The San Francisco call., 1897-04-13
REGIONS TRUCT|NC
The TARIFF BILL
Groundless Rumors That 1t
Will Be a Sectional
Measure.
Western Member of the Senate
Committee Abe TO Hold
Their Own.
Interesting Methods Adopted by the
Schedule. Makers, Who Work
Night and Day.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 12.-Cer-
tain Western Senators are reported to be
in great state of mind over the alleged
purpose of Eastern Senators to fix the
tariff bill to suit themselves without re-
gard to the needs and conditions of the
Western section of the country. Those
who know what is going on, however.
claim that there is no foundation whatever
for the criticisms of the Western Senator's
The trainers of the bill claim that when it
is reported back to the Senate it will be
found 10 be measure to which every Re-
publican Senator will be able to give en-
thusiastic support, and its publication
will cause the charge of sectionalism to
fall to the ground.
There are two able Western men pitted
against two New Eng!anders in the CON-
mittee fran ing the bill. Chairman ALI
son is certainly fairly good representa-
tive of the Republicans of the West. If he
may possibly be regarded as little too
conservative in his tariff views, this weak
ness is certainly offset by the fact that his
Western colleague on the sub committee
is Wolcott of Colorado, Republican
whose loyal devotion to the cause of free
silver, strong as it was, could not drag
him outside of party or cause him to
weaken in his loyalty to the Republican
policy of protection. Aldrlch OF Rhode
Island and Platt of Connecticut are the
New Englanders on the committee, and
while both of them are tariff experts it il
not likely that they would overmatch such
men as Allison and Wolcott if there should
be controversy on sections al lines.
The methods in which the Dingley bill
is being reconstructed are interesting. This
four Senators mentioned, who compose
the sub-com mittee on finance, hold three
daily sessions at the Arlington. where they
utilize for committee meetings the rooms
known as the Gresham suite, because they
were occupied by the late Secretary Gres-
ham. The committee occupy three or four
rooms, the others being used as sort of
reception-rooms. The first or front room
of the suite is assigned to Allison and
Aldrich, the second to Piatt ano Wolcott
and the third to the clerk of the commit.
tee, S. n. d. North. wool-tariff expert,
who is assisted by several clerks. Colonel
Tichenor, of the Board OF General Ap.
praiser-, is also stationed in Washington
and attends all the meetings of the COM
mittee for the purpose of giving exper,
advice. Two statisticians from the Treas
ury Department are also on duty with tie
ommittee. Meetings are held daily at
$3.50 and clock, so literally the COM
mittee is at work night and day.
1t has been announced that the report
will be ready to present to the Senate
about April 20; but there is authority for
the statement that it will be impossible
for the committee to conclude its labors
so soon and that it will be near May when
the bill is reported. No regular hearings
will be granted anybody, no formal argu-
ments listened to and no record kept or
report made OF what is said in committee.
But it is impossible to refuse to listen to