favor of the cessa-
ton Of all efforts to give formal instruc-
lions.
Reciprocity rs to Coal.
A new phase was given to the discussion
| on coal by the proposition that the senate
rate of 10 cents a ton stand with a pro-
viso for admitting coal free from such
countries as make reciprocity agree
ment to admit coal from the United
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