The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-18
THE RUSSIAN CACTUS.
Senate Favors an Appropriation For
Its determination.
No Prospect OF Agreement on the
Questions Which Puzzle the Tariff
Conferrees.


WAsHINGro0. July 1s.-A surprise was
r2rung upon the senate yesterday which
blocked the hitherto rapid progress on
the appropriation bills aud almost pre-
vented the immediate passage OF the sg-
ricultural appropriation bill.
The considera tion of this bill was prac-
tically completed Monday, aud the bill
seemed on the eve of being passed when
Mr. Hansbrough offered an amendment
appropriatipg 81, OO0 900 for the destruc-
eion Of the Russian cactus or thistle.
Il was immediately laid before the sem
ate yesterday. when the agricultural bill
was again taken up. A point of order
made against it was decided in the mega
tive by a vote of the senate. The amend
ment ccnsum med the remainder of the day,
and lsd to considerable discussion. 1t
was adopted BY vote of 27 TO "a Several
unim portant bills were passed early in
the day.
The house passed the Bailey voluntary
bankruptcy bill by vote of l21 to ol
without debate. The remainder of the
day was devoted to business reported
from the judiciary committee. Only two
bills. however. were disposed of-one to
create an additional circuit judge, for the
eighth judicial circuit. and the other
making United States railroad corpora
tions, for the purpose Of jurisdiction. cit
isens Of the states through which they
pass OF into which they go.
The Tariff
The first formal conference on the tariff
bill With ALI the senate and house mem
lbcrs, both Democrats and Repu blicans,
present, was held yesterday and continued
A. ID amt
then taken until this afternoon.
The proceedfngs,of the full conference
consisted Ia an effort on the part of the
emocratic .m eua bers to enlighten their
Republican colleagues upon the elements
of disagreement between the Democratic
members OF the two houses, without re-
vealing the modus by which they have
aought - get together or details OF the
proceedings OF the Democratic confer
sncea
It had been expected that the Republi-
can conferrees would at the outset in
dulge In some criticism on having been
kept out of the conference during its
initially; but the Republicans had little
to sag beyond the formal greetings, and
waited until Senator Voorhees,. as head of
the Democratic eonferrecs, made a some
what formal and full statement Of the
situation. He said that no discourtesy to
the Republicans had been intended. The
meetings had not been conference meet
ings, but had been confined to an effort to
bring about some settled policy among
che Democratic conferrees
The Principal Hitches.
Senator VOORHEES, added that he was
frank to confess that the efforts toward
agreement had not proved successful.
The features of disagreement were then
gone into at considerable length by Mr..
Voorhees, and his associates. They stated
that the sugar, coal, metal, wooden and
cotton schedules had been the chief bones
Of contention, but did not give particu-
lars la any case except in that of sugar,
with reference to which they stated that
the house members had indicated a will
ingness to grant some duty on that srti- |
Gle, bur had objected to the differential |
duty on refined sugar.
On the other articles which had been |
the basis of disagreement, Senator voor-
hees and other Democratic members of |
the conference contentcd themselves by
saying that the Democratic conferrees
Of the two houses had contended each
side for It's own bill. Th Is had been es-
pecially true on the metal aud wooden
schedules, the senate amendments to |
which had been strongly objected to by |
.he Democratic house conferrees. They
said that among other special articles in
the metal schedule the house mem bers
had held out for free iron ore, and for the
house rates on lead ore containing silver,
cutlery and steel rails.
They had also demanded-so IL was re-
ported to the full commemorative coal.
In the general discussion, the Republi
conferFees gathered that sugar, iron ore,
coal, the woolen schedule. cotton sched-
ule and silver lead bearing ores were the
chief questions Of disagreement.
without a Program.
The question finally arose as to what
would be done, now that the full con-
ference had assem- bled. 1t was suggested
by Senator Aldrich that the bill should
be Saksn mp trem by item and be con-
sidered by Republicans and Democrats,
bat the point was raised that this ap-
pearod TO be hardly worth while. in view
Of what the Democrats had just dis
ciosed--that there was no prospect of
agreement on the main question. There
was no further proposition submitted and
no program outlined. and the conference
adjourned until tais afternoon, the Demo-
cratic conferrees agreeing TO meet prior
|
sued.
The meeting yesterday was not marked
BY any sharp controversy or criticism,
and only once did the sarcasm of Mr..
Reed find utterance. IL was when Chair
man Wilson, speaking rather personally
OF the amendments urged by certain DEM
Pcrstio senator's, said that IL might be
well TO inform the public of the situation
~ printing in the tariff bill the names
~ the senators alongside their respective
smsndments. To this Mr. Reed responded
that the public would probably mistake
the tariff bill for a biographical dictionary.
As result OF the meeting, the Repub-
Itsan conferrees concluded that general
Enlargement would be reported TO both
houses within few days. There was no
distinct statement or proposition TO this
SRect. but q appeared to be the only con-
rlusion TO be drawn from what had oc-
Dnrred- Senator Aldrich and Mr.. Reed
Dsid thcre would be no disposition on the