The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-13
CLASHES IN THE CONFERENCE.
SMOOTH SAILING ON THE TARIFF
COMES TO A STOP.

The Republican COnferees For the
House Take Firm stand in OppO-
sition to the Sennte's Amendments
Important ScheduIes-Senate
COnfcrees Point Out the ShaI<y Po-
sitiOn of the Party in the senate.
A Situation Reached which APP
pears to JeOpardize the Passage of
the Measure.
Washington, July 12.-The tariff bill
conferees have struck some snags in their
work. The minor matters were easily
adjusted, but on all important features
there has been no agreement and the out
look to-day 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 less tena-
cious. The Senate conferees have laid be-
fore the House members the conditions
in the Senate, where there is not an ac-
tual majority of republicans, and where
other than republican votes are necessary
to pass the bill, or adopt a conference re-
port.
They asserted that in 1894 the democrats
We're in better majority, 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. Burlaps, cotton ties, and other
IteA
met with great hostility from the House
| conferees, and so far nothing in the way
of compromise offered by the Senate
members has been accepted.
The House conferees are also insisting
upon compensatory duties on manufac-
| lures of cotton on account of the duty of
20 per cent. on raw cotuon. 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 pre-
| senting the present political complexion
of the Senate have pointed out the diff
Guilty that will occur 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 vote and
| that there is not a majority in the Senate
hlibustering against the conference report
| The noon recess of the conferees was de-
| voted largely to a conference with individ-
| ual senator's, in which the House represen-
tatives 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 a 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 it is not believed
| that this apprehension was changed by the
results of their inquiries.
| There was also a hurried conference be-
! tween the republican representatives, of
the Senate in the conference and the
| democratic members of the finance
| committee in regard to the proba-
| BILE course of the democrats in case the ar
ticles which they were especially instru-
mental in having placed on the free list
| should be made dutiab,e.
These articles include cotton bagging
gunny bags, burlaps, cotton ties Paris
| green, floor mating, etc. The House Is
| insisting upon their restoration to the du-
| table list. and some of the Senate con-
| ferees are inclined to yield because of the
need for the revenue they would produce
| The conference with the democrats was
! by no means reassuring. The republicans
| were told that II these changes were
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 committee is meeting with its great
| est difficulty In reaching an understand
| ing on the wool and sugar schedules. On
| sugar Senators Aldrich and Jones Of Ne
| vada are holding out especially for the
| Senate schedule and are supported by the
entire Senate representation. The House
| conferees are just as firm in their demand
| for the House rates. The indication when
the conference adjourned tonight was
! that a compromise would be necessary
which would split the difference between
the two houses on the differential on re-
| fined sugar and Il was stated upon ap-
| parently good authority that an agree
ment to this effect had been reached. The
! House conferees are standing sufiy for
| the House schedule on wool, contendlng
| that the Senate rates would be most op-
| pressive upon manufacturers. The Senate
! classification Of third-class wools is espe-
| cially Objectionable 20 the carpet manu-
! facturers, and Senators Penrose and Gray
! have been active during the day in their
| efforts to secure an advance to u cents In
the value Of wool that may be admitted at
cents.
The conferees we're again together to-
night until IL o'clock, and at the conclu-
| sion Of their session were even more un-
| communicative than they have been here
tofore. This might be explained either
on the theory that they are very close 10
an agreement or that they are wider
apart than before.