New-York tribune., 1888-03-24
"DARK-LANTERN' PROSPECTS
ADMINISTRATION INFLUENCES AT WORK
WILL THE YREE TRADxRs TRIUMPH
IIcANs LIKELY TO AoREE-How TO
RRoxr A CONDITION.

fay rlfR1RApH 70 IHn rkIuUNhI
WAHrNoroN March 23.-It 10 probable shas ens
industrial and business interests Of the country
do not realize that there Is real danger that the
y Dark Lantern. bill will pass the House, and
that 70 NAV be forced through the Senate. For
four wears the country has depended on the Re-
publicans In Congress. aided By . few Democratic
to prevent legislation which would be disastrous
70 seems TO be q prevalent belief that the same
bulwnrk will be effective this year 1t Is time to
say that this belief Is dangerous, and probably IL
will be found delusiva In many years the IN
dustrial interests Of the United Statcs-the In
terests of the farmer of the mechanic, OF the man
who works with HIS hands In any occupation, %
well ~ Of the manufacture and every other man
whose capital 10 embarked in any enterprise the
success Of which Is dependent on the general
prosperity-hsve not been In 10 great danger from
hostile and ignorant legislation ~ they ars to-day
No person outside Of Washington. or who has
not carefully studied the situation here, apprc-
ciates the power Of the influences which have been
brought into action to force tho enactment OF the
pending legislation Il 10 apparent TO easeiui
ohssrysrs that the inausnces aIludsd e nsvs
Congress Chairman Morrison oonplsined Of tho
,ukswarmness Of the Administsstion; 10 which be
attributed the defeat Of his tariff bill Chatrman,
tho Dark Lantern" bill shall fail. Presidents
C1eveland's free-trade message elicited many un-
favorable comnents from so-ca!lsd prosecu99aa
Democrats" and ID was asserted that No wouid
modify IL by . snhxeauent public utternnoe no
has not done 90. From the day u VA: se1s 70
Congress be hns insisted that hi: views should 20
even the details Of the Dark Lantern" bill hav..
been discussed ny the President and Secretary OF
tho Treasury and Democratio members OF ways
and Means Not step has been taken, not
position occupied BY the latter without The ap-
proval Of Mr. Cleveland He r. me oh,Sr ,sss,
he even seemed to yield and in that case the
Yielding was mora apparent fnSn Isso, sssL taxes cs
because there seemed to he no public demsna Ior
such action. When he was made aware q uts Demc.
cratic pressure from North Carolina ana Siss'nle
lieved from internal taxation. Indeed. within
week after the message WIS published u was gen.
orally understood among Democrats tn"' 'ne pso-
gramme had been 50 modified.
RANDALL AND HIS roncEs Put TO FIioEr.
To carry out the programme 1t would be nsces-
sary TO destroy the political influence Of Samuel
]. Randall in Pennsylvania unless he would sur
render William l. Scott was the instrument
seleced. and he was backed by the full power OF
the Administration. When Randall arrived at
Harrisburg he was fairly appalled,. veteran as no
is, by the array of Federal officeholders mar.
shalled against him under the Leadership OF
power in Pennsyivania Democratic politics has
been overthrown; that his followers have become
discouraged and demoralired; and that c1e Penn.
exceptions, viii be driven 70 support the Admins
tration's Dark Lantern bill with or w1thoHt
free WOOL as the case may be- When the Dill
was first made public there WIS an ontbufst OF
indignant protest and dissent from DemocEatic
representatives from New-Jersey, New-York, OHIO
and . ss END S % '.3 GSs. na%
chserfully Ss 10 for the DsrS LSntsrn' nonstrosisy
1t is not secret that ons OF Two q sh:~ . VII a
IL Is not improbable that all Of them Will vote for
the bill at last. free wool and all. The Virginia
and Ncrth Caroline Dcmecrats have hcen won
York York, New.Jersey ~ and Caiifornis h.vs been
placatcd or silenced. The Randall bill has fallen
tat few Democrats who are interested IN
districts favor il 80 far as It favors the interests
which they represent, but that Is all
or course. there arc a few Democratic repre-
S who rs1 Ss 70 % the sna
unless certain obnoxious provisions are eliminated
But the ADMINISTRATION is not through with these
are not seen" Within week Democrats who
heretofore have been glad 70 obtain audiences
with the President after long waiting and previous
have s sssn se
they have been cordially received. The Secretary
Of the Treasury has been unusually afable, and
eorM eomed some Of them. Fair promises have been
made and in few cases promptly redeemed.
Men have been reminded, too, that FIVE years Is
long period In political fe, and that II Presiden1
Cleveland he renominated and reelected, " will
be in his power not only to reward his friends,
but his enemies also for long time 70 come. In
in0 and evs VIII continue es % to BE- S Cevs
| land and the members OF the ADMINISTRATOR 10
force the Dark Lantern BILL with all It's de.
formities, through the House and the prospect
now Is that the final vote will show that every
Democrat with perhaps two or three exceptions
has been whipped into the party traces. Presl;
dent Cleveland has set his heart on the passage OF
that bill, and he has already shown that he pos
sesses great power over his party. He fixed the
date for the meeting Of the National Conventi31n ION
| to suit himself, despite strong opposition III the
Dark Lantern" bill be not passed before that
time, he will force the adoption OF strong rcso-
ms no sss
free-trade wing Of his party; and II he should oe
reelected and supported by Congress, measures OF
tariff reform" would be brought forward and
lation is mild and conservative indeed But
without assuming anything or giving, Mr Cleve.
land and his party full credit for the mischief
have the power, the foregoing relation Of existing
facts would seem to furnish sufficient ground for
alarm.
The Democrats have, majority in the House.
| and It will be spurred TO the utmost BY every
force which President Cleveland and his Admin
driven or coaxed to sct together tho nfst nlm
publican minority In the House Is IN favor Of the
protection and preservation Of American industries
Il has not the power to revise the tariff, and the
Republicans are to be allowed no voice In tho FREQ
trade revision proposed
/ STATEMENT sY REpuBLIcAY VIEWS.
What ought the Republican Representatives
to do under such circumstancesr Is q question
which they are trying To solve Appearances
indicate that they will find answer which
will be satisfactory TO the country. 1t Ia evident
that the Democrats intend, " they can do u, TO
revise the protective tariff out Of existence.
ar At ali III in orer 70 reduce ibe 70
confront condition" ns Mr. Cleveland phrases IL.
On that proposition the Republicans 10 tie House