Evening star., 1897-06-09
THE TARIFF BILL
Senate May Get Back to the House
Schedules.
EFFECT OF THE BACKDOWN ON SUGAR
There May Be No Increase Of In
ternal Taxes.
THE REVENUE QUESTION

1t is claimed in some quarters that indi-
cations al this time point to the possibility
of the Senate abandoning it's position. upon
the tariff bill and accepting the bill prac-
tically as 1t came from the House. If this
should be the case 1t will mean an early
agreement between the two houses and
the possibility of the new tariff becomin (
a law within thirty days.
The proceedings Of the Senate for several
days past have shown an increasing
tendency to accept the House figures The
first important break was in the case of the
earthenware schedule, which has been
heretofore mentioned. The backdown of
the Senate upon the sugar schedule was of
course he most prominent instance OF
yielding to the opposition to the Senate
Dill. There have been numerous instances
In the past ten days where the Senate has
gone back 10 the House figures upon
smaller items in the various schedules.
Current gossip at the Capitol forecasts the
Poss!pinty OF further yielding upon the
part Of the Senate.
No Increase of Internal Revenue.
The opinion seems to be growing among
those opposed to the Senate bill, especially
among the members of the House of Repre-
sentatives, that the Senate will give up
its plan of increasing the internal revenue
taxes. Ihe prediction has been made by
even republican senator that the pro-
posed increase of the internal revenue tax
upon beer will have to be dropped owin.
to the storm of opposition to it that ha 9
developed since the finance committee re-
ported inc Dill. The tobacco dealers are ex-
ertlhg their utmost to defeat the increase
upon tobacco. Increased beer and tobacco
c0nnfQ6 h1yf ha
gether with a customs duty upon tea. to
Prouuce enough revenue to Offset the loss
GGcasioned by the cuts in other schedules
mere is said to be grave possibility tn 1t
tne tea duty will be abandoned
1T Is pointed out by those on the House
sac M VINO are expecting to see the House
Dill adopted, that If the Senate Is forced
ny public opinion to retreat from its posi-
~, tna upon internal revenue taxes and the
tea duty the Senate will then be comeelled
10 restore the House rates throughout the
Dill where they have beer cut, otherwise
the Dill will fail to produce the necessary
revenue, and as a matter of fact would he
very little better from a republican stand
point than the Wilson bill In every item
OF each schedule in the bill the commit
tee on ways and means acted, in getting
up the measure, with a view to raising rev
enue as well as to protecting American in
dCstries. If the Senate bill does not give
promise to do that the House will never
accept 1t.
The Question of Revenue
The position of Mr.. Reed, Mr.. Di1gley
and the republican managers in the House
mas been all along that the first consid-
Grafton in tariff measure was that it
should raise sufficient revenue for in this
was bound up the financial question. and
an matters relating to the prosperity of
the country When the Senate cut the
rates In 50 many cases to par with the
M Yosn
stances below the Wilson figures. the first
thing that occurred to the House tariff
makers was the inadequacy of the new
rates to raise revenue. When the sug-
ses,ion s,.'9 was made that the deficiency
would be made up by internal revenue taxes
the House was still left the excuse that
the Senate rates were below the standard
Of protection.
1t is said that the first thing the sena-
tors will be called upon to do when the
bill gets into conference will be to show
that their measure Will bring in revenue
II the concessions they will have made
reLder IT unlikely it will then be in order
for the House conferees to insist upon re-
turning to the original bill, which was
prepared In scientific manner.
There does not seem to be much disposi-
tlon upon the part o. members of the
House to go into ecstaSieS over the Sem
ate's concessions upon the sugar schedule
At the same time there is no apparent
tendency to resist the compromise as pro-
posed by the republican caucus. 1t is
realized, it is said that the sugar sched-
ule as prepared ny the Senate france
committee was not expected to go through
In the first place. The sugar trust wanted
to grab more than was allotted them oy
the House bill, and the top-notch figures
Set by the Senate committee permitted of
an apparent yielding Upon the part of the
Senate TO point which was Still more
favorable to the sugar trust than the
House rates.
The Cotton Schedule.
1t is understood n an effort may be
made. as a result of the action yester.
day in putting a duy upon cotton, to in
crease the duties upon manufactures OF
cotton. 1t was pointed out by Senator
Jones to those democrats who were advo-
eating a duty on .otton that there was
likelihood of cOmpensating increase upon
the manufactured goods being demanded
as a result. The Senate Gotten schedule
uie. this being one of the few cases where
the Senate did not cut below the House
rates.
Both, however, are below the McKinlc
rates in most cases. 1t is understood to
be the intention of the friends of the cotton
manufacturers to urge both the House
ana senate to restore the Mckinley rates
This VIII not be any set back to the demo-
Gratis who voted for a duty on cotton how
ever. 1t happens that cotton manufact ur-
Ing Is one of the staple Industries of the
states represented by those senator's and
II the republicans choose to increase the
protection to cotton goods they are not
likely to feel badly aLCut it.