The San Francisco call., 1897-06-23
Stormy Incidents Aris-
ing From the Wool
Schedule.
Adoption of an Amendment
Brings Out Hints of a
mbination.
Allison FlerceIy Resents Remarks
Of Foraker, Who Declines
to Retract Them.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 22.-When
the Senate took up the tariff bill this
morning and was proceeding 10 consid er
the wool schedule, an unexpected incident
occurred. Allison, in charge OF the bill,
offered al amendment to paragraph $50,
making the duty on all woods and hair of
the first class 10 cents pound, and of the
second class IL cents a pound. These
rates are cent less than the House bill,
but cents higher than the Finance
Committee originally recommended. No
special opposition was made to the
amendment, but when it was agreed to by
the remarkable majority of 55 to 13,
storm of indignation broke out among the
Senators from the wool-growing States
who characterized it as 'signal victory"
for those who wanted low rates on raw
wool.
This was followed by charges against
the Finance Com mittee to the effect that
an agreement for higher rates had been
made and violated, and with intimations
that Senators who had combined IN agree
ing to the amendment would not COM
bine in passing the bill. The charges
against the Finance Committee were pre-
sented by Allison. acting chairman, who
declared passionately that he would not
be driven from his position by threat
from anybody.
Foraker said he supposed there was an
agreement with the Finance Committee
on wool duties and he wanted that agree
ment carried out; if not every Senator
will have to act for himself.
EVERY Senator has done that already"
Allison interposed.
"This Senator has done it," Foraker
said, with some show of anger. There is
no question as to the agreement. 1t was
put in writing in notations on the bill,
and not until came into this cham Der
this morning did 1 know thare was any
dissent to it. Now 1 don't propose to be
bound by an agreement that is not an
agreement from beginning to end"
Allison asserted that If there vas an
agreement in writing he had never seen it.
Foraker-I say the agreement was by
notations on the bill.
Allison (angriIy)-H the Senator i'm
putes 10 an mem Der of the Finance Com
mittee that he has failed to live up to any
understanding 1 resent it.
I do not impute anything" Foraker
said, Il state a fact, and l want TO state
it with enough distinctness TO be under
stood"
And 1 want to state" said Allison ex-
citedly, that amendment thus far offered
10 this bill has been offered in accordance
with the unanimous agreement of the Re
publican members of the Finance Com
mIttee. If there be any amendment not
agreed 10 | am willing TO pass il over, and
| am also willing to lay aside the entire
wool section. There is no reason why
Senators should break into a condition OF
excitement over the ma tier. l will not
be driven from my position by threat
from any body"
Quay inquired what agreement Foraker
was speaking Of
II spoke of the agreement between the
Finance Comm itiee and the Senators rep
resenting the wool ates." Foraker re-
piled You wers invited TO attend that
meeting. and my recollection is that you
were present"
Platt of Connecticut said he had never
heard of the agreement.
THE Senator did hear of it," Foraker
asserted, but has forg often about it. re-
member he was present and wrote down
in blue pencil the various amendments in
dicated. 1t was gone over carefully, being
no light matter"
Platt modified his statement by assert
ing that what he intended to say was that
he had never been present at any meeting
of the Finance Committee when such an
agreement was assented to.
Hale undertook to pour oil upon the
troubled waters, suggesting that .there
was no cause for excitement or disagree
ment between the Republicans, and coun-
selling the temporary laying aside of the
carpet paragraphs.
Vest interposed an objection, making
sarcastic remarks about the Republican
caucus discussion of which the Senate
had heard to-day and about the role of
the great "pacifcator" played by Hale,
who had SO often assured the Senate and
the country that there was no war in Cuba.
The discussion was appropriately ended
by quotation from Bret Harte as TO the
"Heathen Chinee whose sleeves we're
stuffed with aces and bowers, and the
same with intent to deceive" So the
wool schedule, Mantle declared, was
stuffed TO deceive the wool-growers of the
country.
After calm was restored the considera-
tion OF the carpet paragraphs was pro-
ceeded with until paragraph 357 was
reached, which Quay said was very i'm
portant to his constituents. At that point
the bill was laid aside, four pages of the
l. l. 4