Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-20
THE TARIFF BILL
It Was Not Reported to the Com
mittee Today.
UNCERTAIN WHEN IT WILL Be
Efforts Being Made to Harmonic
Conflicting Interests.
THE SUGAR SCHEDULE

Nobody knows when the tariff bill is 60
ing into the Senate. The members of TIE
committee themselves are in doubt as to
Whetner the matter will be settled this
week or go over until next week After
gong over the whole matter and making a
number OF changes looking dt the question
from this side and that. they have got back
again practically to the Wilson bill, even
the restoration of the duty on coal which
had before been tacitly agreed upon being
let OF, and sugar restored To The free list
All the influence Of the administration ard
of most of the House is directed toward pre-
serving the bill as nearly as possible in a
shape where il can be speedily settled in con-
ference German and Hill, the Louisiana
Senators, and some others are not satisfied
with the bill as the subcommittee has form
ed it.
Conflicting Efforts.
An effort is being made on their part to
cnange the measure. and on the other hand
the membsrs of the committee are trying to
secure the support of the measure by all
the democrats in the Senate. Pending this
little fencing everything is in a state of
uncertainty. 1t has been the purpose of
the committee to so arrange their amend
ments to the Wilson bill as to secure the
unanimous support of all the democrats in
the Senate. In this they have not as yet
been successful. but they are sanguine that
the bill in whatever form reported will
nave sufficient strength to secure its pass
age. Threats of recommitting the bill are
made. but for any democrat to vote for that
purpose would be a pretty serious matter
and II is regarded very doubtful that
even those who are the most dissatisfied
would go 10 that extreme.
No Committee Meeting Today
Notwithstanding this is the regular day
for the meeting of the Senate committee on
finance and the particular day on which it
was announced that the tariff bill would be
reported. no meeting of the committee was
held, and it is now stated that one will not
be called until Tuesday of next week. when
1t is given out positively by a leading DEM
ocrdtic member of the committee that the
tariff bill will be reported. 1t is even said
that it would probably be presented later
this week but for the fact that some of
the members find it necessary to be alb
sent from the city.
The tariff subcommittee did not meet as
such today. which is accounted for by the
fact that they consider that their work has
been completed on the details of the bill.
This is fact and all that remains to be
done is 10 reconcile the differences in the
democratic party on the floor of The Sem
ate.
Important Disagreements.
There are disagreements on many Of the
most important schedules, and very few If
any, of the questions which have puzzled
the committee from the time it took hold
of the bill have been settled to the salts
faction of the democratic Senator's A men,
Der of the finance committee said this
morning that trouble extended all along the
line and included both the internal revenue
and the tariff part of the bill 1t would ap-
pear that whisky is one of the articles
which are making trouble, Notwithstanding
the fact that the committee thought this
question had been settled week ago.
The committee is listening TO the Iepre-
sentatiOns of individual Senators on this
point. on all others, and the matter Is
therefore once more an open question.
The Sugar Schedules.
The committee is more non -committal on
susa- than upon any other point at issue.
and Senators who are especially interested
in this industry find il as difficult to secure
Information as do those disconnected With
the interest.
There is good reason for believing that
the subcommittee's recommendation is IA
schedule from the House bill. ard that rbe
decision to defer the reporting of the bill
was due principally to the urgency of the
democratic Senators who favor a duty on
sugar. y word dropped here and there in
dICateS that some of the IaaruberS of the
committee We're of opinion that this lost
pOnement should be granted in the interest
of harmony, and it is known that the duty
advocates consider that they have gained a
Substantial concession in securing the post
pOnement. and are more hopeful than be-
lore II was granted.