The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-07-29

| no shortage or single dollar nae ey-
er been discovered.
Information has been received here
of the important conference held at
the Foreign Office in London between
Senator Wolcott, former vice-Presi-
| dent Stevenson and General Paine, the
members of the United States Bimetal-
! lie Commission, and Ambassador Hay,
and Lord Salisbury, Sir Michael Hicks
| Beach, Chancellor of the Exchequer;
! MIR. Arthur Balfour, First Lord of the
! Treasury, and Lord George Hamilton,
Secretary of State for India The con-
ference, which lasted an hour, was
| preliminary to the carrying on of fur
ther negotiations on the subject of in
ternational bimetallism. The Ameri-
cans did most Of the talking. Lord
Salisbury inquired what were the pow
ers of the American commissioners,
and was informed that they stand
| authorized to make arrangements for
the holding OF an international confer
ence or to negotiate treaty Of inter-
national bimetallism, which they
might submit to their government for
ratification. 1t was stated also that
France was ready to cooperate with
the United States, Great Britain and
| Germany in reaching an agreement for
International bimetallism. The British
representatives present made no state
ment indicating their intentions in the
matter. Consultations OF high British
officials will be held before another
meeting with the American commits
sion. and in the meantime the lat
| ter will privately discuss the question
] a. l..sA nj hnR
! financiers and endeavor to secure their
support.
The commissioners were afterwards
received by the Queen and entertained
at luncheon by Lord Salisbury. Tho
reception which our representatives
obtained has been very gratifying to
Administration circles here, and high
hopes have been awakened for the ulti-
mate success of their mission.
Every day there are increasing In
dications that the Senate sugar sched
ule cannot possibly get through the
conference. 1t Is now believed that
Speaker Reed has interposed his pow
erful authority to prevent the adoption
OF this schedule. If reports be true.
the Speaker has informed the House
conferees that If they yield to the Sen
ate. their report will be in danger Of
rejection by the House even II such
action jepard!zes the passage of the
tariff bill The effect of this informa-
ton from the Speaker was instantly
felt in the conference committee and
the compromise agreement which was
nearly decided upon was declared of.
The Senate conferrees, with the excep-
tion of Senators Aldrich, OF Rhode ISL
and. and Jones, of Nevada, would glad
ly yield and accept the House sugar
schedule in It's entirety. These two
Senators are standing out strongly for
the Senate schedule, and the position
of Senator Jones as u free lance, with
out party ties or responsibilities, is
such that unless his demands are ac-
ceeded to he may be able to Indefinite
ly delay the adoption of the conference
report in the Senate.
II Is probable that even had Speaker
Reed not interfered. the House confer
rees would have receded from their
agreement, as they realized, after they
had seen its effect upon the stock mar
ket, that they had made a great mis-
take Although the whole matter is
now IN the air, II Is still probable that
there will be compromise of some
kind on the sugar schedule. though 1t
will probably not be as favorable to
the Trust as the previous one. 1t is
generally believed that the Senate pro-
vision reducing by one-tenth Of a cent
a pound the House rates on sugars not
shove 81 degrees will be agreed to by
the House conferrees. 1t is also posi-
BILE that there may be slight increase
in the duty on refined sugars over the
House rates. but this will be opposed
with renewed vigor by the House con-
ferrees.
Few public men have been identified
more with the history of this country
than Senator Isham Harris OF Tennes-
see whose death makes another va
cancy in the Senate. He had almost
completed his seventy-ninth year, hav-
ing been born In Franklin county,
Tenn, in February 1918. and first be-
came a member OF Congress in 1S49.