The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-04-05
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, d. c.,

LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WAsHrNGToN, D. c., March 3lst, 1884.
Messrs. Editors The caucus of the Democratic
members of the House, to determine what action
they would take therein on the Morrison tariff bill,
was held in the hall of the Hou8 Of Representa-
tives last Tuesday night. 1t was the most
largely attended Democratic caucus that has ever
been held here, all the members OF that side OF the
House being present but nine. This fact OF itself
was significant of the vital Importance with which
they viewed the proceedings that were about to
take place, but the faces of the Democratic mem
bers, they gathered singy or in groups OF never
more than two or three together, spread over with
uncertainty and sombreness, showed with what
gravity of dire results the caucus they were about
to hold was mixed up. But at last came Mr.. Ran
dali and entered the door of the chamber, who
alone of the whole number that had passed in
looked bold and determined, as though his mind
MAS made up and always had been as to what
course he would pursue. The man who said "Giye
iihs.ty =. sis - ass.he could nst haze !anes
more determined than he, and his alter actions in
the caucus bore out what he thought and felt in
his mind. That every Democrat who enteredthe
caucus felt that it night be the of life unto
life or of death unto death of the Democratic Iar-
ty easily seen by their demeanor. Would
Randall yield to the majority. or would the ma
jority have to yield to the minority, composed of
Mr.. Randall and his conferrees, or would there be
a split in the party? 1t this last thought that
gave pause to the majority for it was evident from
Mr.. Randalfs determined countenance that he
would not yield single point in the course he
had hitherto taken. 1t is true that when the
House was organized at the beginning Of the ses-
sion and Mr.. Carlisle was elected Speaker Mr..
Randall and his supporters were generally given
but very little consideration, and it is also true
that Mr.. Henry Watterson had issued philippe
a few days before the caucus, threatening to read
the whole Randall crowd out of the Democratic
party if they did not conform to the behess of the
majority. But Mr.. Randall had brought his OPP
ponents to bay by his determination and firmness,
and they now would either have to yield or take
the consequences and be responsible for splitting
up the party.
This was the situation when the caucus met
There was not much done. The caucus lasted till
a very late hour. Nearly every Democrat present
wanted to speak and to bring forward some sug-
gestion that would be a panaeea for the ills and
troubles that afflicted their party, and especially
to try to evade the main issue of action upon the
Morrison bill. One or two of the New York mem
bers said that if the bill passed by the House
the Republicans would carry New York by 49,
600; member from New Jersey said the party
would lose New Jersey, and Mr.. Talbot and others
of Maryland said it was possible that State would
be lost to the party. Under such statement of
facts as these the majority felt truly that the
ground was dangerous to try to bind the minority
to policy for the reduction OF the tariff, as pro
posed by them, and did not do so. They adopted
a resolution for the consideration of the Morrison
bill in the committee of the whole of the House,
and after ''full discussion tariff bill should be
passed. and made dependent thereon tho abel-
ton of the tax on tobacco and all other revenue
taxes except that on whisky, with reduction of
the tax on fruit brandes to ten cents on the gallon
"a supposed sop to the Randall wing-but yet
left it optional with all the members of the caucus
whether they would obey the will of the majority
or not. This was decided victory for Mr.. Ran
dali and actually settled nothing as regards the
tariff bill. The vote of Mr.. Randall's followers
numbered 65 to lis on the Morrison side. No
one being committed by the action of the caucus,
everything remains, therefore, before it was
held, and when the proposed tariff bill comes up
in the House no doubt it will be as determinedly
resisted as before.
But what of the prospects of the Democratic
party in the coming Presidential contest SO far
affected by this fight that has been going on be-
tween the free trade and protection Democrats?
Have they been bettered any by the holding 0f
the caucus? Is harmony secured? No. Thctwo
opposing wings are as wide apart us ever and per-
haps wider. And, besides, the people of the coun-
try knoto what the policy Of the Democratic party
is-three- fourths of it being committed to free
trade-whether they pass any bill for the reduc-
ton of the tariff at this session of Congress not
The same prominent member of the party referred
to in my letter last week has said since the caucus
that he would prefer the nomination of Tilden by
the Democratic party for the Presidency, so as to
entirely sink the tariff issue out OF sight in the
coming campaign, which he thought his nomina-
ton would do, recognizing that the party caAnot
win the election with that Issue before the people.
But it is questionable whether the people would
now accept Tiden in lieu of the tariff issue, which
the Democrats have succeeded in making so prom
inent-even were he Invested of all the "cpher
dispatches he sent in 1885, and all the efforts he
= L G Ix,nkn
that year to make him President. No! it is un-
doubtedly sound conclusion to arrive at thatthe
people do not want any more of Tilden and his
dispatches than they do of the Democratic party
generally with its free trade idoaS, and will not
have any of them.
The bonded whisky bill, that was defeated in
the House this week by large majority of votes,
is supposed to give something OF criterion OF
what the vote on the tariff bill will be when it
comes up in the House, as the majority of Mr..
Randalrs followers voted with nearly all the fe-
pubicans to prevent its adoption Mr.. Findlay
| was the only member of the Maryland delegation
that voted in favor of it). If it is so certainly
the fate of the tariff bill would be sealed. The
whisky bill spoken of was to extend the time for
| whisky now there to be retained in the bonded
warehouses two years without being taxed, and
| involved many millions Of dollars of taxation to
| the owners of the whisky and the Government
| But the adoption of the bill was considered i'm
polite by a majority of the members, Rotwith-
| standing powerful lobby has been here during
the whole session in its interest, and it had the
united support of the whole Kentucky delegation
besides great many other Democrats. But the
Republicans, with the exception of about seven
teen members, voted solid against it, and also the
most of Mr.. Randalls friends Joined them in the
vote, taking the opportunity possibly to give his
opponents of the Carlisle wing ga black eye
Minister Sargent, at the German court, has been
| II
Petersburgh, but declines it. The transfer would
be vindication of Mr.. Sargent's course in the
conflicts between this Government and Prince
Bismarck as well as promotion. ANON.