New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-14
SLIPPING THE ISSUES.

American takes in no item OF news WITHOUT az
tempting to predict its consequences. But tnose
who try to forecast the next Presidential eiec-
ton on the theory that the issues have been
all made up. and sort of dress rehearsal OF the
voting held in the elections this fall, reckon
without a most important factor.
A new Congress is to meet next month. III
includes the most Democratic House that mas
ever been elected since Democrats went INTO
rebellion. That party has more than Two
thirds of the whole number OF members MANY
of them were elected by aid OF the Farmers
Alliance, and are in fact under sworn oblga-
lions to that secret organization. But the DEM
ocrats. who owe it no allegiance, and are expect
ed to obey only the beheSts OF Democratic
caTcus. are unquestonably clear majority OF
the House. The responsibility of that party
for what is done in the House is absolute and
indisputable.
Every vote and every speech OF these men
will 20 to make up the issues OF the next cam
paign. IF it were conceivable that Democratic
National Convention should formally disavow
the action Of the majority in the House, still that
would settle nothing. The people would weigh
the evidence given by the resolutions OF dele
gates against the acts of sworn representatives.
Of Democratic constituencies, and would conclude
that the representatives were doing what the
marty really wanted. The delegates, obvious
w. might only be trying to set up false pretences
for use in the campaign. Thus platform which
the party cannot evade or disavow If it tries, and
which it probably will not try to disavow, VIII
be made before the convention meets.
The votes of Democratic Representatives on
the silver question will weigh with the plain
people infinitely more than any declarations OF
delegates. If the Democrats in Congress, with
comparatively few exceptions vote for unlimited
silver coinage, and are aided by few silver
Republicans in sending bill to the PRESIDENT
his veto will make an issue which no conven-
ton will have the slightest power to exclude
from the contest 1t happens that large ma
iority of the Democratic Representatives have
already declared that they will support such
measure They may change their minds in view
of public distrust of this feature of the Demo-
cratic policy; the country will see. But the
men who pledged themselves TO definite meas
ure year ago. when they were elected, VIII ma
it hard to escape their obligations to constituents
Next comes the tariff question. Wordy de-
nunciations of the Protective policy will net an
swer. The Democrats have now the power TO
frame and send to the Senate the kind OF Dill
they are ready to fight for If they refuse, they
will win the condemnation and lose the conii-
dence of those who want change II they
frame tariff. knowing that constituents will
compel them to pledge themselves before cleo
ton in regard to it, there will be war between
different factions in the party. Adjust 1t as
carefully as they may, they will offend multi
tudes. Thousands who find fault with the
present tariff will prefer that as it stands to any
oriff which Mr.. Mills and his associates can
possibly Offer
The measures proposed by the Farmers ALI
ance will also have to be met in the House
Either the Democratic Representatives are in
favor of the Sub-Treasury plan, the land-mort-
gage plan, the National control OF railroads and
telegraphs. and the issue of fifteen hundred
millions more paper money or they are not.
If they oppose or dodge these measures Alliance
voters at the South and West will take such
action as they may choose. Already it is claimed
that the Alliance intends to place in the field
electoral tickets in some of the Southern States
II is equally plain that in some OF the Western
States Democratic voters who have joined the
Alliance. and committed themselves to its po-
litcaI measures, will not support their party in
the Presidential contest unless they find 1T ready
to ioin with them on these questions. Thus the
issues which Congress will make within the
next six months by the votes of Democratic
Representatives will have more TO do with the
result of the next election it is safe to say, than
any platform Democratic National Convention
can possibly frame.