The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-01
VIEWS OF REPRESENTATIVE
What House Tariff Reformers Think
of the Sennte's Work.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-Members of the
ways and means committee Of the House
are watching with the keenest interest the
action of the senatorial caucus on the tariff
bill For the time being the Bland silver
debate has scant attention among the tar
if leaders. The ways and means commit
tee room is again the center of activity,
where the course of the Senate caucus Is
pretty fully understood and discussed. The
tendency to put the Wilson bill under fire
is watched for the ultimate effect it will
have on revision of the tariff. The state
ment made in the caucus that the Wilson
bill had been framed without any con-
sultation with President Cleveland or Sec
retary Carlisle is denied by members of
the committee.
A reporter talked to-day with all the
Democratic members of the committee in
the city. 1t disclosed that they were not
apprehensive that the Senate's action would
materially change the policy and the sched-
ules of the Wilson bill. Representative
Whiting however is the one Democratic
member of the committee who openly takes
q different view. He authorized the follow
ing statement: "I have from the start in
sisted that none of the great staple prod
ucts of the country should go on the free
efforts of the Senators to restore TO the
dutiable list the natural products of the
country. L believe that conservative men
will agree that this is the wise course for
the business interests. What Is best for
the country will, in the end, be the best for
the Democratic party
Mr. McMillin, of the committee, said:
great for tariff reform that no man or set
of men can stand in the way of 1t. / have
no fear that the cause of tariff reduction
by the action Of the Senate Changes in
the Wilson bill will undoubtedly be made,
but in the end all Will come out right, for
a tariff bill necessarily represents COM
promise Of various views"
Representative Bynum, of the committee,
said: II do not yet understand that the
Senate caucus Is materially changing the
Wilson bill but, on the contrary, the caucus
has taken the bill from the finance COM
mittee where the Wilson bill was being
changed. Whatever the Senators may do
will not interrupt the purpose of this Con-
gress to reform the tariff: There will be
either revenue reform bill or an abandon
ment of the Democratic party"
Representative Bryan, of the committee.
said: "The statement that the President
and Secretary Carlisle were not consulted
on the Wilson bill is erroneous: The men,
bers of the committee frequently conferred
with Mr. Carlisle. They had his advice and
help, and, as / understand it. his approval
was given to the measure The tariff bill
is not jeopardiZed by the action of the
Senate. There will be changes, but broad
be accomplished"
Representative Turner, of the committee,
said: 1.-The tariff has not gone beyond the
deliberative stage with the Senator'S, so
that Ii can hardly be said as yet that ma
terial changes in the Wilson bill con-
templated. When the discussion has pro-
ceeded differences will be harmoniZed, and
an agreement will no doubt be reached
for comprehensive tariff revision"
Representative Montgomery, Of the COM
mittee said ut is not to be wondered at
that the Senators have amendments to pro-
pose to the Wilson bill. 1t would be sur
prising if they accepted 1t as n whole with
out suggestion Of change. Thus far, how
ever the purpose of the Senators appears
to be to arrive at a bill which will har-
monize conflicting interests. and not to de-
feat the bill itself The only real danger to
the cause of revenue revision would be a
combination to defeat any bill. but there
is no evidence as yet of such a combina-
ton"
Representative breckenridge, of Arkan-
sas, who has been closely allied with Mr..
Wilson in framing the tariff bill and who
has been of late comforting with the Sen
ate finance committee as to the changes
proposed. said: 81 have no doubt that our
friends In the Senate will come together
on some common ground and that the
senate and House ultimately will agree on
q comprehensive and just revision OF the
tariff -