Rock Island Argus., 1897-07-21
TlLLMAN'S THREAT
Terrible Fate That Is Hanging
Over the Senate.
COTTON TIES ON THE FREE LIST,

Or Continuous Session Until Next De.
cember Says the South Carolina States
man. and Proposes to Add the Cruelty Of
Qaay's Big Speech That Was Never De.
livered-Believed To Be Joking, How.
ever--End Likely This Week.
Washington. July 21-The tariff con-
ference report was presented to the sen.
ate yesterday. but little progress was
made on it beyond the formal reading
of about two-thirds of the report. There
was TO indication Of when the final vote
would be reached. During the day Till
man openly threatened filibuster until
next December il cotton bagging and
cotton ties We're not restored to the free
somewhat facetious. The sugar amend
ments occasiOned long debate. during
which Allison stated that the conference
rates were lower than those of the SEN
ate and largely a concession to the house
Vest, Jones, Berry and White questioned
this statement, urging that the suga,
trust secured larger profits from the
conference schedule than from any pre-
viously offered. The lumber amendment
also brought out animated criticism
from Teller and Pettigrew. Early in the
day the senate passed a Joint resolution
authorizing and requesting the presi-
dent to take 'all necessary steps for the
release OF the Competitor prisoners from
prison at Havana
Significance of That Resolution.
This resolution went through with re-
markab!e ease considering that it prac-
tically abdicates for congress one Of
Its privieges-that Of declaring war,
The resolution practically authorizes the
president to make war himself without
further authority from congress. The
fact that such an abdication was agreed
to so easily by the senate would seem to
indicate that the senate little recks how
soon war is going on between Spain and
the United States; or that it has an
abiding faith in the peace-loving nature
of President Mckinley and his cabinet.
If Spain Were to ascede to a demand
peremptory or otherwise-that the Com
petitor and her prisoners be Immediately
released it would be something remark
able, and if che refused to accede the
question is what will the president do
next? He can do anything under the
resolution.
That Dinerential Again.
or course the sugar differential was
the subject CT dispute. Allison said that
under the schedule as modified taking
the point of 100, the differertial was 1917
cents. Taking SO degrees sugar the SUI
gars above No. 16 Dutch standard, re-
fined, would receive 1.31 cents per 100
pounds more than they would have re-
ceived under the house schedule and
something less than under the senate
schedule.
1t was beyond question. Vest said,
that the conference 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 ir fact the house had suffered de-
feat. The house conferrees had come out
of the engagement not only without their
arms. but without their baggage AND
what added to the sting of defeat was
that they did not seem to know they
Were beaten.
When Tillman Made His Threat.
1t was when the paragraph restoring
cotton bagging ard cotton ties to the
dut!able list was reached that TiIlman
made his threat. He expressed his indig-
nation at the sectionalism which had in
spired the conference committee. He
gave notice to southern senators that il
they would stand by him they could
hold the senate in session until next De-
cember rather than sumbit to this. Re
plying to the suggestion Butler said he
stood ready to join in any movement to
hold the senate in session week or
longer to prevent the contamination of
this iniquity against the south.
Il will tell the senator called back
Tillman. that ! am negotiating with
The senator from Pennsylvania [Quay]
for the speech by which he stopped the
last tariff debate and I may be ready to
start on the speech tomorrow morning"
BILL TO BE PASSED THIS WEEK.
Opposition in the Senate Cannot Defeat IL