The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-28
FATE OF THE TARIFF BILL
ITS PATH FIEL NOT BE A sMooTH
OWE ETEN IN THE HOUSE

- US SENATE flnsl vote " LIKELY to he
Taken Before sum.sr. a,d the Rss-it u
10 Doubt-RspubIiesns May Opposs Aay
Is'us OF Bo.as On the erouna that II
VIII Ala the Passage OF the wusou Biu.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 27.-The rosy promises
now being made so industriously By speaker
Crisp. Chairman Wilson. and other leaders OF
the House that the Tariff bill will become a
law at an early day afford great amusement
to those who know that these men are talking
through their hats The Wilson bill will un-
doubtedly be passed In the House Of Repre-
sentatives some time. but IL will not be during
the month Of January. as is so hopefully an
nounced By its friends Its path will be by no
means a smooth one even In the House 1t
will be vigorously and persistently attacked
there from many quarters. and 1t will require
all the skill OF the House leaders 10
save IL from destruction. The absolute
power OF the Committee on Rules. however to
cut of debate will prove to be the salvation Of
the measure. and It will eventually go to the
Senate In some shane. But it's trouble will
then be Just beginning. and the question that
the Administration Democrats will soon be
asking themselves is not what day can we
pass the bill In the Senate. but can we pass
Il at all? Senators do nothing In q hurry. It
took them more than two months to pass the
Silver Repeal bill, In the face OF the most ur-
gent necessity. after It had been put through
the House by an overwhelming majority
With no such necessity for prompt action con-
fronting tho Senators now. they will take their
time with the Tariff bill and the winter sea-
son will long have been a thing OF the past
when the flnal vote Is taken.
While the Republicans differ as TO the policy
which should be adopted with regard to
amendments. there is no difference OF opinion
among them as to the expedlency OF trying to
defeat the bill There was time whom many
Republicans were disposed to believe that II
would be better politics to permit the bill to
pass. Now the Republicans think that they
ought to endeavor to defeat II. and they will
try to do so. although there is no probability
that they will resort to fllibusterine In the
Senate to accomplish that
There Is one subject which may have an i'm
portant relation to the Tariff bill which the
Administration leaders have probably not con-
sidered. The Secretary Of the Treasury and
the President have recon m ended that author
ity shall be given to issue bonds to meet the
current necessities OF the Government There
are Republicans who will take the position that
the Administration purpose with regard to
should not be carried out. unless the attempt
to enact the Wilson bill shall be abandoned.
desired Isl in order that the dominant Party may
experiment with the tariff. and tina, to agree
to the passage Of bill authorizing the issue OF
Wilson bill. Accordingly these Henublicsns
will not support any measure which contem-
niteiy known that the Wilson bill will be de-
feated. 1t undoubtedly will he great sur
prise to the Administration to know that the
Republicans are seriously considering whether
they viii support measure authorizing the
ssue OF bonds The 81 nr has n9t
klng the issue OF bonds except by the, cordial
and unanimous support OF the Republicans in
all the Populists, BY the silver men. and by q
large body OF the Democrats. The issue OF
cratic policy, and Democrats who oppose such
o course will be able not only to Justify their
own position but to arraiGn the Administra-
ton for departing from democratic traditions
The President and the Secretary OF the
that there would he any Repu bIcan opposition
to the issue OF bonds They have assumed, as
nothing would DO more Welcomed BY the he
pu blcans than an issue of bonds. Neverthe-
less. I. is fact that some OF The eminent lead.
II 10 not the duty of the Republican marty. as q
post efficient means to defeat the Wilson bill
ton from Its extremity. 50 far as the ~ cans
for Immediate revenues goes by refusing to
bonds. These RsDs6I leans say that the propo.
sition to issue bonds cannot be separated
from the nttem pit TO pass the Wilson bill that
that bill Is o m easure to create additional de-
nciencies and not to provide a revenue; that 1t
Is not revenue bill and that the Administra:
tion has refused to make It a revenue bill and
to cover the deficiency likely to result from it's
enactment now seeks to obtain authority to
issue bonds. Without this right the Republi-
cans maintain that the Democrats OF the sem
ate will hardly dare to pass the Wilson bill. as
they will be creating n deficiency without pro-
viding any means to supply revenue. 1t Is
possible. therefore. that one OF the surprises
that Is In store when Congress- shall reassem-
BILE will be the discovery that the Republicans
will oppose the proposition OF the Adminstra-
vote for bonds will be to aid in the enactment
OF the Wilson bill aud thus strike u serious
blow at protection,