Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-12
Tariff Conferees Far From Reaching
Agreement.
CONSULTATION With DEMOCRATS
Delay Threatened if Certain Rates
Are Changed.
LEADERS IN A QUANDARY

snags IN their work. The minor matters
were easily adjusted, but on all important
features there has been no agreement, and
the outlook today was that several reports
would have to be made before an adjust
ment could be reached. The House con-
ferees are standing solidly by their bill,
and the Senate conferees are no leas tena-
cious.
The Senate conferees have laid before the
House members the condition in the SEN
ate. where there Is not an actual majority
OIL the republicans, and where other than
republican votes are necessary to pass the
Dill or adopt conference report. They as
serted that in 1894 the democrats were in
better shape in the Senate than the repub-
ilcans are now, as they had an actual ma
1ority, yet the House was finally compelled
to accept the Senate bill in order to pass it.
The members of the House are standing
by their bill, nevertheless, and have told
the senators that they cannot accept the
Senate amendments on many important
Items. The more important features of the
Dill are not settled, and the conferees find
trouble on items outside Of sugar, wool,
coal and lead. Lumber has been in dis
pute, and the House conferees have in
sisted that the House rates on white pine
must be accepted, and they have been sur
ported in this by Senator Burrows of Mich
ate reduced it to 81.
If the House Rate is Restored.
The Senate conferees saw that IL the
House rate is restored it will provoke a
long discussion in the Senate, aid 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. The
House confereeS have refused to accept
even the rate which was originally report
ed in the Senate bill and stand for the
House rate. Burlaps, cotton ties 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 compromise offered by the
Senate members has been accepted.
The House conferees are also insisting
upon higher compensatory duties on manu-
factureS of cotton on account of the duty
OF ~ per cent on 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 complexion of the Senate,
have pointed out the difficulty that will &C.
cur if several reports of partial agreements
and disagreementS are made. They have
told the House members that it will lead to
endless discussion, that they have no power
to force a vote. and that there is not a ma
jority In the Senate to keep the Senate in
session in case of filibuster against the
conference report.
The noon recess of the confereeS was
devoted largely to q conference with indi-
vidual senators, in which the House repre-
sentatives in the conference participated.
These conferences developed the fact that
the wool schedule had been under special
consideration during the forenoon session
and that the House men had shown de-
cided disposition to hold on to the House
rates. There was evident apprehension
that If this contention was granted there
would be difficulty in getting the bill
through the Senate, and 1t is not believed
hat annrphenSiOn
by the results of their inquiries.
Conference With Democrats.
There was also a hurried conference be-
tween the republican representatives of the
Senate in the conference and the demo-
cratic members of the finance committee
in regard to the probable course of the
democrats in case the articles which they
were especially instrumental In having
placed on the free list should be made duti-
able. These articles include cotton bag
ging, gunny bags, burlaps. cotton ties,
Paris green, floor mating, etc.
The House is insisting upon their res
toration to the Gutiabe list, and some of
the Senate conferees are inclined to yield
because of the need of tine revenue they
would produce.
The conference with the democrats was
by no means reassuring The republicans
were told that if these changes should be
made they-the democrats-would be dis
posed to insist upon a full explanation in
committee and an elaborate debate in the
Senate which might Indefinitely prolong
the session.
The result of the inquiry as to the effect
of a restoration of the House rate on white
pine lumber was far from reassuring. The
senators from the middle northwest are
especially concerned In holding the Senate
rate, and the conferees have been notified
that any yielding on this question Will re-
suit in no little delay. The problem is CIV
ing the committee considerable concern.
n a lower cvanide
of potassium feel confident from reports
from the conference that the Senate rate
Of 121 per cent will be accepted
Almost at a Deadlock.
The democrats of the tariff conference
committee have been informed that they
will probably be called into conference
Thursday or Friday. There Is, however,
some doubt about the bill being ready at
that time. 1t Is understood that the con-
ference was almost at a deadlock during
this mornings session. The senators are
making a play to force the House to terms.
and in order to do this are making great
display of firmness in small matters, SO
that they may have their way as to those
of more importance, in return for their
reluctant yielding when not go much is
involved.
There was considerable talk on the Sen
ate side this morning of the stubborn
ness of the House, and 1t was intimated
that the committee might have to report a
disagreement. This appears, however to
be nothing more than an attempt to intimi-
date the House. The merely verbal amend
ments which make up most of the 500,
have been disposed CT, and today the con-
ference is down TO real business, and i: is
the time for the usual senatorial bluff.
The Sugar Schedule.
Whenever 1t is understood that the sugar
schedule can be arranged in a form satis-
factory to the Senate the agreement on
the whole bill will progress rapidly, but
today the senators are playing for posi-
ton.
After the morning session Senators AL
6rich and Allison had an earnest confer
ence with Mr.. Quay. Mr.. Quay is insist
ing on the wool schedule being made sat
isfactory to the carpet men, and the Phila-
deiphia representatives of the carpet inter-
ests are making a strong fight. The gen.
eral impression is that the Senate will
have to yield something on third-class
Wools.
The tax on bond trar arsactions, &C., will
probably stand, with some modification on
account of the paragraph having been
drawn up hastily. Hides will probably re-
main on the taxed list.
Democratic conferees OF the Senate were
told early this morning to hold themselves
in readiness to be called into conference at
any time, possibly this afternoon. but this
was before the difficulties of todays con-
ference had developed.