The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-10
WHEN WILL 1T PASS?
NEW TARIFF BILL MAY HANG FIRE
ALL SUMMER.

the senate-Many TnnGles to lIe Straight
ened out--"I1iclSers" 10 BE Molrified and
Everybody 10 lie Heard.
The new tariff bill il product of the
science Of politics rather than of the
science of political economy. There is
no Disgusting that the Republicans Of
the finance committee have endeayored
to frame measure that will pass That
is the first aim they have had in view.
Everything else has been made to bend
to this purpose.
The men who have had most to do in
this revision-Senator Allison, Albrich
and Platt.-have been through the mill
before. They know what can be done
and what can't be done. They have
doubtless cut their cloth to the senatori.
al measurement. If they have inflicted
upon one group of statesmen dose OF
medicine pretty hard to swallow, they
have also provided pleasant beverage
in some other schedule to take the bad
taste out Of their mouths.
1t is also presumed that, in pursuance
Of their usual tactics, these adopts of
the schedules have fortified themselves
with some trading material. If pushed
to it, they are prepared to make some
concessions here and there.
OF one thing the country may be as
sured-that its tariff bill, upon which
so many hopes hang, is in strong, skill
full hands. The road through the senate
is not a royal one, but Allison, Aldrich
and Platt are experienced and admirable
pilots.
An example of their skill is found in
the way they captured Senator Jones of
Nevada. Jones' vote was needed to give
the Republicans majority in the COM
mittee on finance. Without his aid they
could not take the bill from the commit
tee to the senate. He held the casting
vote. So the Republicans fixed duties
upon the things Jones was interested
in lower than they knew Jones would
want them When Jones came along and
looked the schedules over and made his
demands for certain changes the COM
mittee was able to do business with
him. 1t was very reluctant to yield
what he asked, but if they did yield
would the senator vote with them to re-
port the bill? OF course he would. It is
needless to say that Mr.. Jones' demands
have been complied with, and the un-
derstanding is that the finance commit
tee will report the bill to the senate Oh
Wednesday and make it public.
Under the surface there is an uneasy
feeling among some of the Republican
senator's. AS usual they fear that New
England is getting the best Of the deal.
These New Englanders are famous for
their abilities in the tariff making line.
They generally manage to get in on the
ground floor. Of the three Republican
members of the finance committee who
have actually made the senate revision
of the house bill two are from New
England. In this case New England
and the west appeared to have joined
forces. Senator Allison, as the recog-
nized Republican leader of the senate,
plays % strong hand in the committee,
and he has had the assistance Of Wolcott
and Jones. New England and the west
appear to have reached q compromise on
the important items Of wool and hides
fairly satisfactory to both sections.
The fear of the senators from the
great middle states-New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio-is that
the interests which they represent have
not been fairly treated. Senator Quay,
for instance, is not feeling at all COM
Portable over the discovery that there
have been reductions in the iron and
steel rates, and he talks Of trouble. just
what these reductions are even the great
Quay cannot learn. When committee Sc.
crets are so we'll guarded that Quay
cannot get at them, they may be as.
sumed to be under lock and key. Sen
ator Quay was appealed to by his iron
and steel constituents to get at the facts
for them, and he had to confess ne
could not do it.
When the bill will pass the senate,
only the Infinite knows. Opinions are
as various as the number of senators.
Allison and Aldrich, the chief engi.
neers, "hope for about July L." Sen
ator Frye said there was no earth.
ly reason why the bill should not be
out Of the way by the end Of the fiscal
year. Most senators think the matter
will be disposed of some time during
the month Of July. Others believe ii
will take till August.
No disposition to delay final action is
apparent, but the senate is by nature
and tradition disputatious and dilatory.
There will be not only great many
tangles to straighten out and "kickers"
to mollify, but the Democrats and Pop
ulists will probably be able to stir MP a
great deal Of political discussion. A tar
iff debate usually embraces everything
under the sun, from the "crime Of
1873" to tho presidential election OF
1900. The Republicans say they are
not going to be drawn into discussion.
They always say that, but invariably
take the floor TO reply to the attacks OF
the opposition.
NH A a.,