Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-12
WORKING SUNDAY.
Tariff Conferrees Fail to Observe
the Day of Rest.
DELAY INVOLVES MANY MILLIONS,
Process Of Agreement Begun with Matters
Of Small Importance-Comprom ON
Matters Of wPnent Will Probably BE
the Policy-SOme Changes That May BE
Made in the Bill as 1t Came from the
Senate-Legislative Speculation.


Senate-Legislative Speculation.
Washington, July 12.-The conferrees
on the tariff bill held a four hours ses-
sion yesterday. The anxiety to. reach
complete agreement as early as pcssi-
bic induced them to meet on Sunday
and last night both the house and senate
cOnferrees appeared satisfied with the
progress that had been made. Several
hundred Of the minor amendments have
been agreed upon, many Of them mere
changes Of phraseology, and a large ma
1ority Of these the house conferrees nat
urally have yielded. None Of the really
important problems in the bill, however.
have as yet been solved. All of them
have received more or less consideration,
and there has been free exchange of
opinions The temper and disposition of
the senate and house conferrees on these
matters have in this way been ascer-
tanned. In several cases the conferrees
are very close to an agreement. Both
sides. so one of the conferrees said last
night show a commendable spirit of
conciliation. and while in several in
stances each side seems to be holding
out strongly for its contention as to
rates, he said, there had not yet appear
ed on the horizon anything which por-
tended such difficulty as would not in
time be surmounted.
Compromise on the Main Points.
There is the best of reason for beliey-
ing that several of the main points of
contention will be compromised. This is
especially to be believed of lumber, hides
ard wool and possibly sugar, though on
the latter the house cOnferreeS are stand
ing particularly firm for their schedule
On the subject Of reciprocity the drift
of opinion seems to be in the direction of
the senate substitute, but with certain
OF the house provisions; that is the list
of articles which can be used as basis
for reciprocity treaties will be broadened,
but the senate provision requiring the
ratification of the treaties will be dis
carded. Several of the eminent lawyers in
both branches of congress question the
constitutionality of the power conferred
upon the president by the senate reci-
procity provision.
As to the Stamp Tax on Bonds.
The stamp tax on bonds and stocks
provided for in one of the senate amend
ments has not yet been accepted The
revenue afforded by it furnishes strong
al Suiheiit LOT It's acceptance IN view of
the heavy anticipatory importations, and
there is talk of widening its scope so
as not only to include a tax on actual
transfers but on all recorded sales This
necessity of revenue also furnishes a
strong argument for the restoration of
the house rates on imported tobacco. It
Is impossible to estimate yet when final
agreement will be reached, and although
various dates are given as to the length
of time the bin will remain in conference
ranging from tomorrw to a week from
today, one Of the most influential of the
conferees said last night that all esti.
mates were necessarily pure guess work.
Agreement May Come Suddenly.
He said that the decisions on the mat
ters of transcendent Importance in the
bill were so inter-dependent that ulti.
mate decision on one might involve a
complete agreement on others, and that
the final agreement might come at
any time after the rest of matters of
secondary importance were out Of the
way. When the report is completed it
Will at once go to the house. where il is
not likely more than one day will be al
lowed for debate. The anxiety to get
the bill on the statute books and the
great loss of revenue involved in each
days delay, it is argued, jnstiffes the
Republican managers in declining to
give more than a single day for discus
sion.