Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-07-19
TARIFF REFORM IN DANGER
Failure of the Conferees to
Come Together.
NEITHER SIDE WILLING TO YIELD
Senate Subsidy Champions
Standing Firm.
Baltimore Sun special.

Baltimore Sun special.
WASHINGTON, July 17.-The Senate
and House conferees are no nearer an
agreement regarding tho important
Issues involved in the dispute over the
Tariff bill than when they frat began
their work. This was demonstrated to-
day when, after session of two hours,
the Democratic members of the confer.
ence committee invited the Republicans
to join in the discussion. 1t had been
generally believed the Democrats would
. agree upon some plan by which the
further progress of the Tariff bill might
be accelerated before asking the Repub-
licans to join them. When the meeting
OF the full conference committee was
called to order this afternoon the Re-
publicans were informed by Senator
VOORHEES, that so far as raw materials
and sugar are concerned neither the
House nor the Senate conferees have
receded an inch from the position first
assumed by them, aud that the prospects
of an agreement were poor indeed.
There was little done at the meeting
of the full committee. The discussion
Of the bill was informal and general
and when an adjournment until to- NOR
row was agreed to, there was general
understanding that report announcing
disagreement would be the only way
to break the existing deadlock. 1t is by
no means certain such report will be
submitted to either House. Immediately
after the committee adjourned the
Democratic members busted themselves
consulting with their associates in the
two houses.
A THREAT FROM THE CONSERVATIVES E"
A member of the House ways and
means committee is authority for the
statement that the Senate "conserya-
tives," headed by Senator German, in.
formed the Senate conferees that the
provisions of the Senate bill regarding
raw materials and sugar must be re.
tanned or the bill cannot pass the Senate
This, it is said, makes it absolutely GER
tain that when the committee meets to-
morrow the members from the Senate
will insist upon the Senate bill sched-
ules affecting coal, iron and sugar. The
House conferees, il is understood, have
also been urged by their associates to
stand firmly by the principles of the
Wilson bill. Under such conditions a
report of disagreement would seem to
be the only practical solution of the
problem.
The Democrats of the House resent
the attempt on the part Of the "con-
seryatiyes" in the Senate to dictate the
terms upon which the party shall revise
the tariff. 1t is understood that the
President is urging the House to remain
steadfast in support of the Wilson bill
and the Senate may yet be forced to
accept free raw materials and free sugar
or defeat the bill by conservative"
votes. In any event the defeat of the
bill seems now almost as probable as its
adoption. The situation, briefly de-
scribed, is that each house seems
determined to hold out for its own bill.
A middle course seems to have been
rendered impossible by the obduracy of
the Senate conservatives" They are
believed to have bound themselves
together by ties of mutual interest.
1t is said the collars and cuffs sched.
ule is dependent upon the sugar sched.
ule. A duty on coal and iron is neces.
sary if sugar is to receive protection.
Z This policy of bargain and sale has, it is
asserted, been carried to such an eX.
treme that the honest tariff rcfOrmers in
the Senate are satisfied threat from
Mr.. German or from any other one of
the protectionist Democrats means the
defeat of the whole party policy. The
House seems TO be confronted by II
single alternative, They can accept the
Senate bill or refer the question of tariff
reform once more to the people of the
country. Many leading members of
congress believe the latter course pre-