Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-17
HETARIFF DISCUSSION
The Agreement to Close the Formal De-
bate Next Tuesday.
General Debate on the Bill by Para
graphs - Senator HIPS Inquiry
About the Free List.

1t has recently been stated that the re-
publicans were eager to close the general
debate on the tariff bill in the Senate so
as to get to the discussion of the bill
by paragraphs The exact quality of their
eagerness on this subject was shown in
the Senate today when Senator Harris, in
charge of the bill for the democrats. sought
to reach new agreement as to the con-
duct Of the debate. This agreement, which
was finally accepted by both sides, is that
on Tuesday next the formal debate on the
whole broad subject shall be considered
to be informally closed by a speech from
a democratic Senator TO be selected to rep
resent that side. Then at 1 o'clock on We'd
nesday the reading of the bill by para
graphs Is to begin and the bill will be in
the amendment stage and the amendments
offered shall be considered, discussed and
voted upon.
The committee amendments will, under a
general rule, be considered first. Under this
agreement debate on the paragraphs will be
as free and unrestricted both as TO time and
subject as heretofore.
The republicans showed the most extreme
distaste to alluding to the debate now in
progress as general debate" to be closed
next Tuesday. They insisted that there is
no such thing as closing debate until the
Senate shall have put the bill on its third
reading and subsequent passage. The re-
suit OF their anxiety on this score was that
for over half an hour there was a discussion
back and forth between the two sides of the
chamber as to the exact terms of the agree
ment. Senator Harris disclaimed any idea
of trying to limit close debate, and both
he and Senator Mills admitted that under
the rules and the agreement Senators speak
Ing under the paragraph rule could allude to
any topic under the sun and talk until
doomsday This was satisfactory finally to
Senators Aldrich. Allison. Hoar. Cullom and
Quay, who insisted upon an understanding
Of the exact terms of the agreement.
A Query From senator Hill.
Senator Hill reopened the discussion by
asking Mr.. Harris IL the agreement pre-
cluded him from moving to take up the free
list specifically at the beginning OF the
debate by paragraphs He argued that 1t
was only sensible that before the Senate
discussed the question of the amount of
duties it should determine the articles on
which duties are to be levied Mr. Harris
rather thought the rules of the Senate
would make 1t impossible to take up the
free list as complete paragraph out of its
turn, but that Mr.. Hill could move to
amend the free list at any time by moving
to strike out of the dutiable list or to add
to 1t any article in the paragraph then
under discussion. This was not satisfac-
tory to Mr.. Hill and he evinced desire to
make his proposition a specific exception
to the agreement, but finally agreed to the
proposed arrangement
Those who process to see some Interior
oD9ect III any proposition advanced by Mr..
Hill are of the opinion that this desire
OF his to take up the free list at the be-
ginning of the paragraph debate has for
its ultimate object test vote the
most Vulnerable commodity named in the
bill. Under the agreement, he might not
be able to reach this commodity, which
ever II might be, until late in the debate,
and 1t is thought that his sense a poll
tician is that 1t is well to secure the pres
tige of victory early in the fight Indeed,
Ii is thought by some that he rather hopes
to amend the bill at vital point early
and SO increase the chance of its defeat