The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-28
SENATOR'S STILL IN ASTEW
The Caucus Talk on the Tariff Not
Ended let.

In the Caucus-Coal to Garry so
Gents Duty-senator White Rather
Roughly Handled-Brice Makes a
Vigorous Speech.
Washington, Feb 27.-The Senate COM
mittee on finance met this morning, only
to adjourn promptly, Senator Voorhees,
stating that the tariff bill was not ready.
The chairman and Senator Jonss Of Ar
kansas, were the only democrats present,
and they retired at once to the caucus,
leaving the republican members in full
possession of the committee room. The
republicans remained an half hour, dis
cussing the situation and preparing their
plan of action. Nothing definite was
agreed upon, or, if so, every member has
his lips sealed.
THE CAUCUS.
The democratic senatorial caucus on the
tariff bill, which ad burned shortly be-
fore o'clock tonight until 10 o'clock to-
morrow. was rich in talk. but poor in &c
tion. Some plain and rather emphatic
English was spoken, but no action was
taken on any item in the bill.
After the ad ,ournment a member Of
the finance committee said it was
hoped that now the speeches
had been made all around, action would
follow and something definite be accom-
plished 10 morrow. 1t was thought by
this senator that the conference would
tomorrow send the bill back to the COM
nittee with instructions TO amend it in
some particulars as a result of the con-
ference on cer, ain schedules.
Under this plan the details of the ar
rangement Of the changes agreed upon
would be left to the finance committee,
aud two or three days would elapse be-
fore the corrected bill could be laid before
the full committee on finance. tits doubt
full. however, if the caucus can reach any
conclusion tomorrow.
THE RATE on SUGAR.
Sugar was not the only topic de-
manding attention today although
rluch depends upon the action taken on
that schedule. The committee offered
the caucus what might be called a fiat"
rate on sugar of l cent a pc md, based
upon the Iure sacchar.ne matter. This
would fix the duty on sugar testing above
so degrees at eight-teuths of a cent. and
would therefore show the re 9ner a
very slight fayOritism. The sugar men
Believe, however, that hey Will De able
to get the eight clear they have claimed,
and some 90 as faras to claim a quarter Of
q cent. It is understood that the ma iority
Of the democratic members OF the finance
committee expect to see refined sugar get
the extra one-eiEhth for which the friends
Of the sugar men have been conteuding
No expression as to how senators stood
was heard IN the caucus to-day, sufficient
TO indicate what the result will be.
here appears TO be no further uncer-
tainty as 10 coal, and it is conceded that
30 cents a ton will be given it.
Up to within the last half
hour there seemed to be a spirit Of
concession abroad. but after that the
unit Too
more firmly for the bill as it laid before
the caucus.
PLAIN TALK TO WHITE.
It is understood that a scene somewhat
sensational in its feature took place at the
morning session. Yesterday, Senator
White of Louisiana made very vigorous
sp sech while on the sub ect Of SUGAR, in
which he bitterly denounced the attitude
OF some senators. No reply was made
until this morning, when, it is said, two
or three senators replied in language
that was decidedly personal and
unpleasant. Il is also said that Senator
White has declared that he would not
SEND his resignation as a senator TO the
governor Of Louisiana until he knew what
was TO be done with sugar. MIR. Whites
attitude was described by one senator as
that Of man who stood with his commits
sion as a supreme court Justice in one
pocket, and his resignation as a senator
In the other, waiting TO see when he
could serve his constituents and the
people test.
The caucus went into the speech
making business to-day in a systematic
manner by calling the roll of states and
asking the senators TO give their views on
what should be done. Many of those who
had spoken before spoke again, and many
senators who had, up TO this point, been
listeners, turned pleaders and expounders
to-day.
BRICE MAKES A VIGOROUS SPEECH.
Senator Brice, of Ohio, who was the
prime mover in calling the caucus, made
a Iorcible and vigorous speech to-day. He
Is said TO have criticised the wisdom that
placed the construction of the tariff bill
IN the hands of three senator's, whose
status as a subcommittee had been at
tackled on the floor of the Senate and gone
uncnalenged, and who were not appa-
rently IN sympathy with any OF the manu-
featuring centers of the country which
were most auected by the bill. 1t was
evident, he said, that the party was
rent by dissensions, and the question for
the conference 10 decide in connection
with the tariff bill was, what should be
done 10 save the democratic party. If
said Senator Brice, you're going to frame
this bill in ac, ordance with the platform
OF the democratic party, as adopted at
chicago, JnaJ IS one thing. II, on the
other hand, you intend to frame it on the
lines of the platform that was not
adopted an entirely different view of the
case is given US, but if you intend
TO frame it so that you protect the
SUGAR interest alone at the expense of the
great indus Jries of the north, and you in
tend to ignore them entirely, then | pro-
pose for one TO have something to say.
MUST LOOK OUT FOR THE NORTH.
MIR. Brice ca lied attention to the fact
that more mus be done than merely to
conciliate the sugar senators whose
constituents would be injured by the
prospective legislation, and that
very important question for
democrats TO consider was what
they should0 do TO keep in the party
the great sta ties of New York, New Jer-
sey and Maryland, which were full of in
dustries, that he asserted the proposed
bill sought to cripple. The great states
OF Ohio, New York and New Jersey, with
their representation in congress aggre-
eating many times more than any south
ern delegation should not be ignored.
The democrats, Mr.. Brice believed. should
frame bill that would yield sufficient
revenue TO run the government, but they
had failed TO do il. If the bill was not
carefully considered Mr. Brice warned
the caucus that the states to which be
had referred would become. so far as the
democracy was concerned, as barren as