Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-02
The Democrats and Thor Policy.


"what is worth dong is worth doing
we'll" II the Democrats are TO succeed in
klecting the next President of the United
States they must be bold and aggressive.
They must have policy in Congress, and
the same policy must be commended to
the favor Of the people.
Already the Democrats Of the Committee
on Ways and Means of the House OF Rep
pesentatives have decided upon the policy
winch they will adopt in regard TO tariff
reform. They have. too, decided wisely.
They have resolved to attack the MckIN-
LEY tariff in detail. and not 20 undertake
the impossible task of revising it from be-
ginning TO end. They have resolved upon
q policy really Democratic so far as the
tariff Is concerned They have refused TO
ask for or 10 be governed 10y the advice OF
President HARRIsoN or ex-Speaker REED.
They have. in q word, determined so 70
act as that their proposed legislation on
the tariff shall other be accepted by the
Republicans, or each item defeated
on its own merits or dement's.
To send 10 the President a bill touching
q thousand items Of oustoms-duties would
be TO furnish hm with weapon wherewith
he might STAY the Democratic party. Logic
and philosophy demand that the MchIN-
IEY tarlff be so considered and treated as
that its best features may survive, or,
what is the same thing, its worst fea-
lures shall be stricken out. II this course
be pursued by both parties, we shall in
the course Of time secure for ourselves
the best tariff possible ono that will pro-
duce the largest amount of revenue for
the government and be least objection0-
BILE and oppressive to the people. Let
each Democrat on the Committee OF
Ways and Means do his duty in this mat
ter, and good results must follow. Upon
that committee rests a weighty RESPONSE
bllity. Wise action on its part may cause
a Democrat 20 be elected President next
fall Foolish OF unwiso action may cause
O Republican 10 be elected.
Again, the Democrats of the House OF
Representatives have boldly resolved 20
caucus upon the silver question. We say
"boldlyn because, although large maiOi-
" of the Democrats of that body are in
favor of the free coinage Of silver there is
3 highly-respectabl minority of them who
are hostile to that measure. 1t required
courage, therefore. on the part Of the
monometallists TO agreo TO go INTO eau
Gus on the subject. They evidently have
the courage of their convictions, and feel
conddeut that they can persuade the
bimetalists to postpone action upon the
silver question until after the next presi-
dental election. We do not believe that
the monometallists would have agreed to
90 into a caucus and be bound by its ac-
ton If they had not felt reasonably sure
that the silvertes would DO easy upon
them" these silverites, constituting, as
we have said, an overpowering majority OF
the Democrats in the House of Representa-
tives.
IL was bold in the silver men, too, to
agree 10 caucus upon question which IN
their opinion has but one side to 1t. They
will thus be brought face 10 face with those
of the Democrats of the New England
States and the Middle States who, on the
silver question. do not differ as much as
they ought to from the Republicans. Able
speeches on both sides will be made in the
caucus.
What will rtsult2 Pondering the facts
as they exist, we can only read
the conclusion that compromise
is expected 20 be agreed upon. 1t
g. hardly 10 be expected that the silver
men will consent to give the go-by to their
faVorite measure, and also 90 agree to sup
port a monometallst for President. The
compromise, therefore, if one be made,
may possibly be au agreement to give the
bimetallsts the presidency, and the mo-
nometallist respite from free coinage.
II CLEVELAND and HnL have not, or do
not, cut each others throat, this compro-
mise would not necessarily prevent Mr..
CLEVELAND from being the nominee for
PRESIDENT; for, IL interyiewers may 90 be-
leyed. he has repeatedly declared within
The last few months that he was willing 10
stand upon the national platform OF has
party. We take this pledge to mean, not
that he expects to change his position on
the silver question, but that be would con-
slider il his duty to sign froe-eoi-age bill
II one should be sent to him.
We write this article in the hope that
The bolt which is threatened in New York
will not result in two delegations-a Hill
delegation and p CLEVELAND delegation
10 the next Democratic National Conven-
ton. That hopo may not be well founded,
rs the CLEVELAND men in New York must
know that they ale boilers. If this bolt
Is expected to take the form OF two dele
cations. the Washington caucus of mex,
Friday ought 10 rebuke the boilers in the
name Of the National Democratic party Of
the Union.