The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-13
HOUSE CAUCUS GOSSIP.
On TO-day'S Action Hangs the Tariffs
Fate.


A Dav of Toll and Worry for the
Tariff Leaders - Conferences and
Cabals-Thorough Understanding on
the Part of the House Members-An
Important Conclusion Reaohed-No
Need of Haste on the Part Of the
House.
Washington, Aug. 1.-THE night before
the House caucus which will settle the
fate Of the pending tariff legislation finds
the democratic leaders in that body who
have charge of the measure, calm in
spirit and confident of a satisfactory So
luton of the knoJty problem before them.
The House conferees were not in session
to-day, but Messrs. Wilson and Breckin-
ridge spent most of the afternoon together
talking over the situation. They were
joiued later in the evening by several gen
temen, and the understanding tonight is
that no opposition will be made at to-
morrows caucus to the motion to con-
cur in the Senate amendment to the tariff
bill.
THE PRESIDENTS WISHES.
There has been some question as to the
Presidents wishes regarding the caucus.
1t was thought in some quarters yester-
day that he might use his influence with
the House leaders to prevent the caucus,
and thus continue the contest between
the two houses. There is no good reason
10 believe that the President will at
of the most distinguished democrats in
public life, a gentleman who is deeply in
terested in the House bill. saw the Presi-
dent this morning and explained to HIM
at considerab bic length the situation as
viewed from the House standpoint.
Incidental mention was made of to-
morrow's caucus, but the President had
nothing to say ABOUT it. He did not ap-
prove it, nor did he condemn it, and was
apparently as indifferent to its result as
though it were a matter of mere legis-
lative routine.
Another subject of speculation to-day
was what action the President will take
if the Senate bill be sent to him. VIII he
veto 1t or sign it, or permit it to be-
come law without his signaturel
It is said by those who are closest
TO the President, both in a personal
and political sense, that he will approve
any bill which comes to him with the
sanction of the House cOnferees. His ap-
Droval might take the form of permitting
it to become a law without his signature,
but it is not believed that he will veto it
if it reaches him under the foregoing
circumstances.
SENATE PREDICTIONS.
The members of the Senate Steering
committee were not in session to-day.
One of the number predicted tonight that
the House caucus tomorrow would agree
to accept the Senate bill, but all the dem
ocrats in the Senate with the exception
of two or three, would facilitate their
efforts to secure the bill and pass it.
This gentleman believes that the
bill is in the possession of the
4 House and in that opinion the
a leading House democrats agree with him
a II is openly stated tonight by certain
democratic senators that if the bill be re
tanned in the Senate, it is dead. 1t is for
this reason that the Senate friends of the
measure will use their efforts to get it be-
fore the House, feeling that if this cannot
be accomplished. there is no possibility of
tariff legislation by this congress.
ANYTHING BUT EASY.
This has been anything but a day of
rest for the tariff leaders. They have
been on the go from early morning until
late tonight. 1t has been a day of con-
terences at the white house, at the pri-
vate residences and at the hotels. Secre-
tary Carlisle was with President Cleve-
land throughout the afternoon, The
Senate and House Conferees made no
effort to get together, and they remain as
wide apart as when their meeting broke
up on Friday night. The House confer
ees were in consultation informally most
OF the day, although at no time were
they all together at once. Chairman
Wilson spent the day with Representa-
tive Breckenridge of Arkansas at the
Normandie hotel, and was there called
upon by other conferees. Mr.. Wilson did
not see the President throughout the
day
MEETING OF MEMBERS.
The meeting of the House men brought
about thorough understanding among
them as to the line of action at the caucus
tomorrow and in the subsequent pro
ceedings of the Senate and House. They
M reviewed the situation from every posi-
oIe standpoint and have prepared them
selves for all emergencies. AS one of
Them said tonight, it was like going over
the field of ba tile and learning the
typography of the ground on the night
Ueiore the great fight.
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
AT the House the conferees had salts
ued themselves of the parliamentary situ-
auon Of the bill. They had done this
with the greatest care toward securing
an accurate and authoritative decision.
speaker Crisp had been asked to examine
WIN care the precedents bearing on the
vase, and 1t was understood he had in
turn consulted with Secretary Carlisle,
[eSentatives, is regarded as one of the
oeSt authorities on parliamentary pro-
yelure, From the examination which
naq been made the conferees were fully
saushed that the House of Representa-
ives had the right to pass the Senate bill
uow or at any time
CONFIDENT OF THE GROUND.
Inns determination went further than
.aS heretofore been understood. 1t was
uaI the House, having the actual physi-
Cal possession of the tariff bill, could
taSs ~ with the Senate amendments be-
g'e me Hill resolution passed tomorrow
after the Hill resolution passed or
T'et the Hill resolution was defeate
u"0 is, so confident were the House con-
sJ''es OF their right to pass the bill at
s.' ume, that they regarded their rights
N entirely unaffected by anything
uee Senate could do with the
H, .. resolution or with any other resolu-
so I They recognized that there were
fb1.o Irecedents against this position, but
ANA Iegarded the, overwhelming force Of
fo,r.norltY is with them, ana they there
bg accepted it as settled that the House
or, Ipreme authority over the bill, with
da, ,IeIerence to what the Senate might
"iAorrow or thereafter
r. AN IMPORTANT DECISION