The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-16
Sole TARIFF SNAGS.


Ing Out Strongly for TIE Bill on Mnts~r1
ofImports1c~ Likely to bs Several yes-
ports Made woct aud Sugar the CAAsg
Disturbing Attis!es-House Ccufrr~ss ~
sist oa basiss ~a Cotton BsgsirE ara
Tics
Washington. July la.-The tarfT
conferees have struck some snaxs I'm
their work. The minor matters were
easily adjusted. but on all importana
features there have been no agreement
n the outlook today was tina severua
reports would have to be sadc n.-
fore an adjustment could De reaussed
The house conferees are standing scs-
idly by the4r bill. and the senate cssss-
ferees are no less tenacious.
The senate ccnferees have laid tefnre
the house member the ccndlts son nm
the senate, where there Is not actuaI1v
a majority OF the republicans nnd
where other than republican votes nre
necessary to pass the bill or adypt N
conference report. They asserted thnf
in 1884 The democrats were In better
shape in the senate than the repufai-
cans are now. as they had an actunl
majority, yet the house was finally
compelled TO accept the senate bill In
order TO pass 1t.
The members OF the house are stand
Ing by their bill. nevertheless, and
have told the senator's that they cam
not accept the amendments on MANY
important items.
Buriaps, cotton ties and other ltcmn
which were placed on the free list Rvv
the senate. met with great hostility
from the house conferees and so far
nothing In the way OF a compromku.
offered by the senate members has
been accepted. The house ccnferes~
are also insisting upon higher cnnpen-
satory duties on manufactures OF cot
ton on account OF the duty OF 20 pcr
cent. on raw cotton. The house MEM
bers have maintained that the houA,
Dill mas been commended more than
the senate bill and that the conference
should get as close to II as possible.
The senate conferees, in addition q,
presenting the present political COM
pleXion OF the senate, have pointed ous
the difficulty that will occur IL sey-
erai reports of partial agreements and
dlsagreements are made. They have
told the house members that il VIII
lead 10 endless discussion: that they
have no power to force a vote and that
there is not a majority in the senate
10 Keep the senate In session in case OF
a hlibuster against the conference re-
port.
The noon recess OF the conferees was
devoted largely to a conference with
individual senators in which :he house
representatives in the conference par
ficipated. This conference developed
the fact that the wool schedule had
Deen under especial consideration dur
ing the forenoon session and that the
house men had shown a decided dispo-
sitron TO hold on to the house rates
There was evident apprehension that
If this contention was granted. rhersp
would be difficulty in getting the blu
rnrough the senate. and IL is not be-
lieved that this apprehension was
changed by the results OF their maui
RES. There was also a hurried confer
ence between the republican represent
tatives of the senate in.rhe conferences,
n the democratic members OF rhe
nnance committee in regard to the
probable course Of the democrats in
case the articles to which they were
especially instrument in having Mae
ed on the free list should be made du-
table. Those articles inslude cotton
bagging, gunny bags, burlaps. cotton
TIES, Paris green. floor mattings. SIC
The mouse is insisting upon their reg
toration to the dutiable list and sous.
OF the senate conferees are inclined to-
yield because OF the need for the revt.-
nue. they would produce.
The conference with the democrats
was by no means reassuring. The re-
publicans were told that If these
changes were made they fhe deur,-
crats) would be disposed % insist ursorz
a fui! explanation in committee and
an elaborate debate In the senate
which might indefinitely prolong the
| session.
The committee is meeting with its
greatest difficulty in reaching an un-
~derstanding On the wool and the SUI
gar schedules. On sugar, Senator's
Aldrich, and Jones OF Nevada, are
holding out especially for the senate
schedule and are supported by the en-
tire senate representation. The house
conferees are just as firm in their de-
mand. for the house rates. The insEf-
cations when the conference adjourned
tonight were that a compromise would
be necessary which would split the diff
ference between the two houses on the
differential on refined sugar and II was
stated upon apparently good authority
that an agreement to this effect had
been reached. The house conferecs
are standing sifly for the house sched-
ule on wool, contending that the senate
rates would be most oppressive upon
manufacturers. The senate classified
tion Of third class woods Is especially
Objectionable to carpet manufacturers
and Senators Penrose and Quay have
been active during the day in their ef-
forts to secure an dvanc to IL cerrta
in the value of wool that may be adj
mftted at 4 cents. The senate schedule
makes 10 cents the figure Of demarca-
ton in value, fixing a duty Of Z cents
a pound on all wool above that price
The Pennsylvania senators say that
under this classification 80 per cent. OF
the carpet woods would be made to
pay z cents duty and that the result
woui be to close many of the carpet
makers out.
There was quite a movement on the
democratic side Of the senate today to-
insure a firm stand for free burlaps..
cotton bagging. floor mating. cotton
ties, etc. placed on the free list In The