Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-25
REPUBLICAN POLICY.
Uncertainty as to the Senate's Action on
the Tariff Question.

tho Dutstiou.
CcppiJl. 1888, by the California Associated Pre.sI
WASHINGTON, July 24th.-It is proposed
to hold a Republican Senatorial caucus
within a day or two to decide upon the
policy of the party on the tariff question.
There are three political propositions pend
ing. One is to prepare a substitute for the
Mills bill embodying the Republican idea
of tariff revision, push it through the Sem
ate and send it to conference with the
House, where it will die, because there is
no possibility of an agreement Another
is to prepare bill, debate it in the Senate
for short time and recommit the bill 10
the Finance Committee, authorizing that
body to sit during the recess of Congress
and collect such facts as will enable the
committee, at the beginning of the next
session, to report bill as a substitute for
the Mills bill that will give ts;- country a
precise understanding of the Republican
position on the question. The third aud
last proposition is to do nothing whatever
with the Mills bill at this session, and
simply let the whole matter rest until ne1t
winter, when the Republicans in the Senate
can mature the substitute for the Mills
bill
1t is argued by those who prefer this do
nothing plan, that, as the tariff fight stands
before the country, the Democrats are
placed upon the defensive. They must
give reason why they passed the Mills
bill. If the Republicans should pass bill
of any description it would be open to at
tack, and from being the aggressors-
standing upon the tariff plank of the Chi
cago platform-the Republicans would be
forced to explain and defend their protec-
ton measure There are other Republi-
cans who believe it is wiser to plunge
boldly into the contest to declare their
principles in the urmistakable language of
the substitute bill for the Mills PROPOSE
ton, and to take advanced ground in sup
port of protection principles.
What the action of the Republican Sena-
torial caucus will be no one can predict
The Senators and members who represent
constituencies that are largely interested in
sugar are opposed to the bill for the same
reason that they opposed the introduction
of substitute bill in the House-because
both bad clause reducing the duty on
sugar fifty per cent. Among those active
in this opposition were Senators Ingalls,
and Plumb of Kansas, and nearly all the
Pacific slope men. Senator Mitchell said
| to- night:
II regard it as great mistake for the
party to put in tariff bill at this time, be-
cause it places US on the defensive, whereas
heretofore we have been the attacking
party, and there is q great advantage in
| being the attacking party in politics. The
Democrats have passed the Mills bill, and
we have punctured it full of holes. What
will be the result if we formulate bill
Can we hope to form one that will not be
open to criticism? Most certainly not 1t
is bound to be vulnerable at some point
Then, what is to be gained? for one don't
| see. As things now stand, we are sure of
/ carrying the entire Pacific slope. That l
know, and Eastern men are equally posi-
tive as to the outcome in the doubtful
/ States East
Senator Hiscock, who is a member of the
| subcommittee of the Senate Finance Com
mittee, said tonight to your correspondent;
I'VE have decided to put in a bill as sub