The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-08-11
THE TARIFF MEASURE.

The Present Week Expected to seal It's
fate-A Very slight Chance of Agreeing.
with Il Possibility of the Whole Question
Being Again Opened to I~nterminable De-
bate and to FiIibusterinS-DanSer of De-
feat.
WASHINGTON, Aug. s,-The present
week will probably seal the fate of the
tariff bill. The democratic members.
OF the conference committee met in an
informal way yesterday, and again
over the bill. agreeing here and
there to tentative changes. in the hope
that they could hasten a conclusion.
The senatorial contingent of the con-
leagues of the house hat the new
sugar schedule would be acceptable to
the senate, and, secure the forty
three votes necessary. The dis
cussion in conferences, however,
indicated that all parties recog-
nized the necessity of making an early
report of some kind. The senate con-
ferees decline to indi cate what the ma
ture of the tip will be. but one OF them
stated positively that there would be a
conclusion reached not later than
Wednesday and possibly by to-day.
He made the positive statement hat
there could be no compromise on coal
and iron. and if the house conferees in
sisted upon the house bill on these
items there would soon be a disagree
ing report. The house men still de-
mand some concession on these items.
The parliamentary status of the bill
is giving its managers orr uneasi-
ness. The bill is now in possession of
the senate. The house can take no ac-
ton on the measure until the senate
has acted, and it is the probable result
in h senate that causes the ulcasi-
ness that has been manifested.
Some conservative democrats in the
house, who have heretofore upheld the
house bill, are now condemning the
deadlock. Could these men get a
chance to vote on the bill. it is be-
lieved they would override their con
fcrees and hasten the end OF the strug-
gle.
Whatever may he the conclusion
reached by the confcrces, the report
must first go to the senate, and the bill
cannot be acted upon in the house un-
til that body has before it the original
bill and the conference papcrs. How
long it will take these documents to
get back to the house after the matter
is again oDened in the senate. no po-
litical augur can fOretell. \ disagree
ing or an agreeing report is bound tC
enc the whole field of debate.
The wooden. metal and cotton sched-
uies are said to be as difficult Of sOlu-
ton as the other three schedules around
which so much political Importance
ClingS. Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Murphy
have resisted from the first any serious
en~crOachmcnt upon the wooden and
cotton schedules, while, it is said. the
retention of the iron and metal sched-
ule intact, is the preference Of certain
republicans who, should these be re-
duccd, will at once resume dilatory
tactics and insist upon talking the con-
ference report to death.
The situation in the committee OF
conference may be briefly summed up.
The house insists upon material con-
cessions in coal and iron ore: the sen.
ate refuses absolutely to give more
than reciprocity on coal. Mr.. German
will not listen to any proposition look
ing to a graduated duty on these raw
materials or the counter proposition
that the duty be left as it is with the
proyiSo that it shall expire in three
years and iron ore and coal be Their
transferred to the free list. The house
confcrees will agree to the scedule re-
Gently made public. on the one-fifth
basis, and the sugar senators, ~sO-called,
have accepted it The Louisiana sen
ators and Messrs. Allen and Kyle will
not support it, and these -four votes to-
gcther with those of Mr.. Hill. and
probably that Of Mr.. Irby, would de-
feat the bill.
With the sugar schedule as it is now
the senate was able to pass the hill
only by a very narrow margin. and
that. too. as is now claimed. in the be.
LIEF on the part of the Louisiana scna-
tors that the bounty was to be given
them in conference. This BOUNTY hav.
ing been refused, it is predetermined if
the democrats could get the bill
through again if no item be changed.
The managers on the part of the SEN
ate recognize the dilemma in which
they find Themselves and naturally
dread the contest that must come.
In addition to this. it was understood
Yesterday that at least fifteen repub-
licars had bound themselves by Il tacit
that when the conference
report again came into the senate they
would use every means in their power
to prevent the bill from ever getting
off the vice-president's table. This
course means more fllibustering.