Evening star., 1897-06-07
AWAITED WITH INTEREST
The Coming Discussion in the Senate On the
Sugar Schedule.
What Members Of the Ways and
the Finance Commfttee's Rates.

Members of the ways and means commit
tee in the House are watching with a great
deal of interest the approach of the discus
sion upon the sugar schedule of the tariff
bill in the Senate There is considerable
speculation among them as to the outcome
of the vote upon this schedule and opinion
Is divided Some think that the duties pro-
posed by the Senate committee on finance
will be overturned in the Senate with the
aid of republican votes. Others, being more
skeptical of the powers of the opposition,
think that Senator Aldrich will succeed in
driving the schedule through as he pre-
pared it.
Upon one point how ever, there is no di-
vision Of opinion among the members of
the House sommittee, as far can be
learned. They are satisfied that the sugar
schedule as it now stands will never get
through the House. There is an absolutely
unalterable intention to resist the Senate
in this particular and to positively refuse
concurrence in the finance committees fig
ures if the Senate adopts them as its own.
Inquiry among members of the commit
tee develops the fact that spirit of COM
promise will prevail in regard to the ma
jority of the proposed changes In the Dill
There will be no disposition upon the part
of the House committee to be captious In
passing upon the bulk of sthe alterations.
Where good arguments, or reasonable ones
even, can be presented 1t is said that the
House will generally be inclined to meet
the Senate half way at least.
The line will be drawn upon the sugar
schedule. No spirit of compromise, or even
amity, will animate the House, 1t is said,
when it comes to dealing with the Senate's
ideas upon sugar as at present expressed
VIII Yield in Conference.
The opinion is freely voiced that when
the bill gets into conference the Senate Will
recede from a considerable number OF It's
amendments. There is no question In the
minds of many persons familiar with the
work on the tariff bill that the Senate
committee on finance, or rather the sub
committee, gave less consideration to thu
preparation of their amended bill than the
House committee devoted to getting up the
bill in the first instance. Many of the
items in the Senate schedules bear the
marks of aasty consideration. Where this
is proven to be the case the House will
insist upon it's figures.
The Senate committee has already deem
ed it wise to withdraw from one important
amendment. That was in the earthenware
schedule. Senator Aldrich himself was
forced to admit, upon the floor Of the Sem
ate, in moving to return to the house
ra tes, that the effect Of the senate COM
mittee compound duties would be difficult
to anticipate, and that there were already
complai ints from the trade about it.
of the Senate receding from its amend
ment placing a. duty unon tea. 1t could
not be ascertained how much truth there
was in the rumer. AS a natter of fact 1t
was believed that no DECISION had Eeen
reached, but the matter is under consider
alton. fs
Internal Revenue Taxes.
The internal revenue features OF the bill
are attracting attention and considerable
criticism. The proposed increase of the
tax on beer will be fought in the Senate,
but the contest there will not be a cir
cumstance to the fight which will be made
upon it in the House. The number of pc
titions that are pouring In give some indi-
cations of what may be; expected. THESE
petitions are from every section of the
country and are vigorous in their tone of
protest against an Increased beer tax.
The proposed increase of two cents a
pound internal revenue tax on tobacco will
be opposed in the Senate by republicans.
1t will also excite opposition in the House,
one Of the strongest arguments of the op-
position being that 1t will operate to the
advantage of tobacco trust. This argu-
ment comes from republican sources.
Sugar Discussion Postponed.
Senator Aldrich was not able to leave his
room today, the change in the weather
having caused a setback in his condition.
He went for a drive yesterday and it proved
bad for him. so that his physician forbade
him Acday going to the Senate. His alb
sence prevented the sugar schedule from
being taken up in the Senate this after
neon. and 1t was thought quite probable
that sugar will not come UP this week. II
is possible that Senator Aldrich may have
to &C away for few days to recover his
strength, and the sugar fight cannot COM
mence until he comes back.
1t seemed from the little progress made
nj n TQ N he
lumber schedule that the Senate may be
several days upon this subject alone, and
as there are several passsd-over paragraphs
1t will take nearly all of the week to finish
them,