Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-31
Friends of the Wilson Bill Full Of
Hope Today. ~
BOTH PARTIES TO COME DOWN
If a Tariff Bill Fails Congress May
Be Reconyened.
REP RES SENTATIVES TALK

There were signs this morning Of the
Senate weakening little from the attitude
assumed in conference over the tariff yes
terday. Both sides are evidently alarmed
by the almost hopeless condition in which
trey found themselves yesterday. The pros
pect opened before them was so bad that
irstinctively they are getting around to the
conclusion that absolutely something must
be done. The evidence that Mr.. Springers
move against the ways and means commit
tee OF his own camp cannot succeed has
apparently impressed the Senators that
nothing is to be looked for from that quar-
ter. Moreover, the attitude of the Senate
corferees in repudiating all agreements
reached at the former conference and in
sisting upon the Senate bill, word for word
and letter for letter. was too extreme to be
maintained This mornings meeting of the
democratic conferees was no more than an
informal talk and they are to meet for
work this afternoon.
To Come on Their Stills.
There seems to be a general disposition
to come down off the stills which all par
ties have been strutting about en-. If the
Senators of the conference will come back
to the agreements on the several schedules
which were reached at the other confer
ore, coal and sugar in dispute. and agree
to the reciprocity proposition as to coal il
Is probab BILE that the House would say no
more about sugar and take the bill
Whether n measure dcctored could be
got through the Senate is another question,
but it Is almost the only basis on which an
agreement might be reached in conference
1t Is said that II Congress shoul1 adjourn
without agreeing on a bill Cleveland would
at once call them back again in special ses-
sion. and keep the fight Up Until something
is done or until the Congress expires.
Friends of tho Wilson Dill Hopeful.
The friends of the Wilson bill were full
of hope today. They gathered about Chair
man Wilson and the other House conferees
on the tariff and assured them that the
danger of adverse caucus action by the
House had been averted and that House
democrats could now be depended on to
stand by the House bill to the last At
first there was an inclination among Mr.
Wilson's friends to remain away from the
caucus. III this had been adhered to it is
probable the caucus would have lacked a
quorum. But the sentiment is now felt by
them to be so strongly with the House
conferees that Chairman Wilson and his
friends are likely to attend the caucus and
take conspicuous part in it.
What Mr.. Strauss Says.
The confident attitude of those identified
with the administration and the House bill
in the present contest was pointedly ex-
pressed by Representative Strauss of New
York. He said: THE House will stay in
session until the 4th of March unless the
Senate abandons the farcical position Of
sending conferees whose instructions are
confer, but bring us back nothing but our
bill The House is and has been in a con-
ciliatory mood, but not in mood to sur
render. The House has never demanded
that it's bill without the dotting of an /
or the crossing of a should prevail. Its
conferees have had and have absolute free
dom Of action. The Senate conferees ad-
nit that they are bound hand and foot
This resolves itself simply into the old
story of the chief of the fire company, who
when the question of painting the engine
came up, made a speech saying, Boys
you've always been very kind to me, and
are about 10 paint the engine / am
going to leave it entirely. to your taste. l
don't give - how you paint her
long as you paint her red.' -'.--
1T is no longer a question Of rates. l
realize. as a merchant, the force of the cry
anything is better than delay. The stu-
alton. however. has changed that the
vital question is not what is best for the
country for the time being, but the far
more important one, shall the people of this
country or shall concentrated capital be
dictator? The original merits Of the tariff
bill-ail-impOrtant as they are-are second
airy to this question"
Representative Tracey Confident.
Representative Tracey of New York, who
is one Of the warmest friends of the ad-
ministration in the House, says: THE sue
cess of the House contention is now be-
yond the slightest question. The caucus
movement has proved a boomerang end it
will result in Strengthening the House con-
ferees at every point. The only question
at present is to how soon the Senators
will open their eyes to this inevitable re-
suit. 1 believe that they are fair men, and
that the present resistance is in the belief
that the House intends to surrender, but
soon as they become convinced that the
House will remain here until :he terms of
it's members expire rather than take the
Senate bill then they will yield"