The herald., 1897-04-27

Z scheme would be novel, would require
explanation, and cannot result favora-
bly, TO the public interests. If our Re-
publican bretheren have improved the
bill SO as to make it passably digestible.
they can afford to submit it to careful
and conservative criticism in the COM
mittee room. The country, of course.
understands that the Republican man.
bers of the finance committee have had
the bill since it passed the house and
the minority have interposed no OBJ
struction and have not bean in posi-
tion to intelligently examine a single
schedule, and the situation will not be
altered until the details of the measure
are disclosed. I do not complain OF the
delay. The subject is of grave import
ance. and the gentlemen who have been
preparing amendments have worked as
siduousIy, and are no doubt troubled
because of the extraordinary burden i'm
posed upon them by the house.
ssThus far there has been no real de-
bate on the bill. 1 know that quite
time will be necessarily consumed in le-
gitimate discussion. I have been fire.
uuently asked whether the retroactive
clause will be eliminated. can only say
that 1 thoroughly agree with the criti-
cisms made upon this peculiar provl-
sion by Senator Vest, and do not think
that it can be retained, nor do l believe
that ii was ever intended to pass a bill
containing such a restriction. Its in
sertdon by the house was designed to
scare importers. / have no reasons 70
suppose that any Democratic member
of the finance committee favors the di-
rect report of the measure TO the senate.
We have had no formal meeting yet.
"The Democrats have not yet decided
how much time they want for the con-
sideratdon of the bill in committee, AMI
will not be able to decide until they see
the amended bill and ascertain the po-
sition that Senator Jones of Nevada will
assume toward the measure. He will
bear the balance of power in the COM
mittee, and if he throws his influence
with the Democrats they can hold the
bill in committee for an indefinite length
of time. He has todd the Republican
members of the committee that he still
holds views favorable to protection and
has given them to understand that he
win support the bill if it conforms to his
IDEAS He has asked in general way
for increased protection on the products
of the far west.
'If these concessions are made, 1t is
not believed that he would assist in hold
ing the bill in committee for any length
of time, even if the Democrats should so
desire.
'The Republican members of the conf
mittee express surprise at the refusal
of the Democrats to allow the tariff bill
to go direct to the senate instead of pass
ing through the committee. They say
the Democratic members have indicated
no desire to suggest amendments; that
it would be unusual If they should at
tempt to modify the bill in committee,
and that the proceeding of putting it
through the full committee will be pure
1y perfunctory. They show confidence
in being able to secure an early report.
even though there is opposition to i'm
mediate presentation to this, and they
count confidently upon the assistance
of Senator Jones of Nevada in getting
the measure out of committee.
"The Republican members now ex-
pect to be able to send the bill to the
printer Wednesday night and to present
1t to the full committee Thursday"