Birmingham state herald., 1897-04-22
AN AGREEMENT REACHED And the Way Paved for Striking
 Out the RETROACTIVE PROVISION Of the DngIsy Tariff Bil-vest Resolution Not to Be Pushed in Consid-
 eration Therefor

Washington, April 21.-The republican members of the finance committee of the senate have reached an agreement either to strike out the retroactive provision of the Dingley tariff bill or to amend it so as to pave the way for it's being stricken out in conference and have so notified the democratic members of the commit tee. The democrats have agreed, in view of this promise, not to press the Vest resolution on the subject of Secre- tary Cages recent circular. This was one of the accomplishments of the visit of the republican members to the senate yesterday. The sentiment among the republican members is said to have been against the provision from the first, but they felt that to take final adverse action on the provision would put them under the light of acting under fire and forced to such a position because of the criti- cisms of the opposition. They there fore asked that the democrats keep their hands off so that the republicans could have an opportunity to make their inten- tions known. The democrats considered this proposition as reasonable and agreed to refrain from pressing consideration of the Vest resolution until the result of the labors of the republican members could be made known. While not abso- lute!y decided between the material modi- fication of the provision and its com plete cancellation the balance of opn- ion in the committee is understood to be quite on the side of destroying it en- tirely.
 There has been some discussion of the proposed programme of the democratic members of the committee with regard tn the bill and it is learned that while their plans are not definitely matured they have given reasonable consideration of the bill in committee and they have the support of Senator Jones, of Nevada, upon any fair proposition they may sub nit The democrats may desire to offer some amendments after they have seen the bill, the adoption of which they con- slider they would be more likely to secure in committee than in open senate It is said that in the senate the democratic plan is not to delay the bill any longer than is necessary, but that every senator desiring to discuss it shall have oppor- tunity to do 20. In this connection it may be stated that the democrats of the senate do not approve of the policy of Mir. Bailey and his fellow democrats of the house. Attention is called to the fact that it was long ago said that the policy Speaker Reed and the republic ans of the house are pursuing would be followed in order to direct attention to the delay of the tariff bill in the senate If delay should ensue by reason of de- bate by democratic senators it would p tint out, der1ocratic senators say. that this delay is not indorsed by the majority of the democrats of the house. The Bailey democrats will be indorsing the republicans in their criticisms.
 The democratic senators do not want criticisms which may be directed at them to be indirectly indorsed by the republic an members of the house. It | learned that in the debate the metal schedule figures have been made very close to the present law and the same may be said of the cotton schedule. The chemical schedule is said to be about completed Many changes in it in the way of deduc- tions have been made.