The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-01-30
THE DEMOCRATS ARE FIRM.
The Tariff Bill Is Likely TO Pass the
House Practically Unchanged
Fight SOlidifies Wilson's Forces.

House Practically Unchanged
Fight SoIidifles Wilson's Forces.
81 ecial to the New York World,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-The pas
sage of the Wilson tariff reform bill,
in practically it's present form, is as
nearly assured as anything in the line
of political legislation can be assured
until it is accomplished. The strug
gle of the past ten days in the House
has resulted simply in solidifying the
Democratic majority and exposing the
weakness of the Republican opposi
tion. The bill itself remains un-
changed, except as the committee of
ways and means has itself amended it.
Upon only one vote has there been any
Indication that Chairman Wilson had
majority of his own party in the
House. That was on the proposition
to transfer steelra rails to the free list,
upon which the'DemOcrats who voted
divided about equally or with slight
majority in favor of the proposition.
The votes of the Republicans went for
a tax on rails and SO the committee
was sustained. The committee has
been beaten Upon but one vote since
the debate began, and then it was by
Republican lvOtcs, the Republicans
joining with the Populists and radical
free-traders 10 prevent the postpone
ment until Aug. of the taking effect
of the frec-wool clause.
There still remains full work Of
discussion and several amendments
which may probably give the com
mittee mGe trouble than any that
have yetjbeen offered. The first of
| these WILDE upon the sugar schedule,
| which is to be considered for three
hours tomorrow morning. This is a
sore spotin the bill for the Democrats,
owing to the position of the Louisiana
| and other Southern members the in
| terests of whose constituents are so
bound 'up in the sugar industry. 1t
has been anticipated that the income
tax qlestion would be injected into
| the discussion here, but as the whole
thing must be disposed of in three
hours it is probable that the debate
will be confined chiefly to sugar it.
self. 1t is equally probable that the
SCHEDULE will stand as it is, unless the
committee itself makes some change.
Chairman Wilson has succeeded in
| imrressing upon the majority a realiza-
very complicated thing, and that for
tie House to change one item, or one
CAUSE, will probably involve dozen
Gher changes Gnd complicate and
confuse the whole affair. This argu-
jnent he has urged successfully against
democratic attempts to change the
Iron schedule. the woOlen schedule and
I the cotton schedule, and there Is no
reason to doubt that he will be equally
successful in the matter OF the sugar
schedule.
After the sugar question is disposed
of, an entire day has been set aside
for the coal and iron ore schedules.
Mr.. Hits amendment to establish
reciprocity with Canada in the matter
of coal is the only one that thus far
promises serious work for this day.
it is more than likely that Mr.. Wilson
would not object to that amendment
himself, providing it did not let the
bars down for general reciprocity
scheme. There will still remain four
days for general debate and amend
ment under the five-minute rule, and
much opportunity for mischief, Shou Id
the ranks of the majority once become
broken. OF the possibility of this,
however. there is no indication.
the significant thing brought out by
the debate thus far is the steadfast-
ness of the Democratic majority to the
idea OF tariff reduction. The whole
tendency of the Democrats is towards
even greater reduction than the
WILSON bill makes. 1t is only the re,
straining hands OF Chairman Wilson
an some OF his associates upon the
com nittee that pgeyent the majority
fro carrying the reduction idea to
len tbs that would horrify tho Re
pu 1,icans, and probably, when tho re-
suits became apparent Themselves.