Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-29
FRIDAY. DECEMBER 20, 1898.
III ,rorl, Before Congress.

w
According TO the kilograms from WASH
iprton city in yestei days Dispatch inc
politicians and the statesmen-the De"'o-
,rats and the Republcans-are all AT sea
a. IN what they shall do or can DO touch-
.pe the Wilson tariff bill.
We have for some time been fore"arn-
ing the Democrats In Congress that
Vould be better not TO pass that Dill at
all than 10 pass II just In time to enaple
,bc Republicans to use It as CLUB where-
,,.,,n % heat the life out Of the Demo
cratic party.
.rhere IL no virtue IN the plea that the
democrats are bound by the chicago
ulaform TO pass that or some other sucn
tariff bill; for the whole Committee Oh
VVays and Means as well as ali the Demo
Gratis I'm and out OF Congress have de-
r,aed TO discard the resolution OF the chi
cago convention IN favor OF tarih lot
revenue only" Not even MIR. wilson
himself pretends 20 be bound by that
resolution. which indeed. seems TO De
lohlnd the times. II IS a bclated deciaro-
ii1n.
But whether st is a belated declaration
mr. not II cannot be converted from
more llle declaration Of party policy into
n legislative enactment. The Democratic
majority IN the United States Senate u
not so foolish that IT can be rehed upon
10 PASS any such measure as the aforesaid
resolution OF the Chicago platform calls
sor The Republicans are fully conscious
az the strait in which the Democrats III
Congress find themselves. ana VIII leave
40 stone unturned In the effort to bury
them IN the rubbish OF the Wilson bill
when that bill shall have been finally
disposed of-that is. II 1t shall be dis
posed Of "a some Of the friends and all
pf the enemies OF the Democratic party
expect to dispose Of 1t.
without closure-rule the Senate's
lands cannot be united, and so the large
democratic majority in the House OF
Representatives will avail naught in the
.ndeavor TO rescue the Wilson bill from
The fate which threatens TO overtake II.
The Republicans In the Senate VIII
hardly agree 10 any closure-rule whlch
would enable the Democrats in that booy
10 pass the Tucker bill TO repeal all Fede-
raj election-laws. or the Wilson bill to
reform the tariff At any rate, We have
little hope OF successful legislation on
rlther Of those subjects. Mr.. Burrows
md cx-Speaker Reed, OF the House OF
Repre- sentatives, are fine parliamenta-
sians. and will do all they can TO keep
,be Wilson bill before the House as long
LIS possible should II be returned thither
Tor concurrence in amendments HOW
many of these amendments there will be
mo one can foretell, as no one can fore
rast the course which the Republicans
will follow in this behalf. Our own i'm
preston is that the Republicans will pur-
sue a dilatory policy and help Reed and
Burrows TO keep the bill before Congress
long time.
Let the Democrats learn from their
enemies. The bill needs no discussion. for
Ar the Campaign OF education" of seve-
raj years ago did not enlighten the peo-
ple on the subject of tariff reform. 1t
would be folly TO begin another such
campaign under the circumstances now
surrounding US.
on the whole. the Democratic party Is
IN rather an unpromising condition. But
The circumstances are such as might
easily be changed by the lapse of time
and wise legislation into condition fun
OF promise. -..A.a....-