The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-23

| Any of Its Provisions Told that They
Must Obey or Be Read Out of the Party
| The Little Reception to Which the
| Republican Members of the Committee
Have Been Asked
| Washington, November 22-The dissen-
sion in the Democratic party, which
| found its root in the dispute in the
| Chicago covention as to the tariff plank
OF the platform is producing a greater
crop of armed hostilities than resulted
| from Jason's sowing of the dragon S
| teeth. 1t has been known for many days
that the Der oocratic mem bers of the ways
and means committee were not in accord
as to many details of the ad valorem
revenue measure which Chairman Wilson
| has planned to report to the House.
There have been scores of remon strances
from Southern Democrats against the
removal of the bounty on sugar, the re-
peal of. the duty on coal and iron ore,
| and from Southwestern Democats against
the repeal of the duty on silver lead
| ore.
| 1t was made known today on excellent
authority, that President Cleveland has
put his foot down against ali these
| divisions of opinion in the committee on
| ways and means. He has imperiously
| insisted that the majority of the COM
mittee report to the House tariff bill in
| accordance his the individual wishes.
To those theorists on the committee who
insist that the bill shall be framed in
| accordance with the strictly revenue
plank of the Chicago platform, Mr.. Cleve-
! land has announced that the extract
| from the Confederate Constitution was
| inserted in the platform by his enemies
| for the purpose of defeating him at the
polls, and that it should not be regarded
| in the construction of the bill.
| 10 those members of the committee
| who have been terrified b, the revolt of
their local Democratic constituencies in
| Alabama, West Virginia and Maryland
against free iron ore ind free coal, and
in the Northwest against free lum ber,
Mr.. Cleveland has sent word that they
must obey his will or be read out of the
party. 1t is this simperious edict by Mr..
Cleveland which precipitates an open
split in the Democratic party upon the
tariff. Already rent as under by the
combat over the silver repeal question,
the party is now faced with cataclysm
over the question of adherence to or de-
parture from the Chicago platform.
LIS primary cause Oh Q1HorHnCo is
complicated by the detailed difference of
opinion between the President and Dem
ocratic members of Congress as to local
interests affected by any proposed change
in the Mckinley tariff. In short the
Democratic party is rent, not IN twain,
but in many sections, already even in
committee. 1t is impossible to predict
party will divide on the tariff bill as it
will be reported in the HOuse
Secret as are the meetings of the Dem
| ocratlc members of the ways and means
committee their dissensions have crept
beyond the doors of their subterraneous
| committee room, and are bruited about
the lobby of every hotel in Washington.
It is notorious, for example, that Mr..
McMlllln OF Tennessee is recalcitrant be
cause he has been ignored by Chairman
Wilson and those acting with him, and
because, although chairman of the SUBJ
committee on internal revenue he has
been permitted to know nothing of the
plans of President Cleveland and Chair
man Wilson on the tariff schedules
1t is equally notorious that Mr..
Tarsney of Missouri, another Democratic
member of the committee has been
denied knowledge respecting the interests
ofahis districhs such as silver lead ore.
Should this article be made free of duty,
it would destroy not only the lead mines
the silver bearing lead ores of several
other Southern states. 1t is the effort
of the administration to try to pacify all
| these opposing elements of the Demo-
cratic party in the House, and in various
sections of the country by emitting I'M
officially various vague promises that
| nothing dreadful to any Interest shall
happen.
1t is intimated confidentially, that this
terrific tariff bill shall be presented to
the House for partisan purposes only;
that it shall never be permitted to pass
the Senate in the form In which it comes
|'from the House, and that it is intended
merely to tide over the next Congress-
ional election. The answer to this is to
be heard, uttered pathetically by many
a d emocratlc Congressman in the soli-
tude of his home, or even in hotel cor
ridors, that this may be all very we'll
for Mr.. Cleveland, but what is to become
of me in my district"
Representative Burrows of Michigan.
one of the oldest and most influential of
the Republican members of the ways
and means committee, is very indignant
He says thesminority mem mbership of the
committee have received written notifica-
tion from Chairman Wilson to the effect
that " the sways and means committee
will receive you at IL O'Clock on Mon
dayssmorning." Mr.. Burrows saws the
notices do not indicate for what purpose
the reception is to be held, nor do they
invite the minority membership of the
committee to participate in any of the
exercises.
He says the Democratic members of
the committee probably intend to in
form the Republican members when the
new tariff bill will be laid before the full
committee, and of the ARRANGEMENTS
contemplated for the preparation of the
majority and minority reports. Mr..
Burrows says the proceeding is the most
cold blooded and remarkable that he has
ever experienced in his Congressional
career and that the entire course of the
committee has been such as to insult the
Republi can members of it.
New Maine Postmasters