The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-28
ALL TALK AND NO ACTION
SENATOR'S DO NOT MiNCE WORDSIN
THE Tariff CAUCUS.
sugar still N Bone of Contentious enators
Brice, Hill, and white Very Emphaue
In Their Demands.

! A. NJ tomorrow, was Ilcn III thin p"'
moor in action. Some plain and rather
emphatic English was spoken but no
action was taken on any item in the
bill.
After the adjournment a member OF
the Finance Committee said 1t was hoped
that now the speeches had been made
ALI around. action would follow and some
| thing definite be accepted tomorrow. IL
was thought by this that the conference
would to-morrew send the bill back 10
the committee. with instructions 10 amend
| In some particulars as result or the
| conference on certain schedules. Under
this plan the details OF the arrangement
OF the changes agreed upon would be left
| to the Finance Committee. and two or
| three days would elapse before the cor
rccted bill could be laid before the full
| Committee on Finance. IL Is doubtful,
| however If the caucus can reach any
conclusion tomorrow.
figh. over ,he sugar Schedule.
Sugar was not the only topic demanding
attention to-day, although much depends
upon the action taken on that schedule.
The committee offered the caucus what
might be called fiat" rate on sugar OF
one cent pound. based upon the pure
saccharine matter. This would fix the
duty on sugar testing, but eighty degrees
| at eight-tenths Of a cent. and would, there
| FORE show the refiner a very slight faNof-
| itism. The sugar men believe, however
| that they Will be able to get the one-eigh'h
clear they have claimed, and some 80 as
far as TO claim a quarter of a cent. II
is understood that the majority or the
Democratic members Of the Finance Com
mittee expected to see refined sugar get
the extra one-eghth for which the friends
Of sugar have been contending. No cX-
preston as to how senators stood was
heard in the caucus to-day sufficient 10
indicate what the result VIII be. There
appeared TO be no further uncertainty as
TO coal. and il Is conceded that fifty cents
ton will be given IT,
Up 10 within the last half hour there
seemed TO be "A spirit Of concession abroad,
but after that time the committee and its
followers stood out more firmly for the
bill as laid before the caucus.
IT is understood that a scene somewhat
sense ;ional in it's features took place
during the morning session. Yesterday
Senator White, Of Louisiana. made very
vigorous speech, while on the subject OF
sugar. in which he bitterly denounced
the attitude OF some senator's. No reply
was made until this morning. when, IL
is said, two or three senators replied in
language that was decidedly personal
and unpleasant. 1t is also said chat Mr.
White has declared that he would not
send his resignation as senator TO the
Governor of Louisiana until he knew
what was TO be done with sugar. Mr..
Whites attitude was described by one
senator as that Of a man who stood with
his commission as a Supreme Court Jus
In, nf,A rt D. liz 81
as a senator in the other. waiting to see
when he could serve his constituents
and the people best
The caucus went into the speech-mak-
ing business to-day in a systematic
manner by calling the roll Of the States
ard asking the senators 10 give their
views on what should be done Many Of
those who lave spoken before spoke
again. and many senators who have. up
TO this point been listeners. turned plead
ers and eXpounders to-day.
Sua or Briefs III in Words.
Senator Brice, Of Ohio. who was the
prime mover in calling the caucus. made
forcible and vigorous speech to-day. He
is said 10 have criticised the wisdom that
placed the construction Of the tariff bill
in the hands of three senators. whose
status as a subcommittee had been at
tackled on the floor Of the Senate, and
gone unchallenged and who were not
apparently in sympathy with any OF the
manufacturing centres of the country
which We're most affected by the bill.
II was evident. he said. that the party
WAS rent by dissensiOns and the questions
for the conference 10 decide In connection
with the tariff bill, was what should be
done 10 save the Democratic party IF.
said Mr. Brice, you are going 10 frame
this bill in accordance with the platform
OF the Democratic party as adopted 1T
Chicago, that is one thing. IT, on the
other hand. you intend TO frame il on the
lines Of the platform that was not adopt
ed, an entirely different view Of the
case is given us, but II you intend to
frame it so that you protect the sugar
interests alone at the expense of the
great industries Of the North, and you
intend to ignore them entirely, then pro-
pose, for one. TO have something 10 say.
Mr.. Brice. it IL understood, called
attention to the fact that there must be
more done than merely to conciiate the
sugar senators, whose constituents would
be injured by prospective legislation, ana
that "A very important question for Demo-
Gratis TO consider is what they can do TO
keep in the party the great States Of
Ohio, New York. New Jersey, and Mary
land. which were full OF industries that,
he asserted, the proposed bill sought TO
cripple. The great States OF ohio, New
York. and New Jersey, with their repre-
sentstion in Congress aggrega ting many
times more than the southern delegation.
should not be ignored. The Democrats
Mr.. Brice believed, should frame bill
that would yield sufficient revenue 10
run the Government. but they had failed
to do it. If the bill vas not carefully con-
sidered Mr.. Brice warned the caucus
that the States 10 which he had referred
would become, so far as Democracy was
concerned. as barren as Il desert. II con
crssions were to be made. he said they
must be made On general lines and To-
ward those Industries that produce the
greatness of the States which the Demo
cratic party were now threatened with
losing Mr.. Brice wanted the party re-
moved from the place where II laid itself
liable 10 the suspicion OF engaging Il
sectional consideration Of the measure.
For that reason he believed IL better that
the bill be referred TO "A committee to be
suggested by the caucus. 10 be made up
or representative men, representing
States where these aggrieved industries
were known and understood. and that
such a committee should make up the
bill. Even II they reported the same bill
1t would be free from the objections that
are now levelcd at the bin before the
caucus.
Mr. Brice spoke freely and his remarks
had much weight vita senators. He is
counted as one OF the six conservatives
in whose hand the fate of the bill APP
pears 10 rest. These men are Messrs
Brice, Hill, Smith. Murphy, White, Of
Louisiana. and Gallery.
Biil Dsnouncrs N Income Tax.
Senator Hill made his first enaecb In