The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-07-13
Senate and House Tariff Con
ferees at Odds on Many
Points.
Several Reports May Be Neces.
sary Before Agreement
Is Reached.
Political Conditions in the Senate
Being Used as a Strong
Argument.


their work. The minor matters were
easily adjusted. but on all important
features there has been no agreement
and the outlook is that several reports
may have to be made before an adjourn
ment can be reached. The house con.
ferees are standing solely by their bill
and the senators are no less tenacious.
The senate conferees have laid before
the house members the condition in the
senate where there is no actual majority
of the Republicans and where other
than Republican votes are necessary to
pass the bill or adopt a conference re.
report, They asserted that in 1894 the
Democrats were in better shape in the
senate than the Republicans now, as
they had an actual majority, yet the
house was finally compelled to accept
the senate bill in order to pass it.
Some of the Points Of Difference.
The more important features of the
bill are not settled, and the conferees
are finding trouble in it outside Of sugar,
wool, coal and lead. Lumber has been
in dispute, and the house conferees
have insisted that the house rate on
white pine must be accepted, and they
have been supported in this by Senator
Burrows of Michigan. The house rate
was 50 and the senate reduced it to 81.
The senate conferees say t.at if the
house rate is restored it will provoke a
long discussion in the senate, and that
no one can tell when the bill would get
out of the senate again. Straw mating,
which the senate put on the free list, is
an item of contention. Burlaps, cotton
and other items which were placed on
the free list by the senate met with
great hostility from the house conferees,
and SO far nothing in the way Of a COM
promise offered by the senate members
has been accepted.
The house conferees are also insisting
upon higher compensatory duties on
manufactures of cotton on account Of
the duty Of 20 per cent Oh raw cotton.
The house members have maintained
that the house bill has been commended
more than the senate bill and that the
conference should get as close to it as
possible.
The senate conferees in addition to
presenting the present political COM
plexion of the senate have pointed out
the difficulty that will occur if several
reports Of partial agreements and dis
agreements are made. They told the
house members that it will lead to end
less discussion; that they have no power
to force vote and that there is not a
majority in the senate to keep the sen.
| ate in session in case OF fibuster
against the conference report.
| Democrats Promise Nothing.
At the noon recess there was also q
hurried conference between the Repub-
| lican representatives in the senate in
the conference and the Democratic
members of the finance committee in
regard to the probable course Of the
Democrats in case the articles to which
they were especially instrumental III
having placed OH the free list should be
made dutiable.
The conference with the Democrats
was by no means reassuring. The Re
publicans were told that if these changes
were made they (the Democrats) would
be disposed to insist upon a full explain
alton in committee, and an elaborate
debate in the senate, which might indefi
nitely prolong the session.
The result of the inquiry as to the
effect of O restoration of the house rate
on white pine was far from reassuring
The senators from the Middle North.
west are especially concerned in holding
the senate rate and the conferees have
been notified that any yielding on this
question will result in no little delay
The problem is giving the COMMITTEES
considerable concern.