The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-08
STILL AT SEA.
Tariff Bill Conferees Yet Far from nm
Agreement.

WASHINGTON, Aug. THE tariff con-
ference to-day was entirely subordinated to
the House caucus and was devoid of inter-
estng features The conference held two
brief sessions during the day. and discussed
the coal and iron ore question, besides re-
verting to the sugar schedule. The talk,
however, served TO no purpose. except 10
emphasize the fact that the disagreement
is still unbroken, and that very little if any,
progress is being made. The purpose Of
taking up the sugar schedule again cannot
be learned. Ii is also impossible to ascertain
the reason the House conferees assigned for
declining to accept the sliding scale on coal
and iron ore proposed by the Senate confer
ees 1t would appear from ali information
that can be secured that without giving any
special reason they resumed their argument
for free raw material. 1t has come TO be
understood that in these meetings the House
members are doing the greater part of the
talking and that the Senators have come to
be very impatient listeners.
The yielding Of Senator Voorhees, has led
the House conferees to the conclusion that
other conquests are possible. On the other
hand, the Senators have not concealed their
impatience at the delay: and the Senate con-
ferees have expressed their conviction many
times during the past week that II an agree
ment is not soon reached the situation de-
mands & the reporting of another disagree
than once to-day, and, being repeated in
the Senate chamber. led to the general cir
culation OF the report that either an agree
ment would be reached or a disagreement
decided upon tomorrow. When asked as to
the foundation for this report one Of the
Senate conferees stated that ii was among
the possibilities but he would not say that
Ii was probable.
There are some indications that early
conclusion of the conference may be
brought about. One Of these is found in the
fact that Senator German has been making
careful investigation of the status of the
bill in case a report should be made. Ger
tain of the conservative Senators have been
very impatient at the delay in conference.
and il is known that a resolution discharg-
ing the conferees from the further consd-
Grafton of the bill and receding from the
sugar schedule was drawn up by one OF
them on Monday and would have been pre-
sented on that day but for the interference
There is still talk of the possibility of such
a notion but IL will not be made except
with the consent of the Senate conferees-
The publication OF Senator Voorhees, in
terview taking position for free coal and
iron ore created an air of expectancy about
the Senate upon assembling to-day, but the
questions raised by him were not referred
to in the official proceedings. The publica-
ton was the subject of general comment in
the cloak rooms and corridors, but IL the
interview had any effect upon the tariff
and the best information is TO the effect
that Ii was only casually referred 10, and
that the committee went on with its work
IL the chairman Of the Senate conferees
had not taken public position In direct
opposition to that maintained by his fel
low-members of the Senate committee on
the question of coal and iron duty,
which was then under consideration.
Chairman Wilson and Representative
Breckinridge. of Arkansas' were at the
the latest phases of the tariff situation were
fully canvassed. Representative Cultivate,
of the committee on rules, saw the Presi-