The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-16
TH E TARIFF CONFERENCE
AGAIN 1T IS CLAIMED A SETTLE
MENT HAS BEEN MADE.
lust What the Terms are is Hard to De-
termine, and it is Still Harder to De-
rermine Whether TO Believe
the Reports.


today 1t was understood on all sides
that the Democrats would report tt
the full conference tomorrow. The
mem bers supported the gene al fslth
by their statements, which were more
or less saDguine or guarded, depend
Ing on the temperament of the speak
err. While the utterances at the Time
of adjournment were not so strong al
those which were heard earlier
in the afternoon, they were
still sufficiently assuring to Jus-
tifying the statement that, barring
improbable contingencies, the Demo
cratic members Of the conference will
find themselves prepared some time
during tomorrow, or at the latest, on
Friday to call in the Republican mem
bers of the conference tor full meet
ing.
az will not say" said Senator Jones,
"that we have agreed, for that would
not be true, but the outlook is cheerful
and the indications are that we will
finish the work tomorrow. If we dc
not come to an agreement L Will con-
slider the conference at an END, for
do not see the utility of continuing
our interviews with the house confer
ees longer"
This situation was at the end of q
day which had started with q deter.
mination on the part of the senate
c0nferees to bring The question at is'
sue to finality during the day and
which later brought the uuotlicisl
announcement that nothing had been
accomplished ana an understanding
not reached.
The report began to gain circulation
about | O'clock and it grew stronger
and stronger with sometimes posi-
tive confirmation from those in posi-.
ton to know The facts until about 230,
when mem be IS of the conference sem
ators who have been clOseted with
them confirmed it TO the extent OF
saying that while all the details had
not been arranged, they felt confident
that basis had been found upon
which the conferees of both houses
could stand and the terms actually
agreed upon which the conservative
senators would accept. Both Demo-
Gratis and Republicans accepted this
as the approach of the END as equal to
definite announcement of agree
ment.
The terms Is given were that the
sugar schedule was to be as published
last week, namely, duty of 40 per
cent ad valOrem on raw sugar, 40 per
cent on the raw sugar in refining and
/ 5 of q cent defferential on re fined
sugar. 40 cents ton on coal, and free
iron ore has slight changes.
When, however, the conference re-
convened at 3 o'clock 1t soon develop
ed that by no means all the details
had been arranged and also
that there was more or less
opposition to the program, and
it was not long before the conferees
found themselves bothering over many
OF the same propositions which they
have been considering for days. 1t
also became noised abroad that the
outlook was not 80 bright as it had
appeared few hours before. 1t was
that objection had been
made from the house to the retention
of the duty on coal, and some
senators, among them Senators
Pugh, of Alabama, had taken q
decided stand against what they
termed the sacrifice of iron ore
These complaints were sufficient
to cause the conferees to halt for
time, and it is known that some diff
cultins we're encountered in adjusting
the dfferential on other schedules.
The cnnferees were therefore not as
sarguine as the former session. They
were omewhat anxious, hut asserting
that tomorrow will see the final ad-
iustment of their differences. They
stated, however. that the coal aud
iron rates were among those which had
not been fixed beyond recall, Indeed,
sugar appears from the statements
giver out to be the ooly article on
which definite conclusion had been
reached. but 1t was understood that
either coal or iron would 90 to the free
list and the other would be dutiable
at the senate
During the day it was FIRST one am
thor the other articles which caused
the ii :. Ontside OF sugar, iron and
coal very little is said about the other
sc ledu'es, although the senators eay
there will be few mt terial changes in
the IN tuufacturirG schedules as passed
be the senate. The house conferees
fear that many changes will bring on
debate from Republican senator's who.
as it is understood. will not delay the
passing o. the bill If tie schedule on
which the Republicans have secured
concessions are allowed to psss.
Metal schedules will have to be
changed, however, tn accord with free
iron ore. If 1t Is finally concluded that
this article is to be selected from the
free list, Late in the day the report
was that final agreement had been
reached. Republicans were so posi-
tive that they discussed it as an &C.
fact, but the Democrats of
the house were more elated than they
have been for months. Routine bust
ness was neglected and members
gathered in knots and discussed the
situation.
Some surprise was expressed that |
the principle OF free raw materials |
should be applied to one article ard |
not to sn >lher. 1t WIS recognized. |
however, as q compromise, in which a |
aide placed an article according to its !
views Members Of the |
Louisiana delegation were not pleased |
with the reported agreement They |
said 10 bounty whatever was given in |
he sugar schedule. and the rurpose
was 10 put the new law into effect at |
1non Wirh0ut oiyiOO tho continuance