The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-09
TARIFF BILL TO GO THROUGH.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS GET TO-
GETHER IN CAUCUS.

senator ThurStOn Brings This
About.
Washington. June S-The republican
caucus to-day was well attended, nearly
every republican senator in the city be-
ing present. Great interest was manifest
ed in the caucus because it was known
that an effort was to be made to secure
a new sugar schedule and one which all
republican senators could support.
Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island was
present, and after the caucus adjourned
said it was very successful and that he
felt that the republicans were going to
stand together on all the schedules of the
bill and that an agreement would be reach
ed where differences of opinion existed
Almost the entire time of the caucus was
devoted to consideration of the sugar
schedule, other features where there were
differences not being reached. No agree
ment was reached in regard to the Ha-
waian treaty and the committee is ex-
pected to report some amendments that
will not leave the matter in any uncertain
condition or absolutely abTogate the exist
ing reciprocity provisions of the treaty.
An important feature of the caucus was
the determination reached TO vote to-
gether as a party, which insures favor
able action on all contested schedules and
the passage of the bill as approved by the
majority. This determination was reached
upon suggestion made by Senator Thurs
ton.
The suggestion led to the most interest
ing incident of the caucus. There had
been several references to the meeting as
a conference" Mr. Thurston objected to
this designation, saying that conferences
never bound any one, and that he wanted
it definitely understood whether this meet
ing was to be binding or friendly chat
without further results, for If il was not
to bind all senators on all schedules, he
would not agree to abide by the decision
upon the sugar question.
This speech brought Senator Hanna TO
his feet with an earnest plea for party
harmony and united effort on all the feat
ures of the bill. He referred to the appa-
rent divisions at present existing in the
Senate and said it was high time that a
perfect understanding was reached.
Senator Thurston then put his sugses-
ton in the shape of a motion TO the effect
that the agreement of the caucus should
be binding upon all republican senators.
and it carried by a large majority.
The main propositions on the sugar
schedule were those fixing the rate on re-
fined sugar. There were three of these
propositions. The one adopted fixing the
rate at one and ninety-fiVe one-hun-
dredths of a cent per pound instead of
one and eight hundred and seventy-five-
thousandths as fixed by the House BILL
was suggested by Senator Spooner
Senator Perkins suggested S-16 and
Senator Wellington the rate of the House
bill
The two last amendments were voted
down viva voce. and the Spooner amend
ment was accepted by an almost unani-
nous vote There was no special effort
to retain the amendments originally Of
fered by the Senate finance committee
and no proposition was made to the effect
by any one. s-l,..
Senators Allison and AIdrich expressed
the opinion that the schedule, as pre-
pared by their committee, was equable
and that its provisions were misunder-
stood.
Mr. Aldrich, who is generally credited
with the authorship of the finance COM
mittee provisions, had been expected to
stand out stiffly for the amendments, but
he did not do So He said that his inter-
est in the success of the tariff revision as
whole was superior to his interests in
any particular schedule; that he had no
pride i'm the rates fixed by the committee
and that Notwithstanding his conviction
that the centres were equitable and in the
line of republican policy, he was willing
the majority The announcement met with
demonstrations of approval
Speeches were made by almost all the
senators present. MIR. l1oar made a Wig
orous plea for unity Of action, but said
the sugar schedule should be definitely
agreed on at this time and put in such
shape as to terminate the unfriendly crit
icsm that had been aroused.
Senator Frye asked the caucus to con-
slider the necessity of protecting the Ha-
waiian reciprocity treaty and made a
speech in that behalf This occurred early
in the proceedings and the Hawaiian ques-
ton was apparently lost sight of In the
subsequent proceedings over the main
features of the schedule.
The caucus was compelled to adjourn at
noon, when the Senate met and was I'M
able to take up any other question.
Indeed, senators generally were OF the
opinion that with the Hawaiian question
indsposed of the sugar question was not
finally settled, but there was no agree
ment for future CAUCUS.
The text Of the new sugar schedule is
as follows
Sugar not above No 1s Dutch standard
i'm color. tank botoms me-
lada, concrete and concentrated
molasses, testing by the polariscope, not
above Is degrees, one cent per pound, and
for every additional degree shown by the
poiariscope test three one-hundredths Of
one cent per pound additional, and frac-
tions OF a degree ian proportions; and on
sugar above No. rs Dutch standard In col
or ard on all sugar which has gone
through a process Of refining, one cent
and ninety-fve one-hundredths OF one
cent per pound; molasses testing above
forty degrees and not above fifty-six de-
grees 3 cents per gallon, testing hfty-slx
degrees and above. s cents per gallon:
sugar DRAWINGS and sugar sweepings shall
be subject TO duty as moasses or sugar
as the case may be, according 20 polarl-
scopic tests Sugars. tank bottoms, syrups.
cane Juice or beet juice, melada concen-
trated melada and conrete and concentrate
ed ruoIaggog the DrOducf of aut, ,,,,,,,.'..