The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-23
TACKING THE INTERNAL REV
ENUE FEATURE.
PLAN OUTLINED IN CAUCUS.
NO TINE WILL BE CONSUMED IN
MAKING PRELIMINARY SET
SPEECHES.
GoRMAN IDEA FOUND NO FAVOR.
Members OF His Party Strongly OPP
posed to n Substitute for the
Pending Measure.

WASHINGTON, May 22-The Demo-
cratic senator's held u caucus today
and decided to inaugurate their fight
upon the tariff bill, as soon as the Dill
is taken up in the senate, by a mo-
ton to strike out the internal revenue
features of the bin, relating to beer
and tobacco This result was reached
after a discussion in which practically
all the senators present participated.
The conclusion was unanimous that
this was the wise and polite course to
pursue. The talk was based largely
upon the proposition to increase the
tax upon beer, which was generally
criticized as an effort to increase the
price of 1.-The poor mans beverage"
which was pronounced wholly unjustl-
fable in time of peace and with $780,
100000 of idle money in the treasury.
The proposed beer tax was condemned
as q war tax.
The discussion Of other features Of
the tariff bill was only desultory. and
no conclusion beyond that stated was
reached The sugar schedule was the
subject of frequent remark, and there
was discussion of the ACCESSIBILITY Of
offering a substitute for it, but no con-
clusion to the effect was arrived AT.
1t was made apparent that every
Democratic senator present would
probably vote against it. Senator Coy
man urged the ACCESSIBILITY of the in
PRODUCTION of a substitute for the en-
tire bill, and a speech in support Of
the proposition, but it was soon made
apparent that the sentiment OF the
caucus was almost unanimous in OPP
position of this course, and the propo-
sition was not pressed to a vote. Mr..
German gave only brief outline Of a
substitute. He said he thought bill
could be prepared which would levy
a revenue duty on tea and coffee ana
other articles, which increase the gov
eminent customs receipts sufficiently to
make the Wilson bill satisfactory and
thus score a point of Importance The
general sentiment of the caucus was
opposed to any policy of delay. No
set speeches will be made in opening
the debate, and there probably will
be no effort from the Democratic side
of the chamber to prevent the taking
UP of the schedules Immediately after
Mr.. Aldrich's preliminary statement is
concluded. The Democrats express the
hope that disagreementS will develope
among the Republicans, and for this
reason no general opinion was express
ed in the caucus as to the time that
will be consumed by the debate.
AT the conclusion of the caucus, Sen
ator German, chairman, gave out the
following statement concerning it:
1.-The conference of Democratic sena
tors was held today, and it was unani-
mously agreed by them, that notwith-
standing the delay in furnishing the
comparative statements which would
enable them intelligently to consider
the bill, there would be no opposition
to Immediately proceeding with the
consideration of the same on Tuesday,
as they recognize the business interests
of the country require as speedy dis
position of the question as is consistent
with an intelligent consideration OF
the measure. They were further unan-
imously of the opinion that the exces-
sive increases in rates on imported
articles provided for both in the Ding
ley bill and as reported to the senate.
should be antagonized only to the eX-
tent of exposing their enormities. Rec
ognizing, however, that the Republican
party is committed to these increases,
the Democrats will be content with
only fair discussion upon these prop
ositionS The Democrats were further
unanimously of the opinion that they
would oppose the increased tax on beer,
tobacco, cigars and the other items en-
braced in the internal revenue sched-
ules. Neither party was committed
to such increases, and there is no gov
ernmental necessity for such increased
burdens upon those articles