Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-08-10
SUGAR SCHEDULE
May Have Been he Cause
ct d EaCkdOWn.
PROSPiCJS DECIDEDLY DIM
Brce Makes Proposit on Which He
Declares Will Make All Happy.


understandings among tariH conferrees
the house men understood when tho con
ference adjourned Wednesday night that
the senators had conceded that either iron
ore or coal was 10 20 on the free list, the
other remaining on tho dutiable list It
was generally understood that they would
prefer 10 have iron ore on the free list.
When, however, they entered the confer
enoe yesterday they had concluded among
themselves that il would be preferable 20
have coal Oh the free list, leaving iron ore
dutiable at 10 cents "A ton. This conclusion
was definitely announced 70 the senator's,
but the house men were surprised 10 find
that the willingness TO concede the choice
was somewhat abated.
What had caused the change was not
made clear, but in discussing il last nj ght
the house conferrees said, with no little
feeling, that IL was clearly duo 70 the in
1uence Of those interested In the sugar
schedule, and was apparently another Of
fort to involve tho informal sgreement Oh
sugar reached last week.
Whether the difficulty would be solved
today or would be declared off entirely
was not clear TO tho house conferrees In
the event OF an understanding on coal and
iron orc today the house conferroes ex-
pressed the hope that the Republican con-
ferreos might be called in late In the day
or on Saturday, although tho differences
developed yesterday on coal and iron, as
well as on somo OF the other schedules,
made the chances Of full conference less
hopeful than they were yesterday.
Details of the Conference.
When the senate conferreos prepared TO
..,tt o Ia, Al
basis OF duty of 40 cents a ton on coal
and iron ore, the house conferreos an
nouncod their unwillingness To accept this
arrangement and stated that they would
Insist upon a reversal OF those terms, with
coal free and iron ore dutiable, If either
was to be, as they understood that they
were TO have choice between the two
The avowal Of this position produced
immediate confusion.
The senate conferreos thereupon decided
to report the state Of affairs Co the con-
servative senator's, and when the confer
rees adjourned, called Senators German,
Brice, Smith and Murphy into consulta-
ton. They were not only made ac-
quainted with the demand Of the house
conferrees for free coal, but were also
givon TO understand that other material
concessions would be expected by the
house conferrees along tho entire line OF
the bill, including woolens, cottons, met
ais, glass and earthenware.
They decided upon an emphatic negative
In reply to these propositions, saving that
II the body Of the bill was not preserved
virtually as 1t passed the senate the report
Of the conference, when made, would not
be excepted by the senate.
Brice's Scheme.
Senator Brice proposed an innovation In
the shape of "A proposition that the house
conferrees be givon an opportunity To Sc
cure free sugar His idea in detail was
that the senate conference should volun-
teer to recede entirely from the senate
sugar schedule, leaving both raw and re-
fined sugar on the FREQ list, as provided In
the house bill, and that the senate bill
should be otherwise accepted in its present
shape with both coal and iron on the du-
tiable list Mt tho rate OF 40 cents n ton.
In urging this upon the conferrees he
said, 10 would necessarily produce one OF
three results. IL IL should DO declined
by the house conforrces, IL would place the
responsibility for the sugar duty upon
them. If II should be accepted, and the
senate should on this account refuse 30
adopt the committees report, the house
conferrees would still bear the odium for I'm.
sisting upon amending the senate bill
"If, thirdly" he said, "they should accept,
II report should be made upon these
lines, and II the report should be accepted
by both houses and should become law,
we should all be- happy"
Surprised House Members.
The oonfcrrees adopted the suggestion
and presented tho proposition to the after
noon session of the conference. The propo-
sition created some surprise on tho pan of
the house members, who at first evinccd "a
disposition 10 accept 1t, but after consider
able discussion OF the merits of this feat
ure OF the proposition and of the other
features, involving the acceptance Of the
other senate amendments, declined to
vouchsafe an answer without further con-
sideration. The question was, therefore,
undisposed of when the conference ad
journed for the day.
The Republican senators, it Is under
stood, have given notice that If there Is
material change In the more important
schedules relating TO manufactured arti,
cles, they will resist the immediate dis
position Of the committees report, when
made, ana have stated that in that event
moro tariff oratory may bo expected.
Wilson Talks.
The house oonferrees have their side Of the
situation to tell. Mr.. Wilson author
lied tho statement at the close of the con
ference yesterday that the reports current
to the effect that President Cleveland had
interfered with the informal agreement
reached "Wednesday night were wholly un-
warranted and untrue. Mr.. Wilson said
Al ftN1x 9y,t.
from exerting any influence on the con
ferrees, and was leaving the members to
shape their courses as they saw fit
The situation is In nowlse improved,
and the feeling between the friends Of the
senate bill and the house bill Is intensified
instead of allayed, and no one is prepared
90 say what the outcome will be or when
| Che end will be reached.