Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-19
FINISH THIS WEEK
Of the Long Struggle in Congress
Over the Tariff Bill.
WILL EALAwBY NEXT SATURDAY

Two Days Debate in the House Conceded,
But the Senate Of Course an Unknown
Quantity When 1t Comes to TAXA
Question of Parliamentary Law-Agree-
ment of the Observation-Disclosures Sen
ate Amendments That Were Rejected.
Washington, July 19-The indications
are that the tariff bill as agreed to by
the Republican conferrees Saturday
probably will have passed both houses
OF congress and be law at the end Of
the present week. Delays ard complica-
tions. now unanticipated, might some
what proloag the final struggle. The
Republican conferrees worked hard all
yesterday consulting ard arranging the
details of the report which they de-
sired to submit to their Democratic COL
leagues this morning. The bulk Of this
work fell upon the shoulders cf Allison
and Dingley. who prepared the state
ments Of theeffect Of the changes made
by the conferrees which will be submit
ted to their respective houses. They
had small armey OF clerks at work
throughout the day in the room of the
senate committee on finance preparing
eiiC pii Tue
House Will Discuss 1t Two Days.
The purpose was to call in the Demo-
cratic conferrees this morning and pre-
sent the bill 10 the house this afternoon
and begin the debate. 1t is not believed
mat there will be any disposition on the
part CT the Democratic members of the
conference to delay the bill in full COM
mittee. Governor Dingley expressed the
ODiniOn
time in which to explain the changes
made by the csnferrees to their minority
colleagues on the committee One or
TWO OF the Democrats are inclined to in
sist upon day fer deliberations on the
charges but they of course realize that
they are helpless il the majority desires
to report the bill over their protest and
inaSmlich as the Republican leaders Of
the house have decied to give full two
days Tor the discussion of the report in
the house they probably will aeuuiesce
In the decision of the majority to make
the report today. The report must be
acted upon by the house before it is
considered in the senate.
Senate Programme Is Indefinite.
The programme in the senate is much
more definite on account CT the wide
latitude allowed fer debate, and the alb
sence Of any parliamentary method Of
bringing the report to a vote. The Dem.
ocratic senators, 1t is safe to presume
from their talk yesterday. intend to as
sail the compromise on sugar to which
the corferrees agreed, and to make a
pretty stiff fight against the restoration
to the dutiable list of cotton bagging.
cotton ties. burlaps, ETC.. which they
succeeded with the aid Of the Populists
n
on the free list. They will also make
strong opposition to the restoration Of
white pine to the house rate of 81 Der
1000. Some Of the Democratic senators
yesterday discussed the possibility Ct de.
rearing the report in the senate On the
presumption that they might be able to
secure "a many votes against the report
as they did to place these articles On the
rree list. BW no one imagines seriously
thaf the report Is in any danger in the
senate when it comes to a final vote.
Question of Parliamentary Procedure.
The parliamentary procedure on con-
ference report may have an important
bearing on the course Of the debate in
the senate A question has arisen as to
the parliamentary practice. 1t is the
established procedure to consider con-
Terence reports as an entirety so that no
vote can be taken on aEy separate feat
ure CT the report. The report must be
accepted or rejected as a whole This
practice becomes important in view of
the desire among these opposing the bill
to securea separate vote on sugar, lum-
ber. cotton ties. cotton bagging, and 9TH
er Items which have aroused exceptional
interest. Some Of the opponents Of the
bill in the serate hold that a motion to
reeommit with instructions as to sep
arste items would be in order before the
vote Is taken on accepting the report as
an entirety. but the best parliament
farians in both branches say that the
practice is as stated above.