New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-14
THE DEMOCRATIC DILEMMA.
QUESTIONS THAT CONFRONT AND EN-
BARRASS THE LEADERS.
WILL THERE BIZ AN EXTRA SESSION f-wHO
WILL BE sPEAKER7- HOW WILL THE
TARIFF SILvER-CoINAGE AND STATE
BANK ISSUES BE HANDLED p
WHAT SHALL BE DONE
WITH THE "SPOIIS"7
IBr rELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUsE.I

country have begun 10 discuss with great earnest
ness and not without some uneasiness Already
there are indications which point to wide, if not
| irreconcilahle, differences Of opinion to what
shall be the policy OF the party in many important
respects.
For example, there is the question OF a special
session Of tho Lid Congress next spring to put
matters in order for early tariff legislation. This
is mos important matter and which may
involve more than appears on the surface. Among
other things il involves tue official organiza tion of
! the House of representatives, and probably also
| the reorganization of thc Senate committees and
! the displacng OF the present Republican officers
and employees in order TO make room for Demo-
cra's-a matter which the latter naturally regard
rs Of tie utmost importance. There is good reason
10 believe that the reelection of Judge Crisp "A
Speaker will be vigorously OPP sd, and that among
his active and stubborn opponents will be 'hc
anti Clcv,lanl leaders who supported Colonel
Mills in the last contest. viii they be able to
bring The WEIGHT of the new Cleveland Administra-
ton 10 bear AGAINST Judge Crisp? j. pertinent
que tion and one which the Speakers friends are
asking with grave anxiety.
As readers of The Tribune know, the present
House was or-auizcd in open disregard of and OPP
position - tie virvs Of Mr. Cleveland and his
supporters in regard 10 tariN revision. The Demo
crata who adyoca ed MIL election as Speaker
and favored ClrycanL's nomination in preference
to lilll. and who were ash signed 10 places on the
Ways and Means COmmttoc-N -Nessrs McNlillin
and Wilson, os wcll ae Mr. Turner, who voted for
Crisp bcolu-, he could not afford to oppose the
candi,lnte of hi- own Statc-thc-c Democrats did
not scruplc or hesitate 20 express their dsapPro-
baton of th" "hoe-punching policy adopted by
Chairman Springer and the majority of his Demo-
cratic colleagues. tn" stme was true Of Mills. the
l5rec kinridgci. Bynum ard all the other Cleveland
lcadcIs in the lIouae.
Everybody remembers that the Speakcrship
test was not only an extremely bitter one, but
that il was also cose-so cose that Nlillss friends
declared that only the hesitation and tardine-s Of
NcNliln defeated the Texan, despite the activity
~ Hill and Tammany in behalf Of his opponent.
The wounds lcft By the Spcallcrship us~lc Of last
ear have never been healed. and the coming scs-
.ion viii be likely TO So them more inhpmod
han ever Two candidates against Speaker Crisp
,Ir already a. triuiug--'lssrs McAliIliu, OF Ten
cs...'. and Iynum. Of Indiana. Tie latter
stands better w'h the majority of the men who
Imported Mills than McNhlln does. because he
retired from the contest last fall early stage
and throw all i.s influence and energies into the
scale in favor Of the Sage Of COrsicana. Nc
Nlh9. on tls otl.cT ha nd hold his handful of al
hcrcnts lone that in thd opinion of some Of
Nllss frlcads lie WAS responsible for the latters
defeat.
On the whole. the fight promises to be- a pretty
one. whether II shOl take place il April or b.
posrpoIcd until the following December, and the
victor will be IL" man preferred by the Clevc-
land Administration II may be added that the
Domocri'ic lHsses in the next House, with two
exceptions, have been in Northern distriot- and
tIa' the North Las lost tie Democratic pre-
1890.
In Washington, as elsewhere il is already
noticeable that the Democrats ami Muewumps
who wc-e amons the INST active and Jealous
supporters of Nr Ccvcand's nomination are
now most strongly inclined 10 favor a spring
session of III" Liza Congress- in. order - push the
work of "tarin reform" without unnecessary
delay ~ Democratic Representatives from
Kentucky said 10 a Tribune correspondent ycstcr-
day: The Democratic party clnnot ar ri to
daily with this question. 10 postpone il for eight
months or Il year after we get into power will
be- to give the lie TO all cur professions Of a
desire 10 relieve the people from the niIuitous
burdens Of th" existing tarn We cannot AFFORD
10 waste a day"
On the other hau1, Nr Outhwaitc of Ohio. and
other Democratic Representatives who snpportcd
Judg, Crisp for the Spcal,or~hlp are strongly oil
posed 70 special -ession and somc Of them favor
thc appointment of special rowing committee Of
gon.rc-, - hold -itt,ne> durng the sumner. rs
though sic'ial committee i. rcccssnrv after tho
lnlorious and thorough investigations" made bv
Chairman Springer and his committee. and after
the inquiries Of the present law have been so
thoroughly exposed by Democratic orators ard
statesmen from Cleveland down
Whatever may rcaut from the movement in
favor Of u SPECIAL session or Whatever may be
don" al the coming regular session tho Demo
cr,tic PARTY ha. placed itself on record in regard
10 some of the things which it intends 10 do not
only bv its platform declarations but by the acts
ana pledges OF il, majority in the present House
Of Representatives The Why's and Means Com
nit,co has reported several Free Trade bills which
that body has passed. ard several other bills of
like nature were under favorable consideration
when Congress adjourned The Postonice Com
nittcc had reported favornhy bill 10 repeal the
law which authorizes H." PoItmastcr-Gcneral to
enter into contracts with American steamship com
rrnirs for the carrying Of the ocean mails. Bills
tor the repeal of the reciprocity section ~ the
Tarif net and Of the provisions for the payment
Of lountics To producers oi domestic su"ar excited
no suhsta"tial or formidable opposition among
Democratic Representatives. The House passed
wi'h1rt drn;c bills for lie admission of Arizona
and New Mexico, and for new forin Of govern
mrnt which would give thc Mormon Church pot
zeal control Of Utah. The bill 10 repeal the tax
on circulating notes Of State banks was tempo
rarily rejected not because maj rty of the House
was opposed TO il, but b. adverse parliamentary
tactics. and there is slight hope that it will not
be revived and passed. To the support of all OF
the measures mentioned the Democratic party in
Congress is committed by acts as well as by dec
laratons and pledges.
There is +till another measure which Is re-
gardcd by a majority of Democrats as OF over
shadowing Importance, and which was temporarily
shelved at the last session. II il the bill for the
FREE, and unlimited coinage Of silver Some OF It's
friends appear 10 regard the prospects OF TINS
measure as doubtful One of it, most Jealous
advocatcs j. Representative Warner. OF ONO
who in conversation with Tribune correspond