The Portland daily press., 1894-08-08
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
1t Met Yesterday, Talked and Then
Adjourned.
NO INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN
TO THE HOUSE CONFEREEs.

RESOLUTIONS were oAAoreu and the Situa-
ton Was Discussed at Leneth-The
House Is Getting Impatient and ANY
Bill Would Be eAccepted-speaker Crisp
and Mr.. Wilson Among the Speakers.
Washington, August 1.-The House
Democratic caucus today lasted an hour
and half, and adjourned after deciding
that the House conferees on the tariff
bill should not be embarrassed by in
structions of any character from their
Democratic associates. The entire pro-
ceedings were cnaracerized by spirit
of harmony and good feeling.
Promptly at 8, Mr.. Holman of Indiana,
chairman of the caucus, called it to
order, with 1869 memb bers, an unusually
large mum ber, including. Messrs. Wilson
and Mcmillan, two of the House confer
ees, and Speaker Crisp. MIR. Bynum of
Indiana. who was the moving spirit in
securing thescaucus, offered the following
Whereas, House bill 1864, for the re-
duction of taxation and to provide rev.
enue for the government, passed the
House the first day of February, the
Senate the third dayAof July, and was
sent to conference the 7th day .of July
last, and
Whereas the commercial interests of
the country are held in suspense waiting
the final settlement of the question, and
Whereas the people of the whole
country have, through the public press
and by petitions and memorials to both
houses of Congress demanded a speedy
decision that industries may as soon as
possible be adjusted to the proposed
changes, and
Whereas\the conferes appointed by the
two houses to hold full and free confer
ence over the disagreeing votes of the
two houses have had the matters in dis
pute under consideration for one month
and have failed to come to any agree
ment whatever, and
Whereas the House of Representatives,
which, under the Constitution of the
United States. is clothed with exclusive
power to originate bills raising the rev.
me, is therefore clothed with the right
to pass upon all amendments proposed
by the Senate freely and without gre
Straint, and
Whereas the members of the House of
Representatives have not availed them
selves of the opportunity to consider the
said Senate amendments, or any of them,
which is their right under parliamenta.
ry law superior to all others, and
Whereas 1T is eurrersly believed the
said confereeS are unable to agree; there
fore be it
Resolved, First, it is the sense of this
caucus the Democratic conferees of the
House and Senate should meet in a spirit
of liberality to the end that the two
houses by mutual concessions, may agree
upon measure which will meet the ap-
proval of each. Second, the caucus
stands adjourned until 8, Friday, the
10Th inst, at which .time, in case no
agreement is reached, it shall reconvened
to take such further action in the premi-
ses as may.deem necessary and appropriate
and the chairman of the House caucus
is hereby authorized and directed to in
vite Democratic Senators to meet with
the Democrats of the House at that time
in joint caucus.
Mr.. Bynum said that as one of the
Democrats who had been instrumental
in circulating the call, he desired to ex-
plain that no reflection was intended on
the House conferees, in each of whom
he had the utmost confidence. His pur-
pose in asking for the caucus was to per-
| NIT all Democrats in the III ouse to meet
and confer as to the best interests of the
country and of the party. He explained
| the purpose of his resolution, and stated
that it was desirable the Democrats of
the House should invite the Senate con-
ferees to appear before them at subse-
Quent caucus in order that all OFF cial re-
representatives. of the party in the city
should take part in such deliberations
and assist in reaching conclusion that
would meet with the approval of both
| houses, Mr. Bynum said he knew a part
of thespeople represented by the great
| clamor in the press, demanded the House
| bill. He. knew also that people in his
district favored the best bill they could
get, and prompt settlement of the
present uncertainty upon some bill He
| preferred the Senate bill to no bill at ALL
| Mr.. Wilson, chairman of the COM
mitJee on ways and means, said he was
| glad of the opportunity to meet the Dem
ocrats in council, but might not have
| selected this time for the purpose. He
| did not consider it fortunate Just at
| time when, the situation was most criti-
| cal, that call for caucus should be
| held over the House conferees. Mr.. By
NUNS resolution expressed exactly what
| the conferees had 0een doing and were
now doing. Mr.. Wilson said the House
bill had proved acceptable to the people,
| but the Senate bill apparently had not.
| He appreciated the necessity of the DEM
| ocrats passing some bill, but it was not
| desirable the bill should be one which
| put the Democrats ON the defensive. If
might well be spent in reaching an
| agreement upon proper bill. It the
| House conferees did their duty. and the
| Housesdid it's duty, he believed a bill
would result honorable alike to the
| House and Senate. This end would not,
! in his opinion, be hastend by any action
that would seem to advise the Senate
confereessthat if they would hold out for
some definite short period of time the
| House conferees would agree with them.
Mr. Wilson said this was the feeling
| among all the House conferees, and they
desired to carry out the programme
along the line indicated. He intimated
that if the present conferees did not rep
resent the wishes of the majoriy of the
Democrats in the House they would be
| willing to give way to others.
Mr.. Bland asked if it would not he "a
good thing for the committee on ways
and means to report the bill putting
sugar on the free list. The suggestion
| evoked applause, followed by laughter
when Mr.. Bland continued: While the
Senate is considering the proposition,
we can take I'D the bill TO increase the
income tax to hundred million dol
| lars year.
su 5stitute for Mr.. Bynum's resolution:
Resolved, That we have unlimited
| oon&dance'i in the House conferres and