Huntsville gazette., 1892-04-23
POLITICAL EFFECTS.
Republicans Have Gained by the Later
Course of Events.

POLITICAL EFF6CVS.
Republicans Have Gained by the Later
Course of Events.
Events of the last few weeks have
altered the political situation more than
anyone could have expected. Postpone
ment of the Bland bill without direct
vote would have saved democrats from
some loss of votes at the east, but would
have hurt them at the south and west.
Passage of the Bland bill by the house
would have made sharp issue on its
defeat in the senate or by veto, and
helped democrats much in alliance
states, but would have cost them heav-
lily at the east. With its unlimited ge-
MUS for blundering the democratic
party appears to have found for itself q
more damaging course than either.
The sharp fight in the house, the in
tense passion kindled. and the refusal
of Speaker Crisp to bring the bill to a
final vote after he had given most dis
tinct assurances that he would do SO,
have made it inevitable that the ques-
ton will enter more largely into the
coming campaign than it would if the
bill had been postponed without direct
vote, or passed and killed by veto.
Inside the democratic party bitter and
vindictive feeling will affect the choice
of candidates for congressman and for
president. When either side has pre-
vailed in nomination this burning
question will make it impossible to get
together the entire vote of the party for
the candidate. The alliance voters will
hold Mr.. Cleveland and his friends and
Speaker Crisp responsible for the defeat
of silver in the house, and it is not easy
to say how far the third-party move
ment at the south may go, or how much
it may cost the democrats.
1t is the impression of some that the
result in the house will render Mr..
Cleveland's nomination more likely.
If democrats had no passions, no selfish
interests, and were content to be moved
like wooden pawns on a chess board,
even then it would be doubtful calcu-
lation whether the chance of carrying
New York. where the Hill machine con-
trols. weighs more than the chance of
losing Indiana and some southern
states where the frenzy for free coinage
is strong. Practical business men of
the cast viii not find Mr.. Cleveland,
vita democracy behind him over
whelmingly for free coinage. more safe
to be trusted than n republican presi-
dent and party. For many business
men, too, this is made a burning ques-
ton. because the fact that the bill lies
over until next winter, with an assured
majority then, will affect business cal
cula lions throughout the year. Proba-
bly, it would have affected fewer votes
had the Bland bill been definitely
killed
Mr.. Hill gains nothing. He has the
silver question at the front, but the
savage feeling within the party makes
it highly probable that in convention,
whether he has many or few votes at
the start, he will never obtain the
longer count upon the vote of New
York the town elections show, and es
silver candidate his defeat would be
certain. But the party will not find it
an easy matter to discover any candi-
date known to the silver people to be
absolutely and unwaveringly on their
side, and yet not SO known as to lose
the votes of eastern states and of busi-
ness men in western and southern
cities. Millions of voters will insist
upon knowing, before they vote this
year, whether man can be counted
upon for a veto or not
The republicans have gained more
than they had reason to expect. They
have demonstrated once more that I'M
der democratic rule even clear major
ity of the house is powerless to do busi-
ness. They have startled and delighted
the business world by taking command
of a house more than two-thirds demo
cratic, and defeating a measure danger.
Gus to the country. They have forced
their opponents to record themselves
twice on the naked motion to kill the
Bland bill, and yet can state with
abundant democratic authority that
about twenty of the democrats who
voted against the bill at that time will
vote for it next winter. Even with the
silver producers the republicans have
gained, by powerfully impressing their
conviction that nothing more can be
done by this nation, without interna-
tional conference and agreement, to
raise the price of silver. On the whole,
the last fortnight has rendered repub-
lican success altogether more proba BILE.
N. Y. Tribune.
TLEv CThNO CONEEcccD