The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-27
MCKINLEY WILL RESIST.
His Bill Will Not be Mutilated If He Can
Help It.

His Bill Will Not be Mutilated If He Can
Help 1t.
WASHINGTON, June 22.-The Washington
correspondent of the New York Herald says
Major Mckinley will not permit his tariff
bill to be torn to pieces without panR, and
perhaps not without struggle. He is rep.
resented as believing in his bill as party
measure. His circle of friends predict that
he will pull his bill through the crisis that
has been forced upon it, and Mr.. Blaine
will not be far away from his chariot wheels
when the procession moves on again. The
president and secretary of state do not es-
cape censure for precipitating what is de-
nounced as a surprise upon their party.
In contradiction of this certain facts are
stated. Last January Secretary Blaine
was desirous that wide doorway should be
opened up through which the Pan
American congress might march
toward reciprocity. He particu-
larly wished that the sugar duties should
be retained in the general tariff, SO that he
might trade with them for concessions to
American exports to the southwark. He
wishes to have the coarse wool schedule
placed in control of the administration to
the same end. Concurrently he desired
that the susceptibilities of the Spanish
American delegates should not be wounded
by the extension and elaboration of Chi
nese policy in the tariff bill which Mr.. Nc
Kinley was preparing to launch upon con-
gress. His views were made known to the
congressional sponsors of the impending
bill and to some of those outside congress
who were supposed to have a commanding
influence with the committee on ways and
means.
These latter laughed at the Pan American
sham, as they regarded it, and their merri-
ment found an echo in the committee-room
Some yentured to wonder whether Mr..
Blaine, with his versatility, was not con-
templating some theatrical coup of his own,
designed to restore his somewhat blighted
political fortunes. Friends of his had been
heard to characterize the Chicago resolution
on the tariff as blind alley, out of which
nobody could 80 we'll lead the party as Mr..
Blaine. unless possibly Senator Allison. At
all events, neither for the Pan-American
congress nor for Secretary Blaine, nor
to whom Chairman Quay had mortgaged
the party, nor their colleagues in the
American congress, the least idea of alter
ing what they understood the Chicago plat
form to imply.
The most liberal of them went no further
than to say that while they were favorable
to trade with South America, if such trade
was practicable and desired by anybody,
they could not concede pound of free
wool, because monkeying with wool would
be apt to bring down the whole structure of
protection. In this spirit the Mckinley bill
was formed and Spanish American dele
gates who had heard what was passing in
Mr.. Blaine's mind did not spare the govern
ment of the United States in the freedom
of unofficial and unrecorded expression.
Disappointed in the house, the admins
tration looked to the senate, and threatened
there also with checkmate, the president
and his premier have boldly crossed the
Rubicon and melted rival war among
their own political partisans. Pan-Amer-
lean, however, is little more than pretext
For the challenge. The administration does
not believe in the Mckinley bill as an e1-
ample of good politics and is both disguised
and alarmed at the incapacity and reck-
Fessness of the republican contingent in
congress- The proper leader having. in the
opinion of the administration, lamentably
Jailed to lead in the direction of safety and
Fuccess, the president has claimed the
light to lead, and if they have not always
tailed close together, a common danger
pas brought Messrs. Harrison and Blaine
nto near communion. Wisely, as their
importers think, they have chosen to make
heir fight on the sugar clause of the tariff
pill, where the Mckinley following has al
Ways been the weakest. The interest
reused among the politicians by the ac-
ion is due not only to the procedure but to
perception that if they win a substantial
ictory here the administration can do what
pleases with other pending legislation.
his issue has thoroughly aroused the cab
net, and may throw the next house of rep
esentatives and the presidential succession
nto the hands of the democrats.