The news & observer., 1897-06-09
REPUBLICANS ARE SOLID.
They Caucus and Will Move as a Party
The Sugar Tariff Raised Still More.


Washington, ID. c., June S.-The Re
publican caucus today was we'll attend
ed, nearly every Republican Senator in
the city being present. Great interest
was manifested in tn caucus because it
was known that an effort was to be made
to secure a new sugar shedule and one
which all Republican Senators could sup
port Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Island
was present and after the caucus ad
journed said it was very successful and
he felt that the Republicans were going
to stand together on all schedules of the
bill. Almost the entire time of the eau
Gus was devoted to consideration of the
sugar schedule; other features where
there are differences were not reached.
No agreement was reached in regard to
the Hawaiian treaty and the committee is
expected to report some amendments
THAT viii mot leave the matter in any un-
certain condition. or absolutely abrOgate
the existing reciprocity provisions of the
treaty
An important feature Of the caucus
was the determination reached to vote
together as u party, which inSures favor
able action on all contested schedules and
the passage of the bill as approved by
the majority. This determination was
reached upon suggestion made by Sena-
tor TyhurSton. The suggestion led to the
most interesting incident of the caucus.
There had been several references to the
meeting as a conference Mr.. Thurs
ton objected to this designation, saying
that conferences never bound anyone
and that he wanted it definitely under
stood whether this meeting was to be
be binding or friendly chat without
further results. for if it was not to bind
all Senators on all schedules he would
not agree to abide by the decision upon
the sugar question.
This speech brought Senator Hanna
to his feet with an earnest plea for party
harmony and united effort on all the
features Of the bill. He referred to the
divisions at present existing in the Sen
ate and said it was high time an under
standing was reached.
Senator ThurstOn then put his suggeS-
tion in the shape of motion to the eff
feet that the agreement of the caucus
should be binding upon all Republican
Senaors, and it carried by a large ma
jorty.
The main proposition on the sugar
schedule were those fixing the rate ON
refined sugar. There were three of these
propositions. The one adopted fixing the
rate at one and ninety-five hundredth of
II cent per pound in place of one and
eight hundred seventy-five thousands,
as fixed by the House bill. was suggest
ed by Senator Spooner. Senator Perkins
suggested 1 3-16 and Senator Welling-
ton the rate of the House bill.
The two last amendments were voted
down viva yOce and the Spooner amend
ment accepted by an almost unanimous
vote.
There was no especial effort to retain
the amendments originally offered by the
Senate Finance committee and no prOpO-
Sition was made to that effect. Senators
Allison and Aldrich expressed the opinion
that the schedule as proposed by their
committee was equitable and that its
provisions were misunderstood.
Mr.. Aldrich, who is generally credited
with the authorship of the Finance COM
mittee provisions. had been expected to
stand out stiffly for the amendments, but
he did not do so. he said that he's interest
in the success of tariff revision as IA
whole was superior to his interest in any
particular schedule; that he had no pride
in the rates fixed by the committee, and
that. notwithstanding his conviction that
the committee rates were equitable and
in the line of Republican policy, he was
willing to subordinate his judgment to
that of the majority.
The announcement was received with
demonstrations of applause. Speeches
we're made by almost all the Senators
present. Mr.. Hoar made a vigorous plea
for unity of action, but said the sugar
schedule would be definitely agreed upon
at this time and put in such shape as to
terminate the unfriendly criticism that
had been aroused.
Senator Frye asked the caucus to con-
slider the necessity of protecting the Hl-
waiian reciprocity treaty and made a
speech in that behalf. This occurred
early in the proceedings and the Ha-
waiian question was apparently lost sight
of in the subsequent proceedings over the
main features of the schedule.
The caucus was compelled to adjourn
at noon, when the Senate met, and was
unable to take up any other question. In
deed the Senators generally were of
opinion that with the Hawiian question
undisposed of, the sugar question was not
finally settled, but there was no agree
ment for a future caucus.
The text of the new sugar schedule ls
as follows:
Sugars not above No. 16, Dutch stan
dard in color, tank bottom syrups Of cane
juice, melada, concentrated IN 9'ada, con-
crete and concentrated molaSses, testing
by the polariscope not above % 1egrees,
one cent per pound; ard on sugar above
No. 16, Dutch standard in color, and on
all sugars which have gone through a
process of refining, one cent and ninety
five one-hundredths of one cent per
pound; molasses testing above forty de-
gress and not above Sc degrees, three
cents per gallon; testing 56 degrees and
above, six cents per gallD1; sugar drain
ings and sugar sweepings shall be sub
ject to duty as mOlasses or sugar, as the
case may be, according to polariscope
test; sugars, tank bottoms, syrups. cane
juice, or beet juice, melada, concentrated
melada and concrete and concentrated
mOlaSses the prOduct of any country