The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-06-05
A warning unheed ed.

ST. LOUIS, June AIN reference to the
scheme to make no mention of the
Mills bill in the platform and to
touch the Presidents message very
lightly. If at all. and to simply re-
peat the clause Of 1884, the st. Louis Repub-
lican, in double-leaded editorial TODAY. nm
der the head. "A warning" uses the follow
ing language: "Such action on the part Of
the convention would be suicidal. Worse
than that. it would be stultifying. II the
Presidents message and the utterance of
Congress since the appearance of that mes
sage are to result in straddle and a dodge
onthe part of the national convention, then
the party Is betrayed and the battle is lost
before it is begun.
I'VE are not authorized to say so, but we
assert with confidence that Mr.. Cleveland
would not accept nomination on platform
that would be practically repudiation of
the policy to which he.has deliberately com
mitted himself and which he has good reason
TO believe Is heartily endorsed by the rank
and tle Of the Democratic party"
The talk is that Senator German of Mary
land, Is to be chairman OF the committee on
resolutions. Neither Congressman Scott of
Pennsylvania, nor Col Morrison of Illinois,
Is going on the committee. Scott is going on
to the national committee, and Ex-COngress-
man Multchler will represent Pennsylvania
on the committee on resolutions. while Col.
Morrison prefers tIIe chnirnnnship of the
illinois delegation to representing it In draw
ing up the resolutions. Ex-COngressmaD
Worthingt0n will represent Illinois on the
committee on resolutions. Both Mutchler
and Worthingt0n are v0uched for as pro-
nounced tariff reform men. The selection of
German, however, does not indicate that the
rQSOlufianS will hQ radical i'm THAR Nd
for tariff reform. They may not prove all that
the f. ssends Of the President may desire, and
his friends win insist that they be unequivo-
cal in their endorsement.
The protectionists admit that the resolu-
tions must indOrse the Pre- ,ident and his pol
icy. All they contend for now is putting the
Endorsement in different form Of words
from that asked by the pronounced reform
ers. 1t Is probable that the message will be
commended and perhaps some passages
ably not be mentioned. 1t is argued even
by some Of those who are very earnest in
their desire for tariff reduction that pollti-
cal party can hardly commit itself with dig
nifty to the support of single measure made
up Of hundreds of provisions and liable to
repeated change before 1t obtains its final
form. There seems to be no danger that the
committee on resolutions will be captured by
the protectionists, else Morrison and Scott
would not so readily give way to inferior
men.
The Southern and Western delegations
present AL unbroken front for tariff reform.
Senator Daniel will be the Virginia member
Of the committee. The New York and New
England members may be little more
shaky. Edward Cooper, a tariff man, wants
to be the member from New York. The
New York delegation would like to humor
him by putting him on, but they will not do
it unless they are satisfied by careful count
that there is decided tariff reform majority
without his vote. Mr.. Jesse Metcalf will be
the Rhode Island member Of the committee,
and Editor Burr of the Hartford Times will
be the Connecticut member, as he was four
years ago. The Connecticut men will not
oppose declaration for moderate reduc-
tion of the tariff, though they are more
welded to protection than any other New
England State. Mr.. Burr favors incorpOr-
ating In the platform extracts from the Pre-
sident's message. He does not expect any
contest in the committee.