The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-09
CAPITOL NOTES,
THE TARIFF CONFERENCE


THE TARIFF CONFERENCE.
( WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-The under
standing among the tariff cOnteTees
when they adjourned late this after
noon was that the session tomorrow
should bring out either an agreement
on the sugar schedule or a decision to
report a disagreement. Today was
devoted by the conference to DIS
cussion of the sugar question. rms
schedule in detail provides for duty
of 30 per cent ad valorem on sugar
below lG Dutch standard and 40 per
cent on sugar above this grade, the
duty on refined sugar to be collected
on the basis of the sacharine strength
of the raw sugar used in it with one
fifth of a cent diflerential on the re-
fined and discriminating duty equal
to the export duty levied by such sugar
producing countriss as a bounty On
sugar production.
This schedule was submitted to the
conference as the ultimatum of the
conservative senators, coming through
Senator Smith of New Jersey, and the
house conferees were given to underH
stand that the schedule was the near
est approach to the requirements that
the senate could make with any assur-
ance that the bill would pass in the
senate. Some of the cOnferees are
favorably inclined towards the sched-
ule because they believe that it defines
exactly the extra duty to be paid on
refined sugars, and is free from the
objection urged against the senate
schedule that, owing to the working of
tha CphDH nla If UaS intOngCihIp m fell
beyond the one-eighth of cent
differential what the duty would be on
the refined article. They are of the
opinion that the duty in the schedule
presented today will be confined to
the one-ffth of cent differential.
1t is understood, however, that
while inclined to accept these figures
as the best they can get, and while
considering that in this they secure an
advantage over the senate schedule,
they indicated desire to consider the
question over night and that it was on
this account that the decision which it
was hoped would be reached today
would be postponed until tomorrow,
A report received from an inside
source is to the effect that some
OF the house cOnferees found
this schedule Objectionable from
several points of view and when
the time for I'D )urnmeuJ was reached
had not only failed to indicate a wills
lingness TO accept the schedule, but
had said that so far as they have been
able to master its details they consid>
cred it unacceptable. 1t was this eX-
preston of opinion on their part
which left the situation in such doubt
when the conference adjourned and
rendered it possible that instead of an
agreement being reached the result
might be a disagreement. The pres
sure for the bill is so strong in the
party, however, that the probabilities
aresstill favorable TO an agreement on
some line.
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-The river
and harbor appropriation bill was re-
ported from the conferees TO both
finally passed the bill carries $ll, 4SS,
$50, an increase of $l,9i0, 491 from the
house bill Compromises were then
reached on 50 of the senate amend
Ineuts, the senate receded from 20 and
the remainder were accepted by the
house. The most important of the
senate amendments which were re-
ceded from was New York harbor, in
creased from SO, 600 to 100000; BALI.
more harbor increased from
$50 OOO to 5000, 600; Cumber-
land Sound, Ga., increased
from 500. OOO - $4,000; authorizing
the secreta,y of war 10 use $50 600 of
the appropriation tor Mobile harbor in
rem wing obylructious lu the Mobile
and Tombigbee rivers; Pensacola, Fla,
! harbor increased from 500 600 to SIPS. =
600; to connect Bayou Paquemiue,
La, With the Mississippi river by a
lock, 60,000 for a lock aud dam near
the mouth of the Harpeth river, in
Tenn essee, $150,000. Some of the
most important compromises were:
The deduction from $4,000 to $11O,-
900 of the item for Wilma
yaw Bay, s. c.; from 1900, o.
600 to $275,OOO for Sabine
Pass, Tex; $4,000 for the
Roanoke, n. c., river, striking out the
provision authorizing the secretary of
war &c make future contracts amounts
ing to $780, 600 for Cape Fear river,
North Carolina. To the allowance for