New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-22
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THE SITULTION.

Mills processes to be confident that his Dill
will pass the House, FREQ wool and all, when
ever it can be brought to vote. But even
MIR. Mills does not profess confidence that MS
bill can be forced through the Senate, or that
any bill can be passed in that body which the
House will accept. The Senate has already
appointed a subcommittee to gather informa-
ton for the framing of bill which, it is sup
posed nearly all the Republican Senators
with several of the Democrats, will vote 10
substitute fer the House bill, if that reaches
the Senate. Upon disagreement between
the two Houses the issue will 90 to the country
with the Democratic party committed 10 INC
Mills bill and the Presidents theories.
But it is possible that Mr.. Mills oyerrates
the strength of his bill in the House. care
full canvass on the other side discloses only
three Republicans who will vote for his Dill,
and thirteen Democrats who will vote against
il. while over thirty Of the Democrats are
anxious to vote for amendments. III TINS CAN
yass is correct, the 149 Republicans, thirteen
Democrats, and one Independent against lhe
bill, make clear majority OF the House. WIFI
three other members in doubt. But there Cali
be no certainty that the Presidents patronage
NAV not seduce a few more OF the thirteen
Democratic members, or that his threats may
not frighten some into submission. 1t is JUST
as well to face the fact frankly that Dem
ocratic vote to defend home industry must be
cast AGAINST the declared policy OF the Dem
ocratic party, against the will OF the PRESIDENT
who is now the only Democrat that can pos
sbly hold the executive power and patronage
for the next four years, and against the dic-
tatcs Of Democratic caucus, ana In all proo-
ability of q Democratic convention. For there
Is now very little probability that the bill can
be- brought to a vote before the St. Louis con-
yention has been held, and while MIR. Randall
has in sci terms declared that ho would not
vote for the measure in any case, it would not
he strange If some others should lack his firm
ness.
The possibility that the measure may pass
the House, if brought to direct vote without
any opportunity for amendment, is therefore
to be carefully considered by Republicans. 1t
will not do for them to say, SO much the
better; that will help the Republican party"
Their duty as Representatives is to defeat
bad bill if they can to avoid if possible the
prolonged uncertainty which would necessarily
follow if the bill should 60 to the Senate
Their duty is to throw away not single chance
of its defeat, not single weapon by which
fatal blow may be dealt to this latest con-
spiracy of free-traders The fact that many
Democrats are in favor Of important amend
ments opens another and in many respects the
best chance of defeating the bill.
The wool clause is one which some Dem
ocrats are anxious to have changed. What
would happen If that could be stricken out
leaving the present duty in force? For one
thing, the measure would then be utterly i'm
practicable and absurd without modification Of
| the whole woollen section. In effect that would
send the bill back to the committee, and at the
same time it would defeat the President on the
one definite feature Of his message. repeal
| of the duties on sugar would be equally effect
i've, or a material increase in the reduction OF
duties, and so would repeal of the whole or
large part Of the internal taxes. These are all
changes which many Democrats are anxious 10
support and al the same time they are changes
which the majority of Democrats, under the
leadership Of the President and Mr.. Mills, can
not support. Unless the Republicans fail to act
with substantial upanimity, unless in other
words, they fail to use their legitimate power
for the defeat of the bill the chances OF its de-
feat are still good, and Mr.. Mills virtually con-
fesses this in proposing an agreement by which
direct vote can be forced on the bill as 1t
stands. He wants, if he can, to save the Pres
idents policy from defeat in Democratic
House. There is no reason why Republicans
should help him.