Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-10
NO TARIFF CHANGE.
SITUATION AS UNCERTAIN AS At
ANY TIME YET.
Nobody Prepared to say What IL Going
to Happen-Free-sngsr Proposi-
tiou from Ericc.

WASHINGTON. August s.-The Demo-
cratic tariff conference had expected TO
be able to announce an agreement to-
day. Instead OF reaching any definite.
conclusion the day closed with the bill
in quite as uncertain "A state as ever
before in its history, with the situation
I'm no wise improved, with the feeling
between the friends OF the Senate bill
and the House bill intensified Instead OF
allayej. and with no one prepared to say
what the outcome would be or when the
end would be reached.
1t was apparent at the very beginning
of the conference that those who had
come TO the conclusion at the adjourn
ment OF yesterdays session that an
agreement would be arrived at to-day
had not taken sufficiently into account
the possibility of a misunders tanding or
change of mind This discovery was
made when the Senate conferrees pre-
pared to go on with the bill upon the
basis of a duty of - cents per ton on
coal and free irOn-ore. whereupon the
House conterrees announced their un-
and stated that they would insist upon
a reversal of these terms. with coal free
and iron-ore dutiablc. II either was TO
be, as they understood that they were
TO have a choice between the 'wo. The
avowal Of this position produced imme-
dlate confusion. and led to an exchange
of remarks which were not altogether
polite.
REPORT TO CONSERVATIVES" .
The Senate conferrees thereupon de-
cided 10 report the state of affairs TO the
Conservative" senator's, and when the
conferrees adjourned. called Senator'S Cor
man. Brce. Smith. and Murphy into con-
sultation. The whole situation was out
lined TO them. They were not only made
acquainted with the demand OF the House
conferrees for free coal. but were also
given to understand that other material
concessions would be expected by the
House conferrees along the entire line of
the bill including woollens, cottons,
metals. glass, and earthenware.
They decided upon an emphatic negative
in reply to these propositions, saying that
IL the body OF the bin was not preserved
virtually as 1t passed the senate. the re-
port OF the conference when made would
not be accepted by the Senate.
FREE-SUGAR PROPOSITION.
Senator Brce proposed an innovation in
the shape of a proposition that the House
conferrees be given an opportunity Ia
secure free sugar. His idea In detail
was that the Senate conferrees should
volunteer to recede entirely from the
Senate schedule on sugar. leaving both
raw and refined on the free list as pro-
vded in the House bill. and that the
Senate bill should otherwise be accepted
i'm its present SHAPE. with both coal and
iron on the dutiable list at the rate Of
10 cents per ton In urging this upon the
conferrees he said II would necessarily
produce one of three results-tO wit: "
II should be declined by the House con-
ferrees ii would place the responsibility
for the sugar duty upon them. II II
should be accepted. and the Senate should
on this account refuse 10 adopt the COM
mittee's report. the House conforrees
would sal bear the odium for insisting
upon amending the Senate bill IF.
thirdly" he said. they should accept !:
II a report should b. made upon these
lines. and If the report should be &C.
cepted by both houses AMI should become
a law. we should all be happy"
HOUSE CONFERREFS SURPRISED.
The Senate confeYrees presented the
proposition to the afternoon session Of the
| conference between the members Of the
| two houses. it IL understood that IL
created some surprise on the part of the
| House members. who at first eyinced Il
| disposition To accept II, but after con-
| siderable discussion Of the merits Of this
| feature of the proposition and of the
other features involving the acceptance
of the other Senate amendments. declined
to vouchsafe an answer without further
consideration. The question was there
fore, undlspOsed OF when the conference
adjourned for the day.
The Republican senators We're also In
consultation with the senatorial tarin con-
| ferrees during the day. and. IL s under
stood. have given notice that II there Is
material change in the more important
| schedules relating To- manufactured ar
| tcles they will resist the immediate dis
position of the commlttee's report when
made, and have stated that In that event
more tariff oratory may be expected.
| NO PRESIDENTIAL INTERFERENCE.
THE report" said Mr. Wilson, the
| chairman Of the House Ways and Means
| Committee. to-day. THAT the President
| had smashed the compromise agre' upon
| by the conferrces on COAL sugar. ana
| iron-ore yesterday Is An absurd inv"n-
| ton. There is not a word Of truth IN il.
anu YOU may '.tf 'fiF ''' " 80
! has never interferei with our dclibera-
| tions in the slightest manner. lie has
| tres ted the matter with great delicacy.'
Have you talked with the President at
| various Stages Of the situltony'
| 81 have seen him occasionally during the
past few weeks" Mr. Wilson replied. but
| he has never manifested thc slightest in
clnation TO Instruct the cOnierrecs as TO
their duty. As ! say. he has shown unu-
| sual delicacy In his references to the mat
| ter In dispute ] felt IL only proper, since
| the President is the head OF the party. 10
acquaint him with what we are doing,
but beyond general conversation nothing
| Of special Importance has passed between
| US"
This authoritative statement made ~
| Mr. Wilson was called out by the stories
that were freely circulated about both