The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-21
JUST LIKE VOORHEES,.
He Has "Fixed" His Friends, and Now
Wants No Duties.
pecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. - Sensational
scenes are reported to have occurred at the
meeting of the full Democratic membership
OF the Senate committee on finance last
night 1t is stated that Chairman Voor-
hees insisted on reporting the Wilson tariff
bill with but few changes and the free list
the same as it passed the House, but with
the demands of the Whisky Trust fully
complied with, namely, an extension of the
bonded period to five years and an increase
of the tax to s1.2O a gallon. This PROPOSE
ton brought the advocates Of a duty upon
sugar, coil, iron ore and wool to their feet.
They demanded some protection to these
interests as we'll as to the whisky men,
Chairman Voorhees, is reported to have
stated In effect that the free list provided
in the Wilson bill a cardinal principle
OF the Democratic party. and that it would
not do to place any duty upon the articles
named. Then the chairman was coolly in
formed that the bill, as he proposed to re-
port it, would be promptly recommitted as
at least seven Democrats and two Populsts
would vote for recommittal. 1t looks as
though there would have to be some pro-
lection on sugar. iron ore and coal, if the
bib passes the Senate. Members of the mi
hOiASy say IL NOulu De ulS peJlST part Oh
Republican politics for the Republican Sen
ators to assure the majority membership of
the finance committee that they would not
vote for recommittal if the Wilson free list
is undisturbed, as it might result in secur-
ing a sufficient number of adverse Demo-
cratic votes to insure it's defeat on final
passage. This was the policy adopted by
the Republicans in the House; but the Re-
nh in tI,a fool
more power for forcing amendments than
their colleagues did in the House, and they
are loath to refuse to exercise that power
The Hoosier chairman of the finance COM
rocky times.
The Associated Press report says: There
has been considerable talk about the SEN
ate to-day of the prospect of Democratic
caucus to consider the tariff bill. Senator
Gibson, who has been cooperating with
Senator German and others TO secure a
duty on coal, said this afternoon that he
considered caucus inevitable, and that
he thought it would be held during the
first part of next week. or possibly the
OF the finance committee do not consider
that caucus will be necessary. and they
They attribute the caucus reports to the
dissatisfied element, and are evidently of
the opinion that they, will not be able to
secure sufficient backing among Demo-
cratic Senators to force caucus
The sugar schedule appears to be at pres
ent the item which is giving the greatest
annoyance, and there is no doubt that but
for the unsatisfactory status of this mat
ter the other disputed questions would have
been agreed upon before this time and the
bill reported to the full committee. There
Is no feature of the bill concerning which
the members of the committee are so nom
communicative as this, and they say they
cannot talk, for the reason that anything
they would say would be misleading. The
opinion current about the Senate Is that
while a majority of the subcommittee is
opposed to any duty whatever on sugar
they will concede about 81 of a cent. The
members of the committee admit that the
pressure is very strong for IL cents but
say they feel very confident that even if
the bill is reported without any duty 1t
will receive the Democratic support in the
Senate when it comes to the test of vote,
and they may yet decide to let it so in at
that figure
There is good authority for the statement
that the committee has decided upon a
small duty on coal and also lead ore
TIE lead ore men are very confident that
they will get a duty of at least / cent a
I'D. There is the came authority for
turbed, and will be the same in the Sem
ate as in the House a member of the
committee gave as his opinion to-day that
the tax on manufactured tobacco would
be undisturbed. but thought it possible
that a tax would be placed on unmanu-
factured leaf tobacco, though this
would not be done if some other measure
could be found of equalizing the revenue.
The tobacco manufacturers exerting
their energies to have this tax levied, and
also to prevent an increase in the tax on
the manufa ctured article, and there was a
large delegation from the national tobacco
manufacturers convention at the Capitol
to-day in that interest.