The morning times., 1896-12-13

Two hours were spent Ut the Capitol
yesterday by the Republican members OF
| the Ways and Means Committee in con-
sldering the time and manner or giving
hearings to form the basis OF new tariff
bill and selecting the members who shall
study different features OF the bill SO
thaG they may report from Time TO tiine
as experts. .--
II was also decided that the BIN stall
he framed 10y the full committee and not
buIlt up from Il series or reports mace by
dlfferent suhcomnlttees, as has been Tor
Ineriy the ease. While no definite date
was assigned, It was understood in gen
eral way tnat the hearings viii begin ON
Monday, the 18th inst. IL was also de-
clded that a resolution shall he reported
to the House for holiday adjournment
rroin- EcceHhbeF - until January ..
DIVIDING THE LABOR.
In the division of labor the wool and
woOlens schedule VIII receive the par
tIcular attention OF the chairman, Mr..
llngley, OF Maine, and associated with
INN Will he Mr. Russell or Connecticut. Mr..
GrOsvenor or ONO and Mr.. DalZcll OF
Pennsy lvania. Mr.. Gfosyenor oil OHIO and
Mr.. Payne. or New York Will CIV. their
attention to the sugar schedule, which, IL
Is expected, Will prove source or ,onsi,l-
cradle embarrassment. owing TO the Gir-
fIculty OF fixing rate of duty which
VIII be satisfactory from political and
economic standpoint. ~
Another feature of, the ball. reciprocity in
trade with other CuuatriHs from which
certain ARTICLES Imported that are pro-
dGCed to lltUle iT any extent, IN the United
States, Is expected to be another stumbling
block, OWING to the difficulty o securing
suitable treaties with Brazil, from v HON
most or our coffee Is purchased, and with
Spain for reciprocity in Cuban products.
the State Department has been advised
that Brazil is'unwliing TO revive the old
reciprocity treaty OF 1890, and the strain
ed relations With Spain VIII, IL IL thought,
initiate against f4 treaty with that country
Nenczueia refused To negotiate 81 ch a
treaty SIX years ago, and lt is not eX-
pectcd that her position has been changed
during the interim. Thefuiler consideration
OF this reciprocity question Will be left
principally TO Mr. TawHey, OF Minnesota, /,
ana Mr.. HopkIns, or Illinois, who, during
the last session, prepared an exhaustive
report on the subject, showing aow greatly
the United states had benefited by the ar
rangement.
1t was agreed that careful attention
should he gwen TO the agricultural >che;i-
die, and this VIII be largely in the lands
OF Mr.. DOllivcr. OF Iowa; Mr.. Tawney, of
Minnesota; Mr.. Johnson, of North Dakota,
and Mr. Steele, OF Indiana The internal
revenue features of the bill, of which
liquor and tobacco form the main ~;ibiects.
Will be left with Mr.. Evans, OF Kentucky
and silk Will receive the attention of
Messrs, pinGley, OF Maine, and Russell, OF
Connecticut.
IRON AND STEEL
The iron and steel schedules Will re-
ceive the attention of Mr.. DaIzeII. OF
pennsylvania, III view of the large manu-
facture of that product in that State; Mr.
Iawney, of Minnesota, by reason Of the
fact that he represents the great IRON ore
interests: and associated with them Will
be Mr.. Hopkins, OF Illinois. No decisi ,n
not even or tentative character, " as
reached respecting the admin StTativr law
Which will probably be prepared by the
full committee.
There was no diviS on of opinion regard
ing substitution OF specific Tor adyaIorem
rates. The general discussion OF the sub
ject showed that it is the Committees in
tentiOn to frame conservative and by no
means an extreme mea sure. In no case
Will the rates in the former Mckinley law be
exceeded except where, as a member eX-
pressed it yesterday morning. this was don,
by the Democrats for good and sufficient
reasons" when the present tariff law was
formed on the other hand Il reduction
Of duty will follow in each case where
1t is practicable. keeping i'll mind only the
necessity of projecting home Industries
with such additions TO the revenues as
viii prevent deficiency in the National
Treasury.
A full committee meeting at which the
Democratic members will be present, has
been called for n onGay mex e. at which time
the purposes of the majority Will be out
lined and a definite understanding reached
respecting the date when hearings shall
begin.
lUis intended that the bin shall be com
pleued not later than the first day of March,
III order that it may be reported to the
House the day that the extra session be-
4