San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-07-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July IL, 1893.

be lust as bitter a fight among the
Democrats over the tariff as there
will be over silver, and whether
correctly or not Mr.. Cleveland Is
now classed among those Demo
Gratis who will favor a revision OF
the tariff on protection lines. The
attempt on the part of the admin
istratiOn to center public attention
on the silver question was the de-
liberate and intentional result OF
the conviction that it would be
suicidal both for the Democratic
Congress to keep the pledges made
by the Chicago platform, IN
the construction Of tariff
bill, and that it was necessary
to withdraw public attention from
the tariff, in order to prevent the
change of attitude being so notice
able. The free trade wing of the
Democratic party in Congress,
mostly from the south and west,
are just beginning to catch the
drift of this movement, and they
say they will demand that Con-
gress carry out the party platform
and wipe out so much of the tariff
as represents protection to home
industries, and open our markets
to the manufactures Of the world.
1t seemed more probable now
than at any time since the election
that the Republicans in Congress,
may by acting with that wing OF,
the Democratic party which will
vote for moderate protection be
able to prevent the utter destruc-
ton of many American indus
tries that cannot possibly exist
without some protection. But even
with the hardest work on the part
of the Republicans, it is probable
that the reductions made in the
present duties will be large
enough to cause general reduc-
ton in wages throughout the Uni
ted States, in order to allow our
goods to compete in every way
with all the products of
European labor, but reduction in
wages, bad as it is, is preferable to
the entire loss of employment that
would necessarily follow triumph
of the free trade wing of the Dem
ocratic party.
The alleged news of the prepara-
ton by England to resist by force
the decision Iof the Behring Sea
Arbitration should it be in favor of
the United States, as it must be if
the arbitrator decide without pre-
judice, found a few people here
who took it seriously, but most
people regard it as merely
one of the stories of the
silly season, through which
the world usually passes at this
season OF the year. Such action
on the part of England would
mean war, and England does not
want war with us; it would pre-
cipitate the inevitable loss of her
possessions on this continent.
Secretary Morton is one Of the
most persistent seekers after free
advertising in the present cabinet.
Scarcely day passes that he does
not announce some alleged reform
in some branch of the Agricultural
department, but as far as can be
seen the only reform is in the an
nouncement.
In ordefto give the new Demo-
cratic chiefs of divisions in the In
terror Department full swing to
promote DEMOCRATS without regard
to their merits tie board of promo
ton created by Secretary Noble
for the purpose of deciding what
employees were entitled to promo
ton has been abolished and all
promotions are to be made on
the recommendations OF the
chiefs, a system which has in the
past made the chiefs petty tyrants
and in more than one instance
blackmailers of the clerks under
them.
1t is admitted on the quiet by Mr.
Crisp's friends that there's to be lots
of shaking up in the membership
of the House committees, and that
a good many Democrats who had
prominent and desirable commit
tee places in the last House will be
given only minor places in the
coming reorganization. They de
not feel free yet to openly boast o
these changes, which have in real
ity been ordered by Mr.. Cleveland
for although there is no candidate
in sight to make fight against thu
election of Crisp to be speaker, the,
realize that a combination nigh
be made within IS hours of The
time for holding the Democrats
caucus that might do the bushes