The herald., 1894-08-11
AT SKIES AND SEVENs.
A Crisis Reached in Tariff
Affairs.
The Situation More Critical
Than Ever.
Meetings of the Conferees Ended
for the Present.
Senator Hill Expiedss Bomb In the
Benate by Moving That the
Conferees Report
Progress

By the Associated Press.
! WASHINGTON, Aug. 10.-A crisis in
tariff affairs was reached today. both in
the open senate and in the secret coun-
cils of the Democratic tariff conferees.
When the conference closed tonight, it
was the understanding that the meetings
time was set for reassembling the con-
ference tomorrow or thereafter, and it
was also said further sessions might nos
be necessary in case the senate acted
favorably tomorrow on Senator HilPs
resolution directing the senate conierees
to report the situation of affairs.
What was of more importance, was
the feeling expressed by the house con-
ferees at the close of the conference, that
in case the Hill resolution passsd--an
they believed it would-the conferences
would practically be relieved OF its work.
and it would remain only for the house
to accept the senate bill as lesser evil,
as they believe, than the Mckinley law.
These conclusions were reached after q
| day of interest and excitement among
the tariff leaders.
The day opened with the senate propo-
sition for free sugar still pending before
the conference. Chairman Wilson and
his associates were satisfied that the
tender OF free sugar was not made in
good faith, and they had therefore re-
quested the senate conferees to furnish
poll OF the senate allowing that if the
proposition were accepted, it would be
adopted by the senate, and the bill
passed. The poll was considered a. soon
as the conferees convened. 1t disclosed
that in the event of the acceptance of
the free sugar amendment, the bill aa q
whola would be voted against BY 3S Re-
publicana and by Senators Kyle, Allan
and PETER. Populists, and Gallery and
Blanchard, Democrats, total of 43
votes, or sufficient to defeat it. This
poll was made on the best judgment of
the senate conferees. The house accepted
it as showing conclusively that the tenx-
der of the free sugar amendment, white
made in good faith By tho senate con-
feree5, was means adopted by the con-
servatives as a means OF defeating tariff
legislation and leaving the Mckinley law
in force.
e. The discussion brought out for the
first time the statement that the defen-
sive alliance between certain senators
had proceeded further than mutual CO.
operation. and was now reduced to q
signed agreement. While members of
the conference did not claim to have
seen the agreement, they stated as q
! fact that Senators Kyle, Allen, PETER.
Blanchard and Cafery had reduced
their understanding to black and white,
and had signed it to the effect that they
would vote against any bill which did
not contain bounty clause for sugar.
AS free sugar would eliminate the
bounty provision, tho signed agreement
was regarded as showing that the five
senators combined with the Republicans
would defeat the bill.
1t was while animated comments were
being made on the foregoing conditions
that word reached the conference of
Senator Hill's coup in the senate. The
conference hastily adjourned, the sem
stors going on the floor to take part in
the debate.
Mr.. Wilson was not disposed to attach
1 much weight to Senator Hills move at
the start, and said that it would be fu-
tile, as the senate could not act while
the bill was in conference. This feeling
was Bhared to large extent early in the
day by house leaders, who character.
lied Ii as one OF the "blufs" which had
been made OF late to demoralize the
house conferees and force them to weld.
Later in the day, however, this feeling
gave way to one of profound concern
over the situation and the future Of the
bill.
At 2 D. M. the conference, or q rem
nant of it, again assembled, with tho
Hill resolution and the exciting debate
thereon as the main topic among them.
Little or no attempt was made to take
up items or schedules, the talk being on
the sensational general phases devel-
oped, and no progress was made up to
O'Clock, when the conterees separated
without fixing time for reasss m bling,
Senator Brice, speaking of the situa-
tion tonight, said that for the first time
he had to admit that the chances for the
bill are not good, bat he believed that
the parliamentary tangle would be
atraightened so that the senate bill could
be passed.
brushing aside all parliamentary
cobwebs," he aaid, 'and using common
sense, there ia no reason why the house
cannot at any time concur in the senate
amendments and pass the bill. II the
senate should now take some further &C.
ton looking to indefinite postponement,
it might complicste affairs"
In presenting his resolution calling Tor
q report from the senate conferees on
the tariff bill, Senator Hill did what has
been in contemplation in ons form or
ano ofher for almost week Il had been
held back, definitely in defe,ence to
the wisha the senate conferees who
have be9 indisposed to have such .
question .ecipitated as long as there
was az .ope OF reaching an agreement
1t y lot bs definitely eftained
whef y they gave their assent to the
prof sding on the part OF Mr.. Hill to
day, but the best Information OBJ 'a;nable
Is that while not desiring to evade the
duty OF informing the senate Of tbs
atatus OF the conference, they did notls-
ing to encourage the decision, AMI woulc
We preferred that Hill's met on be de-
ierred far the present.
The signihcant points in connectie1