The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-08-09
AN AGREEMENT IN SIGHT,
Tariff Conference Nearing a
Conclusion.
Democratic Conferees Hit on a
Compromise.
The Full Conference Expected to
Adopt 1t Today.
Louisiana Senators Dissatisfied with the
suEar soheduIe = Republicans
FiguriDE on tho Dcfsas
OF the Bill.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.-When the Dem.
ocratic conferees adjourned late today il
was understood ON all sides that thcy
would report to the full conference to-
morrow. The members of the confer.
ence supported the general faith by their
statements, which were more or less
sanguine or guarded. depending on the
temperament of the speaker. While
the utterances at the time of
the adjournment were not ~
strong as those which were
heard early in the afternoon, they were
sufficiently assuring to justify the state-
ment that, barring improbable contin-
gencies, the Democratic members Of this
conference will find themselves prepared
sometime during tomorrow, or at the
latest on Friday, to call in the Republi-
can members of the conference for full
meeting.
Il will not say" said Senator Jones,
that we have agreed, for that would
not be true. but the situation is cheerful
and the indications ars that we shall
finish the work tomorrow. If we do not
come to an agreement tomorrow l shall
- L
do not see the utility OF continuing our
interviews with the house conierse,
longer
Thus the situation was at the end of
day which had started out with deter
mination on the part of the senate con-
ferees, supported by the conservative
senators, to bring the question at issue
to finality during the day, and which
later brought the positive, though an
official announcement, that the end had
been accomplished and an understands
ing reached. The report began
to circulation at about
O'Clock and it grew stronger and
stronger, without securing positive con-
irmation from those in position to
know the facts till about 2 80, when the
mem bers of the conference and senators
who had been closeted with item con-
frmed it to the extent of saying that
while the details had not been arranged.
they felt confident that basis had been
found upon which the conferees of both
houses could stand and terms actually
agreed upon which the conservative
senators would accept
Bath Democrats and Republicans ac-
cepted this as the approach of the end
and as equal to a definite announcement
Of agreement.
The terms, as given out, were that the
sugar schedule. as published last week.
namely, duty of 40 per cent ad valo-
rem on raw sugar, 40 per cent on the
vaIue OF the raw material in refined and
one-fifth of q cent diferential on refined
sugar, 40 cents ton on coal and free iron
ore. with slight changes in the metal.
WOODEN and cotton schedules.
convened at 3 o'clock, 1t soon developed
that by no means all the details had
been arranged. and also that there was
gramme, and 1t was not long before the
conierees found themselves bsthering
over many of the same propositions
which they had been considering for
days. 1t also became noised abroad
that the outlook was not SO bright as il
had appeared few hours before. It war
understood that objection had been
made from the house to the retention
of the duty on coal, and that certain
senators, among whom was Ssnatoi
Pugh of Alabama, had taken decided
stand against what they termed sacri.
fee of iron ore. These complaints were
sufficient to cause the conferees to halt
for time, and it is known that some
difficulties were encountered in adjuat-
ing the differences ON other sohedules.
The conferees were therefore not as
sanguine upon the adjournment of their
afternoon session as they were when the
forenoon session closed. They came out
of the conference somewhat anxious, but
still they asserted that tomorrow would
see the final adjustment of their differ
ences. They stated, however, that the
coal and iron ore rates were among
thoae which had not been fixed
beyond recall. Indeed sugar appears
from the statement given out to
hs the only article upon which definite
conclusion has been reached, but it was
understood that either coal or iron ore
would so to the free list and other srti-
cles would be dutisbls at the senate
rates. This metal schedule will have to
be changed to accord with free iron ore,
il it is finally concluded that those
articles are to be selected ior the free list.
The mem bers of the Louisiana dele
CATION were not pleased with the re-
ported agreement. They said no bounty
whatever was given in the sugar schsd-
ule. and the purpose was to pat the new
law into effect at once without giving
the continuance they had expected till
January next There was much talk
among them that the schedule would
not receive their voes.
Representative Catchings OF the rules
committee is hopeful that an adjourn
ment OF congress will occur next week.
The Kepu u5licsn etoerlng COMMITTEES
OF the senate held meeting immedi-
ately after the adjournment Of the sen.
ats today to consider the situation. The
understanding among them was to tho
effect that the Democrats had got close
enough together to allow the tariff bill
to be reported back to The senate to-
morrow. There were present Republic
cans who were informed as to the atatus
OF the bill, and they stated that upon
the manufacturing schedule the senate
rates in the main obtained. but on tho
three principal stems -eugar. coal and
iron 3re--a ompromise had beer