The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-08-07
CAUCUS AGAIN
IN THE HOUSE
The Members of Tariff Conference
Committee Are Displeased.
PROMPT ACTION ASKED !
In Direct Opposition to Speaker Crisp
and Chairman WilSOn--VOOrheeS
Urges Free Coal and Iron Ore.

OlkNo AlNN NUdl anu AlUu Olks
WASHINGTON, Aug, 7.-wher, the Dem
ocratic tariff conference adjourned last |
evening there seemed to be q better feel |
Ing among the conterrees than at the close !
Of previous sessions. Members from both |
houses announced that tho committee had |
been working over the schedule, and that |
progress was being mode but they did |
not indicate when report would be
reached though some of the conferrees
expressed the opinion chat on agreement
vas in sight. For considerable portion
of Ghe day the senators were not in the
conference roam, but it was stated that
no significance waslto be attached to that
fact as they were all working toward an
agreement. These senators occasionally
repaired to the committee room of Senator
Vest, and sometimes were in consultation
with Democratic maRagers in the room OF
the committee on appropriations
The coal and iron questions were con
sidered yesterday, almost to the exclusion
of every other topic, and the discussion pro
oeeded upon the basis Of the duty provided
on these articles by the senate amend
ments, with the limitation of the time
that the duty shall continue to four years,
The house conferrees held out stubbornly
for the entire recession Of the senate from
its amendments, and there appearing nc
probability of reaching an understanding
the senate conferrees withdrew to a sep
arate room, leaving the house members to
themselves the greater part of the after
noon. The day closed with request on
the part of the house conferrees that they
be given further time to decide upon
line of action on coal and iron ore. The
request was granted.
1t is not understood that the house
members have agreed positively either to
accept or reject the senate proposition, but
it is possible that they may submit a
counter proposition, with the hope that il
will be acceptable to the senators.
A member of the conference said today
thai with the coal and iron ore questions
disposed of there would, he thought, be
little more time necessary to reach All
agreement on the entire bill. He admit.
ted that there was a virtual understand
ing on all the other schedules, including
sugar. He also said that the developments
so far made indicated wide differences on
coal and iron ore and had not been of
character to indicate an agreement at all.
Still, he was hopeful that common
agreement might be found on these two
articles.
Considerable surprise was expressed by
the oonferrees when they learned that
call for house caucus at 8 o'clock this
afternoon had been issued, and it evi-
IDENTIFY was very distasteful to the house
members of the conference, who had felt
that they were beginning to see an agree
ment, Mr., Montgomery said that the
caucus would make no difference so far
as he was concerned and he would con
tinue the work he was engaged in unless
some action very different from that
which he anticipated should be taken by
the caucus He said that while the eau.
Gus was in progress the conferrees would
be at work.
Intense feeling was developed among
all members as soon as the caucus move
began Members gathered in the lobbies
and talked excitedly for and against the
step. Representatives Straus, Warner and
others friendly to the administration, de
nounced it as fire in the rear"
Neither Speaker Crisp nor Chairman
Wilson had been consulted as to the eau
Gus and it was recognized as directly in
opposition to their wishes. Representa-
tive Cultivate, as associate of Speaker
"The caucus is not indorsed by the COM
mittee on rules or by the conferrees,
1t is evidently move against the house
conferrees. Members of the rules com
mittee will probably enter the caucus, but
/ expect the conferrees will remain away
in view of the fact that adverse action by
the caucus would be equivalent to vote
of 'wane of confidence"
Representative Straus, a close friend of
Mr., Wilson, expressed the opinion that
the caucus would prove boomerang He
believed Mr.. Wilson and the other CON
feTrees would attend the caucus and at
tempt to carry it. With such men as
Speaker Crisp, Chairman Wilson, Bourke
Cochran and Others urging loyalty to the
house conferrees, Mr. Straus did not think
an antagonistic resolution would pass.
Mr.. Straus said also that he expected the
caucus would bring out some startling
conference secrets which would insure
the conferrees' support from the house
Messrs. Springer and Bynum make no
ooneealment of the fact that the caucus is
for the purpose of ending the contest by
accepting the seuate bill In this connec-
tion they quote a statement made to them
by Senator Mills to the effect that further
house resistance meant the killing of all
tariff legislation.
Senator Voorhees,, who has been con
fined to his home by illness for some time,
was somewhat improved last night, and
talked freely to an Associated Press rep
resentative regarding the tariff bill. He
said among other things;
''The sugar question being practically
out of the way, by concession, the senate
ought, in my Judgment, concede free coal
and free iron ore and Of course, it woulGI
do so but for a membership in that body
which can be counted on the fingers oil
one hand / have no disposition to rehec
on the motives of those who differ from
me in opinion, but this small minority o
the senate having substantially carried
their point on sugar, can very easily and
honorably afford TO make concessions onI
coal and iron"