Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-20
Talk Of Recommitting the Tariff Con-
ference Report.
COTTON TIES, BAGGING, WHITE PINE
Proposed Line of Action Not Par
liamentary.
COURSE THAT LIES OPEN

There is a great deal of talk about mo-
ton being made in the Senate to recon-
nit the tariff conference report, with in
structions to restore cotton ties and cotton
bagging to the free list and white pine
lumber to the 81 rate Efforts are being
made to make combination strong enoush h
to do this
The trouble about this proposition is that
motion to "recommt'' or TO "recomnit
with Instructions is not in order and
would not be entertained by the Vice Pres
ident. The first motion in order is that
which will be made by Mr.. Allison, that
the Senate concur in the conference report.
This motion is not subject to amendment
or modification.
The vote must be taken directly upon it
and the report be adopted or rejected 1t Is;
proposed by the opposition to make a mo-
ton excepting Certain features of the re-
port. The Vice President will undoubtedly
hold that this motion is not in order.
The method by which subject once
agreed on in conference is sent back into
conference is first by the rejection of the
conference report, and by a separate mo-
tion asking the other house for further
conference. Even when this is done it il
not in order to instruct the conference.
The conference committee is composed of
representatives of both houses, and it can
Moreover, the theory of conference is
that it shall be fun and free" and in
structions even to the conferees of one
house are not in order.
The nearest approach to an instruction
would be a resolution on the part of the
Senate further inSisting' upon certain
designated amendments.
The House might then decline further
conference, and then the Senate would have
to reconsider its action and adopt the re-
port or else the bill would fail. Antecedent
to any other motion the report a whole
must be adopted or rejected.
The Importance of this parliamentary
situation is that it is said that there are
possibly enough votes in favor of the one
collar rate on white pine and of free listing
cotton ties and cotton hageing to defeat the
committee on these items if a separate vote
could he had on them
The one play of the opposition is to
bring about these changes. and The bill
would be in danger if parliamentary pTac-
tice would admit of their plans being car
rled out. 1t is quite certain however. that
on the motion to concur in tire conference
report, without any intervening motion. Il
majority viii be in tha affirmative The
purpose generally expressed by members of
the several factions of the opposition is to
secure prompt action.
IL they could muster the votes necessary
to accomplish what they want they would
IKE 'he vote TO come soon as possible: ::
and failing in that. the general opinion
expressed is that nothing would he gained
by delay. Their efforts to muster votes for
white pine and cotton ties, etc. are made
on the assumption that d motion to in
struct would be in order.
1t is certain that some of those interest ed
IN these items would not be willing to en-
danger the defeat of legislation by voting
10 REJECT the conference report whole.
IL the conference report We're rejected it
would defeat the bill, and the responsibility
would rest upon the democrats, populistS
and silver republicans.
This responsibility the combined opposi-
ton do rot want to assume. There are
several senators who intended to make
set speeches before the adoption OF the
report. If they persist in their purpose
to talk action may not be had before the
early part of next week, but there will he
10 hlibuster. and the republicans are quite
hcIeful of the adoption of the report this
week.