The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-12
NO FRICTION THUS FAR.
Senate and House Tariff Confcrees
Are Getting Along Famously.
All Parties Showing Ccncilia'
tory Spirit. c
Date Of Final Agreement Is Matter Of Doubt,
However...Sunday Session.

Washington, July 12.-The conferees
on the tariff bill held four hours ses-
sion yesterday. The anxiety tofeach a
complete agreement az early as possible
irduced them to meet on Sunday. and
both the house and Scnate conferces ap-
pear satisfied with the progress that has
been made. Several hundred OF the
minor amendments have been agreed
upon, many OF them mere changes OF
phraseology. and on a large majority
however OF these the house conferees
naturally have yielded.
None of the real important problems
in the bill. however, have as yet been
solved. All OF them have received more
or less consideration, and there has been
a free exchange Of opinions. The tenn
per Of the disposition OF the senate and
house conferees on these important mat
ters have in this way been ascertained.
In several cases the conferees are very
close 20 an agreement. Both sides. so
one OF the conferees said. show a COM
mendable spirit Of concihation, and while
in several instances each side seems to
be holding out strongly for its conten-
tion as to rates. he said that there had
not yet appeared on the horizon any
thing which portended such difficulty
as would not In time be surmounted.
There Is the best of reasons for be-
lieving that several Of the main points
OF contention will be compromised. This
10 especially believed TO be true Of lum-
Der, hides and wool. and possibly sugar.
though on the latter, the house conferees
are standing particularly firm for their
schedule. On the subject Of reciprocity
Ahe drift of opinion seems to be in the
direction Of the senate substitute. with
some Of the house provisions; that Is,
that the list OF articles which can be
used as basis for reciprocity treaties
vvu be broadened. but the senate pro-
vision requiring the ratification Of the
treaties will be discarded.
Several Of the eminent lawyers in both
branches OF congress question the con.
ttitutionality Of the power conferred
upon the president by the senate re-
ciprocity provision. The stamp tax or
bonds and stocks provided form one OF
the senate amendments has not yet beer
accepted.
The revenue afforded by It furnishes
q strong argument for It's acceptance ir
view Of the heavy anticipatory importa-
lions, and there II talk Of widening itl
scope DO as not only to include a tax or
actual transfers. but on all recorded
sales. This necessity Of revenue alst
furnishes q strong argument for the re
Storation Of the house rates on imported
tobacco. It Is impossible to estimate
yet when a final agreement Will bt
reached, although various dates
are given as to the length OF time thu
bill will remain in conference, ranging
from tomorrow to a week from today.
One Of the most influential Of the con
ferees said that all estimates were neces.
sarily pure guesswork. He said thai
the decisions on the matters of trans
cendent Importance In the bill were 81
(interdependent that an ultimate de.
cision on one might involve; a complete
agreement on the others. and this fina
agreement might come at any time af
ter the rest of the matters Of secondary
Importance were out of the way. Wher
the report is completed il will at once
go to the house. where 1t is not likely
that more than one day will be allowed
for debate. The anxiety to get the bill
on the statute books and the great los:
Of revenue involved i'm each "a hours de
1ay. it is argued, justifies the Republican
managers in declining to give more thar
pols> law for dfecIIcqiOn