The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-12

WASHINGTON, D. c., July 1.-THE
conferees on the tariff bin held four
hours session to-day. The anxiety to
reach q complete agreement as early as
possible induced them to meet on the
Sabbath, and tonight both the house
and the senate conferees appear salts
fed with the progress that has been
made.
Several hundred OF the minor amend
ments have been agreed upon, many OF
them mere changes OF phrascology and
on large majority of these the house
conrerees naturally have yielded. None
OF the real 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 con-
ferees on these important matters have
in this way been ascertalned.
In several cases the conferees are
very close to- an agreement Both
sides, 30 one OF the oonferees said to-
night, show 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 sprmounted.
Thara 10 the bAut Nf gnna for ln-
lieving that several OF the main points
OF contention will be compromised.
This Is especially believed to be Of lum>
ber, hides and wool and possibly sugar,
though ON the latter the house con-
ferees are standing particularly firm for
their schedule. On the subject Of reci-
procity the drift of opinion seems to be
in the direction OF the senate substitute,
but with certain OF the house proyls-
ions; that is, the list Of articles which,
can be used as q basis for reciprocity
treaties will be broadened, but that The
senate provision requiring the ratifca,
ton OF the treaties will be discarded.
Several of the eminent lawyers In both
branches OF congress question the con-
stltutionallty of the power conferred
upon the President by the senate reel
procity provision. The stamp tax on
stocks and bonds provided for in one of
the senate amendments has not yet
been accepted, The revenue afforded
by Il furnishes strong argument for
its acceptance In view OF the heavy ~
ticipatory importations. and there Is
talk OF widening its scope 80 us not only
to include tax on actual transfers,
but on all l'recorded sales.
The necessity OF revenue also fur
nlshes strong argument for the
restoration OF the house rates on i'm
ported tobacco. 1t Is impossible to estl-
mate yet when final agreement will
be reached and. although various dates
are given as to the length of time the
bill will remain In conference ranging
from Tuesday to week from to-mor-
row, one OF the most influential OF the
conferees said tonight that all esti-
mates were necessarily pure guess
work. He said that the decisions on
the matters OF transcendant Importance
in the bill were so interdependent that
ultimate decision on one might involve
n complete agreement on others and
that the anal agreement might become
at any time after the rest OF the mat
tiers OF secondary importance were out
OF the way.
When the report is completed 1t VIII
at once go TO the house, where 1t 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
twenty-four hours delay. II ls argued,
tustIfies the Republican managers In de-
cllning to give more than n single day
for discussion