The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-24
rsr Mills Position.

! There appears to be some doubt as 20 the
! part Mr.. Mills intends to take in the pro-
! ceedings Of the House. He Is not entirely
recovered. apparently, from his defeat for
! the speakership, aud there is an impression
/ that it is his purpose 20 antagonize the tariff
programme Of the speaker and Mr.. Springer.
This impression is based upon his refusal to
accept q place upon the ways and means
committee or the Craftsmanship of the COM
mittee on interstate and foreign commerce.
In his letter 70 the speaker declining place
on the ways and means committee he eX-
pressed his willingness to accept any place
TO which he might be assigned, but he
changed his mind and announced his inten-
ton 70 serve In the ranks" What he
means by serving in the ranks is not under
stood, as the best service can be rendered In
connection with some committee.
In our dispatches yesterday it was stated
that in an interview published in the Wash
ington Post he intimated that be should en-.
deavor to have the House pass a tariff bill
in harmony with his views Of tariff reform.
He stated that be should exercise his right
10 offer amendments 10 any tariff bill that
might be proposed. There is no doubt that
it is bis right TO offer amendments to tariff
bills and to introduce such bills, but he
should not forget that If he exercises his
right more for the purpose Of sntagonizing
those who defeated him in the speakership
contest than to advance the cause Of tariff
reform, he may bring about condition of
affairs that will imperil the success Of the
Democratic party In the presidential con-
test.
1t was well understood in the speakership
contest that Mr.. Mills, if successful, would
appoint q ways and means committee that
would report to the House a general bill re-
ducing the tariff and that Mr. Crisp favored
the policy relative to tariff legislation an
nounced by Mr.. Springer after the speaker
ship question had been settled.
1t does not make much difference what
plan is adopted to make the position Of the
Democratic party with respect to the tariff
clearly understood, because there is no
probability that the republican Senate or
the President will permit the Mckinley
tariff to be changed in the least, but it Is
absolutely necessary that there should be no
doubt as TO what the position of the Demo-
cratic party is, and that there should be
harmony in the democratic ranks.
If it be true that it is the purpose OF Mr..
Mills to attempt to prevent the carrying
out Of Mr.. Springer's programme be may
succeed In preventing the passage
by the House OF any tariff bill.
That would be exceedingly IN
fortunate for tho Democratic party. The
impression would get abroad that the party
has no clearly defined tariff policy. and IL
would be impossible to make tariff reform
an effective issue in the presidential cam
paign. The course 1t is expected Mr.. Mills
will pursue. therefore, is not without peril
to the Democratic party.
Mr.. Mills record as a tariff reformer is
an excellent one and. very naturally, he is
proud OF 1t, but those democrats OF the
House who differ with him as to the manner
in which the Mckinley tariff should
be attacked are as earnest and
sincere In their desire for
reform of the tariff as he is, and as they
have the support Of a majority of the demo
cratic representatives. it is hardly probable
that they will willingly accept his pro-
gramne for tariff legislation.
The Democratic party does not want
division in its ranks at this time, 1t wants
harmony-the greater the harmony the
better the chance for victory in the national
contest. II, therefore, Mr. Mills leads an op-
position to what appears to be the accepted
programme for tariff legislation he will run
the risk of hurting his party and injuring
his reputation for leadership.