The morning call., 1894-08-11
COMING TO TERMS.
House Leaders Ready to
Surrender.
TO BOW TO THE SENATE.
Thus German Will Beat the
President.
HILL PRECIPITATES A CRISIS.
Introduces ReSOIufiOr Thar Will
HILL PRECIPITATES A CRISIS.
a Resolution That Will
Prove the UndoiBg of the
Tariff Bill.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 10.-A crisis In
tariff affairs was reached to-day, both in
the Senate and in the secret councils of
the Democratic tariff conferees. When
the conference closed tonight it was the
understanding that the meetings would be
suspended for the present No time was
set for reassembing the conference to-
morrow or thereafter, and ii was also said
that further sessions might be necessary
ia case the Senate acted favoraoly to-
morrow on SeAator HIPS resolution di-
recting the Senate conferees to report the
situation of affairs.
What was OF more Importance was the
feeling expressed by the House conferees
al the close Of the conference that in case
the Hill resolution passed, and they be-
lieved it would, the conference would
pract cally De relieved of its work, and 1t
would remain only for the House to ac-
cept the Senate bill as lesser evil, as they
believe, than the Mckinley law.
These conclusions were reached after a
day of inte nse excitement among the tariff
leaders. The day opened with the Senate
proposition for free sugar still pending
before the conference. Chairman Wilson
that the tender of free sugar was not
made IN good faith, and they had there
fore requested the Senate conferees to
furnish a poll of the Senate, showing that
If the proposition were accepted it would
be adopted by the Senate and the bill
passed. The poll was considered as soon
as the conferees convened. 1t disclosed
that in the event of the acceptance of the
free sugar amendment the bill as whole
would be voted against by thirty Eight
Republicans and by Kyle, Allen and
PETER Pop.) and Caffery and Blanchard
Cd, a total of forty-three votes. or suf1-
cient to defeat the bill. This poll was
made on the best judgment Of the Senate
conferees.
The House accepted 1t as showing con-
clusively that the tender of the free sugar
amendment, while made in good faith by
the Senate eonferees, was means adopted
by the conservatives as means of defeat
ing tariff legislation ard leaving the Nc
Kinley law in force. The discussion
brought out for the first time the statement
that the defensive alliance between GER
tain Senators had proceeded further than
mutual cooperation and was now reduced
to a signed agreement. While members Of
the conference did not claim to have seen
the agreement, they stated as fact that
Senators Kyle, Allen, PETER, Blanchard
and Caffery had reduced their understand
ing to black and white and signed it to the
effect that they would vote against any bill |
| which did not contain a bounty clause for
sugar. As free sugar would eliminate the
| bounty provision, the signed agreement
was regarded as showing that the five Sen
ators combined with the Republicans would
defeat the bill.
1t was while animated comments were
being made on the foregoing conditions
that word reached the conference of Sem
ator Hill's coup d'etat in the Senate. The
| conference hastily adjourned. the Senators
going on the floor to take part in the de-
bate. Wilson was not disposed to attach
much weight to Senator HIPS move at the
start and said that 1t would be futile, as
the Senate could act while the bill was in
conference. This feeling was shared to
large extent early in the day by House
leaders, who characterized it as one of
the bluffs" which had been made of late
to demoralize the House conferees and
force them to yield.
Later in the day. however, this feeling
gave way to one of profound concern over
the situation and the future of the bill.
AT o'clock TIE conference, or a remnant
of il, again assembled with the Hill resolu-
tiOn and the exciting debate thereon as
the main topic among them. Little or no
attempt was made to take up items or
schedules, the talk being on the sensa-
tional general phases developed and no
progress was made up to o'clock, when
the conferees separated without fixing a
time for reassembling.
Senator Brice. speaking of the situation
tonight, said that for the first time he had
to admit that the chances for the bill are
not good, but he believed that the parlia-
mentary tangle would be Strengthened so
that the Senate bill could be passed
Brushing aside all parliamentary cob
webs" he said, land using common-sense,
there is no reason why the House cannot
at any time concur in the Senate amend
ments and pass the bill. If the Senate
should now take some further action look
ing to indefinite postpOnement it might
complicate affairs"
In presenting his resolutions calling for
a report from the Senate cODferees on the
tariff bill, Senator Hill did what has been
in contemplation in one form or another
Tor almost week. 1t had been held back
Indefinitely in Difference to the wishes Of
the Senate conferees. who have been in
disposed TO have such a question precipi-
tated while there was hope of reaching an
agreement. 1t cannot be definitely ascer-
tanned whether they gave their assent to
the proceeding on the part of Mr.. Hill to-
day. but the best information cbtainable
is that while not desiring to evade the
duty Of informing the Senate of the
status of the conference, he did nothing to
encourage the decision, and would have
preferred that its presentation be deferred
for the present.
The significant points 10 connection with
to-day's proceedings were the votes of
such Senators as Allen, Blanchard. Glib
SOD. Hill, Murphy, Palmer and Pugh in
favor Of the consideration of the Hill re-
solution, and the statement of Senator
Harris as TO the points of difference in the
Bland promise OF Senator Vest TO give all
the facts in detail if the Hill resolution
should pass.
The unexpected turn of affairs in the
Senate brought out much comment from