The herald., 1894-07-31
THE TARIFF SITUATION,
Signs Of Wavering Among
the Conferees.
Feeling Changing in Favor Of
the House.
The Presidents Position Endorsed by
Public Sentiment.
Members of Both Senate and House Ap-
preciste tho Gravity Of ths situs-
tion Ex-Spsaker Reed
Draws = Diagram.

By the Associated Press,
WASHINGTON, July 30.-For the 6rst
time since the tariff bill has been in con-
ference there were signs Of wavering
from the strong line that has stood be-
hind the senate bill.
"Senate bill or none," has been re-
peated during the day, but less irequents
ly and with less emphasis than hereto.
fore. The only explanation OF the brief
conference today is the fact that thf
house confsrees feel the situation Il
changing in their favor. There are
many reasons advanced to show othaf
this statement has a good foundation.
1t is known that the mails and the tsls-
graph are bringing to the Democratic
senators urgent appeals to pass biz
which will not favor the trusts and
which will be in line with tbs demands
OF the party platform.
In fact, these requests upon the sena-
tors are endorsements OF the position OF
the president and the house in the main
points OF difference. That these tele-
grams are having effect cannot be de-
MED, and have caused the senators who
are most insistent upon the senate bill
as regards coal, iron ore and sugar no
little concern. The house members
also find considerable comfort in their
analysis OF the speech made by the
Democratic senators when the confer
ence agreement was before the senate,
in which they find but one, besides Mr..
Hill, who made any pledge of his vote,
and that was Senator Gallery, who de-
clared ii the Louisiana sugar interests
were not protected he would not vots
for the bill. None OF the other senators,
it is claimed, burned the bridges be-
hind them none of them declared abb
soutely that they would vote against
the bill ii ths cent differentiai on
sugar WAS not retained, or if the duty
on iron ore or coal was stricken out.
But more than this, many OF the senators
declared their desire to obtain . bill
which would secure As Democratic votes.
1t s pointed out that none of these sem
ators, not even MIR. Caffery. have placed
themselves in position in which they
can not support bill il it is returned
without diEsrential protection to the
sugar refiners and with coal and iron ore
ON the free list. 1t is known that great
deal of pressure is being brought to bear
on the Democratic conferees Of the SEN
ate to report TN agreement with m0dif-
cations of the principal items, compro-
mise being suggented to the extent of .
fat ad valoram rate on sugar of 40 per
cent with an extension Of the bounty to
January /, 1896, free siron ore, coal 40
cents a ton, with a reciprocity provision
that coal shall be admitted free from
such countries as grant free admission
to coal produced in the United States.
While this proposition has rot been
submitted with any assertion that it Ia
an ultimatum Of the house conforees.
there is a great deal Of talk that such .
proposition is likely to be presented.
This, it is believed, will secure the
votes OF the Louiaiana senators, the two
Popnlsts. Allen and Kyle, and Irby of
South Carolina. In that event it would
take three other Democratic senators
besides Hill to defeat the bill, and the
house members declare the number cans
not be found.
1t is fact that the situation, turning
az it does on those lineH, has caused
considerable uneasinsss among the
Democrats of the senate, and especially
those who are known to be steadfhst in
their demands for the senate bill in its
main features. The reliance OF the house
upon outside pressure and ths Demo-
cratic sentiment that seems to be rally
ing around the president and the house
from the country at large, it Ia claimed
will grow stronger from day to day until
tbs senate conferees will be compelled
to yield. The prestige which the ad-
ministration obtained in the con-
ference over the unconditional
repeal OF the silver purchasing
law has been pointed out as being an
evidence OF n determination now, with
the solid backing OF the Democrats
leaders in tho house, will bring about
similar result on the tariff bill. Inc
tension between the senate and house
was IS marked at the close o. the Hession
today AS il has been at any time pre-
vious. The Democratic members OF the
conference found Themselves in q COM
plete deadlock when they met dnring
the forenoon, and the full conferences
called at l O'Clock found itself without
business before it convened. The fall
conference did not continue to exceed IL
minutes, and the proceedings consisted
in q statement by rhe Democrats to the
Republicans that the Democratic con-
ference Rad been unable to reach an
understanding and suggestion on the
house conferees that the conference ad
iourn suhisct TO the call of the chair
m IAN, which WAS scqaieeced in by the
Republicans. The impression which
ex-Speaker Reed obtained OF the eitua-
tion waa embodied in Is rough diagram
which no draw while the conference was
in seesion. which represented the senate
as locomotive rushing down a steep
grade under full steam. Stretching
across the track directly in fror5 OF the
engine is an immense, weli-snp pported
bumper whicb il labeled ''houea," the
kepu biican conierese being represented
as eataly lodged in tall trees.
THAT is the situation. We all k73w
what must happen when an irrssiss,sle
iorce etrikss an immoyabie object.'
This is aa much ete'ement Of the
situation as could be obtained from any
source. Democratic members OF both
houses appreciate to the utmost ths
extrcme gravity Of the situation. 1hs