The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-21
SENATE TALK STARTS
The Conference Report
on the Tariff Bill Up.
Indications Now Are That a Final Vote Will Be
Reached Some Time on Thursday.
PROGRESS OF THE FIRST DAY SLOW.
Sugar Schedule Debated at Some Length and Re-
marks Offered on the Lumber Rate-Repub=
licans Assured of Majority.
PROGRESS OF THE FIRST DAY SLOW

WASHINGTON, July 20.-The tariff
conference report was presented to the
senate today, but little progress was
made on it beyond the formal reading
of about tWo-thirdS of the report. Dur
ing the day Mr.. Tillman openly threat
ened filibuster until next December if
cotton bagging and cotton ties were
not restored to the free list, but the
threat was regarded as somewhat face
ttous. The sugar amendments occa-
stoned long debate, during which Mr..
Allison stated that the conference rates
were lower than those of the senate
and largely a concession to the house.
Senators Vest Jones, Berry and White
questioned this statement, urging that
the sugar trust secured larger benefits
from the conference schedule than from
any previously offered The lumber
amendment brought out animated criti-
cism from Senators Teller and Petit
grew. Early in the day the senate
passed a joint resolution authorizing
and requesting the president to take all
necessary steps for the release of the
Competitor prisoners from prison at
Havana.
The indications, when the senate ad-
| journed, were that a vote would be
| reached upon the report some time
during Thursday, or at the latest be-
| fore the close of the week. There may
| be a change in the conditions which
| will postpone vote, but it is difficult
| to see what could cause it. The op-
| position to the bill realizes that there
is no possibility of preventing the
| adoption of the report, and the present
purpose is only to secure what advan-
| tage is possible by exhibiting what are
claimed to be the inconsistencies of the
measure. A thorough canvas reveals
that the Republicans will vote solidly
| for the report, and that they will be
| supported by Messrs. Jones, of Ne
vada (silver Rep), and McEnery, Of
Louisiana Oem), and also probably
Messrs. Mantle and Stewart (silver
Rep0. Senator Kyle Pop), who is alb
sent, has left strict instructions that
he should not be paired With the
adoption of the report thus assured,
the Democrats probably will not at
tempt to prolong the debate beyond the
arrival of Mr.. Turley, the new senator
from Tennessee. They will continue to
ask for an explanation Of changes
| made by the conference, but these will
not occupy a great deal of time. The
| general opinion is that the quorum of
| the senate will disappear very soon
| after the disposal of the tariff bill, but
| the determination of the supporters OF
the Harris Pacific railroad resolution
to secure vote upon it before final ad-
| journment may delay that consumma-
| tion for some days.
| Immediately after the prayer a
message from the house announced the
| agreement of that body to the confer
| ence report Considerable routine busi-
| ness was disposed Of however, before
| the tariff report was called up. A
resolution by Mr.. Morgan (Ala.) was
| agreed to, asking the president as to
what indemnity, If any, had been asked
| from the Spanish government for the
arrest and subsequent expulsion OF
| Samuel T. Tolen, an American citizen,
from Cuba.
Mr.. Allison then formally presented
the tariff conference report and asked
| for its consideration, but, at the IN
| stance of Mr.. Berry (Ark.), gave way
for the immediate passage OF a reso-
| luton empowering the president to take
| steps for the release of Ona Melton
| and other Competitor prisoners. The
resolution passed without comment and
| by unanimous vote.
The vice president announced, in
response to an inquiry by Mr.. Allen
| CNeb), that the pending Union Pacific
! resolution was the unfinished business
and would come up at p. m. unless
| displaced This drew from Mr.. Morgan
| a statement as to the purpose to have
full discussion of the pending question
1t was intended, he said, to discuss
the tariff report in all its political
financial and historical bearings. Aside
from this was proposed to secure con-
l'sfderation for the Union Pacific resolu-
ton, either by itself or during the
tariff debate if this became essential
1t was not an orderly practice, but, said
| Mr.. Morgan, when men were tied uE
and lashed over the back, they were
not disposed to stand on the niceties OF
procedure. 1t was more important
he said, to save $50,000,0 900 by the Union
Pacific resolution than to pass the tariff
bill.
Mr. Allison suggested that there was
no disposition to cut off all reason
able consideration of the report. 1t
was too important however, to give
way to other questions, which might
be brought forward.
The conference report was then rea6
in detail. When the first clause was
read. Mr. Jones (Ark) made an earnest
nrotest against proceeding on the
technical report, without an intelligent
exclamation on it's meaning. There hat