The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-08-03

From Our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, July 30.-PresidentC Cleveland
has not changed his mind about the desirability
of admitting free of duty such raw materials
us coal and iron ore nor have the Democratic
majority of the House which voted to put them
on the free list in the original Wilson bill nor
have the Democratic voters of the country who
were under thempreSsionw when they puta De IL
ncratic Congress and administration in power
that free raw materials were assured. Notwith-
standing this overwhelming Democratic senti-
ment i'll favor OF free raw materials. coal and
iron not to go on the free list. 1t is both
necessary and Improbable to enter into any
explanation at this time as to the why's and
wherefores of This. 1t is sufficient to say that
the fact has been made plain that no bill put
ting iron or coal on the free list can pass the
Senate. Therefore the Democrats of the House
are brought face to face with the choice of
leaving the Mckinley law stand or, of allowing
the Senate to have its way about coal and iron,
and getting new tariff law on the statute
books, which contains many most excellent
features and which is, even in the iron and coal
schedules, Il Dig reduction from the duties i'm
posed by the Mckinley law.
This is the situation that confronted the DEM
ocratic House conferees when they met the
Senate conterees to-day for their first formal
meeting in their second effort to reach an agree
ment on the tariff bill In addition they were
met with the tie vote of the Senate refusing to
instruct its conferees to recede from the differ
entail duty of one-elghth of II cent pound on
refined sugar, thus indicating, one might say
officially, that any change in the sugar schedule
would not be accepted by the Senate.
Notwithstanding all this chairman Wilson
and the House conferees are not disposed to
give up the fight; therefore 4 call is being Cir
culated for caucus of the Democrats of the
House, to be held If no agreement is reached on
the bill, by Tuesday. 1t is believed that the
conferees will endeavor to reach an agreement
upon everythingeXceptt the iron, sugar and coal
schedules of the bill before the caucus is held,
and that Chairman Wilson will then ask the
caucus what shall be done about those sched-
ules. 1t is of course impossible to say what
action the caucus will take, but in view of the
fact that the Democrats of the House are prac-
tically unanimous in the opinion that Il tariff
bill must be passed at this session of Congress,
and that bill cannot be passed unless those
schedules are accepted in accordance with the
demands of the Senate, it is believed that the
caucus will instruct the conferees to agree,
knowing that the responsibility has been placed,
by President Cleveland's letter, where it be-
longs.
There has been much talk here about the
probability of President Cleveland vetoing the
bill if the House agrees to the Senate iron, coal
and sugar schedules, but do not think it mt all
probable that he will. In fact, ! have excel
lent reasons for the belief that he has advised
Chairman Wilson and other prominent Demo-
Gratis of the House to get all the reduction pos
sble in the Senate bill and then to accept it as
the best that can be had. Mind, do not state
such advice, but that have excellent reasons,
which cannot be told without violating conf |
dehce, for believing that he has. 1t is also
known that prominent Democrats, outside of
Congress- have given Mr.. Wilson and the other
Democratic conferees similar advice.
The commission appointed by President
Cleveland to investigate the causes of the re.
day, in the Office of Hon. Carroll ID. Wright, U.
5. Commissioner of Labor, who is eX-ollicio |
chairman OF the Commission. No time is to be
lost in making the investigation.
The House committee on Labor after I'm eX- |
tended examination of the various bills on the
subject decided by a unanimous vote in favor of
Representative Springer's bill for the creation
of II National board of arbitration, which has |
been favorably reported to the House and will, |
if the committee can succeed in securing day |
for its consideration, almost certainly be pass
ed ut the present session. The bill is drawn in
accordance with the recommendation contain |
ed in President Clevcand's 1887 message to |
Congress.
The Senate Investigating Committee is hav-
ing considerable trouble i'll locating witness |
Mr.. Battershall who is alleged to be walking |
encyclopedia on just the things the committee |
wishes to find out about tie alleged dealing of |
Senators in stock of the sugar trust,
There is little disposition in either House or |
Senate to take up any other general legislation |
of importance, MS the belief is general that the
business of the session will be rushed to close
as soon as tho tariff bill is finally disposed of.
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