The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-25
ACTION ON THE TARIFF BILL.
Satisfactory Plan Arranged at the Meeting
Of The Caucus of REPUBLICAN
Senators.

WASHINGTON. D. c., May 24.-lt took
over four hours for the caucus of Repub-
lican Senators to reach an agreement to-
day on satisfactory plan of action on the
tariff bill. This result was not reached
without much heated debate, the wool
men in particular being very outspoken
and aggressive. Clarke of Wyoming made
one of the strongest speeches in favor of
higher rates on wool. The only formal
vote in the caucus was on the proposition
to appoint steering committee TO take
charge of the tariff bill during its journey
through the Senate, which was opposed
by many Western Senators. The ma
jority of the caucus however, was with
the Finance Committee and the motion
was agreed to. The steering committee
will consist of Republican mem bers of the
Finance ommittee, and three others to
be appointed by the chairman of the eau
Gus.
Allison, in order to reduce to a mini
mum the delay in disposing of the tariff
bill in caucus, agreed that its members
deliver no long set speeches. and attacks
OF the opposition are TO be replied 10 in
the Eriefest manner possible. On the ques-
ton OF amendments offered by individual
Republican Senators, it was practically
agreed that these amendments should
first be submitted to the Finance Com
mittee. If the committee decided against
the amendment, then the caucus would
be called to pass upon it, and the pro-
poser would abide by the verdict of the
caucus. There were some very pertinent
remarks upon the sugar sche dule, but it
was agreed to postpone action upon this
and other particular sched ules in dispute
until after Aldrich's statement Is made
to- morrow.
The caucus of Republican Senators on
the tariff bill lasted from 1915 o'clock I'M.
til Ais this afternoon. Among the prin-
cipal speakers were Senators Aldrich of
Rhode Island and Perkins of California
Senator Perkins advocated q stamp tax
instead of the proposed internal revenue
tax on beer, tea and tobacco. He thought
that five or ten stamp TO I've affixed to
bank checks, stock certificates, NOR cages
deeds and papers of that kind which are
a rule Gil culated by wealthy or well to
do people would furnish as much revenue
as the proposed internal revenue tax on
beer, tea and tobacco, which would fall
most heavily upon the poorer class of peo-
pie. He thought the stamp tax would
provide ample revenue to make up the
deficit. He cited as an instance the STAN o
tax on mining stock certificates which was
once i'm posed In California and furDis he'd
a revenue of several thousand dollars a
month.
Senator Perkins also advocated COM
promise measure with regard to the Ha-
waiian reciprocity treaty. He said that
he was receiving many messages each day
from every county in which beet-sugar
was cultivated praying that the treaty be
abrogated, and be could not ignore their
wishes. At the same time he had been
petitioned by business men and mercan-
tile organizations in San Francisco and
other California cities asking for the con-
tinuance OF the treaty. He proposed q
compromise measure by which the duty
on sugar from the islands would be fixed
at "a cent per pound after years notice
had been given; or, as an alternative
proposition, that the duty be gradually re-
duced from "a of cent pound year
by year for period of about five years,
until finally California would be able to
produce beet-sugar enough to supply the
people.
Senator Perkins said to The CALL COR
respondent tonight that it looked as If
the general schedule as finally passed by
both houses would be equivalent to a
specific duty OF ~ cents per pound on
sugar from ether countries than Hawaii
and that If after one years notice duty
of "A cant should be imp posed on sugar
from Hawaii it would be an equitable
settlement of the m after.
Senator Perkins made the suggestions
on merely tentative proportions from the
standpoint OF party expectancy, although
he is rather OF the opinion that the
dawaiian-treaty clause of the Dingley
bill will be restored