The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-13

as Between DutiabIe and Free, and No
Less as Between high and Low Rates.
on the One Hand, and Senators Who
Know What It Will be to Get Any Sort
of Bill Through the Senate-The
yIinarity's Attitude.
Washington, July 1.-THE tariff con-
ferees have struck some snags in their
work The minor matters were easily
adjusted, but in ali important features
there has been no agreement and the
outlook today was that several repol IS
would have to'be made before an adjust
ment could be reached. The house con-
ferees are standing steadily by snrdul
ferees are standing solidly by their bill
and the senate coaferees are no less ten
acious
The senate conferees have laid before
the house members the condition in the
senate where thr is no actua, majority
OF the Republicans and where other than
Republican votes are necessary 10 pass
the bill or adopt a conference report.
They asserted that in 1894 the Democrats
were in better shape in the senate than
the Republicans noN are, as they had an
actual majority, yet the house was finally
compelled to accept the senate bill in Or
DER to pass it.
The members of the house are standing
by their bill, nevertheless, and have told
the senators that they cannot accept the
senate amendments on many important
items. The more important features OF
the bill are not sattled and the conferees
find trouble on IL outside Of sugar, wool
coal and lead Lumber has been in dis
pute and the house conefrees have insist
ed that the house rate on white pine must
he accepted. and they have been sup
ported in this by Senator Burrows Of
Michigan.
The house rate was 50. and the senate
reduced il 10 81. The senate conferees
cay that il the house rate is restored it
will provoke a long discussion in the SEN
ate and that no one can tell when the
bill would get ont of the senate again.
Straw mating. which the senate put on
The free list. is an item of contention.
The house confeTees have refused to &C
cept even the rate which was originally
reported in the senate bill, and stand for
the house rate. Buriaps, cotton ties and
other items which were placed on the free
list by the senate met with great hostility
from the house conferees, and so far
nothing in the way of compromise Of
fered by the senate members has been
accepted.
The house conferees are a,so insisting
upon higher compensatory duties on man
0factures OF cotton, on account of the !
duty of 20 per cent on raw cotton. The /,
house members have maintained that the |
house bill has been commended more |
than the senate bill and that the confer |
ence should get as close TO it as possible. |
The senate cOnferees. in addition to pre- |
senting the present political complexion |
of the senate. have pointed out the diff
Guilty that viii occur if several reports of |
partial agreements and disagreements |
are made They told the house members |
that ii viii lead to endless discussion, |
that they have no power to force a vote |
and that there is not a majority in the
senate TO keep the senate in session in
ease Of a filibuster against the confer
ence report.
The noon recess Of the conference was
devoted largely to a conference with indi-
vidual senator's in which the house repre-
sentatives in the conference participated.
These conferences developed the fact
that the wool schedule had been under
special consideration during the fore
noon session, and that the house mem
bers had a decided disposition to hold on
10 the house rates. There was evident
apprehension that if this contention was
granted there would be difficulty in get
ting the bill through the senate and it is
NOT believed that this apprehension was
changed by the result of their inquiries.
There was also a hurried conference
between the Republican representatives
Of the senate in the conference and the
Democratic members Of the finance COM
mittee, in regard 10 the probable course
of the Democrats in case the articles
which they were especially instrumental
in having placed on the Tree list should
zoe made dutiable. Those articles includ-
ed cotton bagging, gunny bags, burlaps,
cotton ties, paris green, floor mattings
etc The house is insisting upon their
restoration u the dutiable list and some
of the senate conferees are inclined TO
Weld because Of the need for the revenue
which thy would produce.
The conference with the Democrats
was by no means reassuring. The Re-