Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-21
Slow Progress of the Conference Report in
the Senate.
No Indication When the Vote Womb
the Changes i'm Duties.

not restored to the free list, but the threat
was regarded as somewhat facetious.
The sugar amendments occasioned q long
debate. during which Mr.. Allison stated
that the conference rates were lower than
those OF the Senate, and largely conces-
sion to the House. Senators Vest. Jones
berry ana White questioned this state
meht, urging that the sugar trust secured
larger benefits from the conference sched-
uie IMAM from any previously offered
The lumber amendment also brought out
animated criticism from Senators Teller
and Pettigrew
The debate was fruitless of result. and
the reading of the bill proceeded until the
amendments to the sugar schedule were
reached.
Mr. Vest said this was the storm center
OF tne Dill, and he asked Mr.. Allison If he
approved the statement made by the House
conferees that the House differential and
the general features of the House schedule
had been preserved.
Mr.. Allison responded with an cxplana-
tory statement. which was in.crruptad Inv
frequent questions. He said the general
eHect OF the amendment was as stated by
the house conferees. The Senate had pro-
vloed l95 on refined sugars where the
House gave 1S75. making the Senate diff
jeremiah one-fifth instead OF one-eighth
Inc House provision was now restored
and that differential retained
Mr. Berry interrupted to ask how much
less the sugar trust got from the confer
ence report than they did from he Senate
amendment
Mr.. Allison answered that under the
schedule as modified, taking the point of
IOo, the dinerential was 12's cents Takir q
w-degree sugar, the sugars above No liz
Dutch standard. refined. would receive 13I
cents per hundred pounds more than they
would have received unde- the House
schedule, and something less than under
the Senate schedule.
Mr. Berry complained that this was too
technical. What he hoped for he said; was
plain answer in the plain English lam
guage. Was it true that the House had
gained great victory or was that fraud
and pretense.
The Sugar Rate Explained
Mr.. Allison said he did not know what
claims were being made as to benefits con-
ferred, but the facts were that 96-degree
sugar will have about l 3-S cents per 100
pounds more duty than they would have
paid under the House bill, and a cores
ponding less duty than they would have
paid under the Senate bill The Senate con-
ferees had sought to give the largest
measure of protection to the beet sugar in
dustry, and the Encouragement of rates had
been made with this end in view
Mr. Berry asked for less technical in
formation. Il know of no man who can
give more Ineligible answer to a plain
question than the senator from Iowa al
lison) If he wants to-" said Mr. Berry amid
laughter, land / know of no man who can
AAoAas SiiS waits uiOIc tudH ne can IL he
wants to-"
In view of the fact that sugar stock had
advanced many points Monday. it had been
suspected that this supposed victory of the
House was all stage play and false and
that in fact the trust had secured greater
benefits than in any former schedule. Mr.
Berry said he wanted to know whether this
was right.
There was no response to the query, and
Mr.. Vest continued the criticism on the
schedule.
1t was beyond question, he said, that the
conferer ce amendment was in the interest
of the trust. There had been much beating
of drums over the House victory, and the
Speaker of the House was pictured as the
Ajax of the House. But in fact the House
had suffered defeat. The House conferees
had come out of the engagement not only
without their arms, but without their bag
gage And what added to the sting of de-
feat was that they did not seem to know
they were beaten.
hereafter show that the differential be-
tween raw and refined sugar is not only al
most as much in the conference report as
in the Senate schedule, but that in general
there had been an absolute surrender by
the House on vital points.
Mr.. White of California presented tables
showing that instead of the House having
gained a victory on the sugar schedule the
reduction from the Senate differential was
trifiing. They showed also, he said, that on
refined sugar made from. sugar testing less
than So degrees the amount of protection
given to the trust instead OF being less Is
greater under the schedule agreed to In
conference than under either the House bill
or the Senate amendment.
mo wonder the market trembled and
brought forth increased rates on sugar
stock" remarked Mr.. White.
The formal reading Of the report then
proceeded.
Mr. TfIImnn's Threat.
When the amendments restoring cotton
bagging and cotton ties to the dutiable list
were reached, there was sharp protest
from Senators Butler, Tillman and Bacon.
Mr. Tillman expressed his Indignation at
the sectionalsm which had INSPIRED the
conference committee. He gave notice to
southern senators that If they would stand
by him they could hold the Senate in ses-
sion until next December rather Than sub
nit to this change.
Mr. Bacon characterized the restoration
of cotton ties and cotton bagging to the
dutiable list as indefensible favoritism of
the north against the south.
Replying to the suggestion of Mr.. Till
man, Mr.. Butler said he stood ready to
join in any movement to hold the Senate
in session for a week or longer. to prevent
the contamination Of this iniquity against
the south.
II will tell the senator" called back Mr..
Tillman, that l am negotiating with the
senator from Pennsylvania tQuay) for the
speech ny ut StOppcu tuc ldst
debate, and j may be ready to start On
that speech tomorrow morning."
Mr.. Teller criticised the conference COM
mittee for not carrying out the will of the
Senate. 1t was the first time, he said, that
a committee had surrendered The interests
of the Senate without asking for instruc-
lions. He had reason to believe that men,
bers of the conference committee, supposed
to represent the Senate, had gone into the
conference and worked against the Senate
amendment on white pine. Mr.. Teller de-
clared that the entire report should be re-
jected and sent to a committee represent
ing the Senate and carrying out its in
structions. Referring to the bill as a
whole the senator asserted that it was the
meanest tariff ever enacted.
At o'clock Mr.. White suggested an ad-
journment, but MIR. Allison would consent
to this only in case of an agreement to
meet at II am. today. There were OBJ
jections to this, and after much fruitless
sparring the Senate at 5:15 PM, On mo-
ton of Mr.. Allison, went into executive
session and then adjourned.
Interior Department Changes.