The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-20
THE SUGAR SCHEDULE
STILL A STUMBLING BLOCK IN
THE WAY OFTHE CONFEREEs.

Rumors of a Speedy Agreement Of Differ.
ences-Members of Each House Think
Their Committeeman Determined not to
Give Way on Important Pciafs-StiH
Further Difficulties on the Wool SEIZED.
uie-Democratic Senators Worried over
the Vacancy From Tennessee.
WASHINGTON. July 15.-The tariff con-
ferees were in a more hopeful mood
during the early part Of h day than
Yesterday, and one Of the leading rep
resentatives of the senate expressed
the opinion at noon that the republic
cans would be able to conclude their
7abors tomorrow and to summon the
democratic members 10y Saturday. This
view, he said, was justified by the pres
ent appearance Of things, but he added
that there were still many contingent
cies that might arise to prevent so
early an agreement, and that it was
impossible to say precisely when the
end would be reached. I'VE shall come
= out all right, however, and / think
I sUOn," HI added. I'VE have a tedious
job, but ii is not a hopeless one, and
there is no foundation to the reports
that We are in danger of not reaching
an agreement"
The day was spent in considering
minor details of the bill which have
been passed over, with an occasional
reference to the differences on the su-
gar schedule, which is still the STUN
bling block. There was some discus
sion Of a compromise on his schedule,
and the genera impression about the
senate was that the changed aspect in
the committee was due to the fact that
there was a more yielding disposition
on the part of the representatives of
both houses Senators not in the con
ference, but in close touch with the
mber of it, express the opinion to-
day that the c~ontending factions are
very near al adjustment, which will
compromise the differences on the SUI
gar schedule.
on the house side, on the other hand,
among those in close touch with the
cOnfereeS it is asserted with the ut
most p~OsitiveneSS that the house con
ferees have no intention of yielding
anything to the senate on the sugar
schedule, and the opinion is freely ex-
pressed that the deadlock will continue
Indefinitely until the senate yields.
L Ilc lIOuSt CoflltIetS, tHty say, KNOW
that they have practically the unani-
nous support of the house republicans
back of them in their contention for
the house schedule and, moreover, they
claim that many of the senate repub-
leans agree with them on this point.
The committees made the discovery
today that there would be still fur
ther difficulty in arranging the wool
schedule, on account of the objection
of the carpet manufactures. 1t alp
pears that while the makers of the
more expensive grades of carpets gave
their assent to the compromise of 4
and 8 cents, arranged yesterday, the
makers of the cheaper carpets are not
pleased and ask that the rate on the
lower grades of wool be reduced to 3
cents. The wool men are not willing
to cOncede this demand The WOrSted
manufacturers are also making trOu-
BILE over the senate amendment putting
a double duty on wool of the second
class which may have been washed.
Heretofore there has been no additional
duty on the washed article, and it is
claimed that the change will work a
material hardship.
The democratic side of the chamber
somewhat disturbed over the va
vcancy caused by the death of Senator
Harris. L fear" said Senator Jones,
of Arkansas, today in discussing the
question, that the vacancy may, if not
filled before that time, occasion no lit
tie Embarrassment when we reach a
vote on the conference report. 1t will
be remembered he continued, that
some of the articles ON which we sue
ceeded in reducing the rate of duty, as
on white pine lumber and on some
which we succeeded in putting on the
free list, we had a majority of only
one vote. Some of these articles, as
burlaps, cotton ties, Paris green, ETC.,
are of immense Importance to the
farmers and it would be regretable.
from our standpoint. if the absence of
a democratic senator from Tennessee
should cause us to lose any of them by
giving the deciding vote to the vice
president The senator said in reply
to a question that he had heard moth
ing Indicative of the intentions of the
governor of Tennessee in the matter
of the appointment.