New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-17
A LEADER NEEDED.
NO DEMOCRAT IN CONGRESS ABLE TO HOLD
HIS PARTY TOGETHER.
MONEY" on ADMINISTRATION

FACTION PARTICULARLY LACKING IN ABLE
pARLIAMENTAR1ANs-A LONG AND
HOT FIGHT MAY BE EXPECTED.
fry TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBrSE.l
Washington, July 16-It Is not strange that the
more thoughtful and earnest friends OF the Aunnis
tration privately lament and give expression 10 thei'
anxiety and misg1vings account OF the woiui Hun
OF strong and capable Democratic leadership IN the
House Of Representatives; but the party Is no worse
of now than It in the last Congress, when inc
majority was split into hostile factions and socaiied
leaders suddenly sprang TO the front one day 10
be as suddenly sent to the and reduced TO inc
ranks next day. The Democratic party has had
superabundance OF such "leaders" In the House ever
since the rens wrestcd from the grasp OF eamue
j. Randall, the last Democrat in Congress who was
able 10 control and drive the wild horses of Dem
ocratic majority. The factional bitterness engen-
dered by his defeat slowly disappeared but Its place
has been filed, and more than flled by other fac
tonal differences and personal feuds ana lcaious''
There has been no lack of leaders, but an almost
complete absence OF leadership Even In the last 'o
gress when Democrats outnunbercd their poh'icai
opponents nearly four 10 one, the majority was M
able to accomplish anything except by general COZ
sent or brute force During the entire Congress the
Democrats could agree among themselves in regard
10 only twD things First they were unanimously
opposed the adoption In any form OF the substance
OF the Reed rules which allowed the majority ths'
vas responsible for legislation to legisate Seco 10
they were unanimously in favor of Free Trade re-
vision Of the tariff. and they dropped their family
quarrcls long enough to rush Springers pop gun
tariff bills through the House under suspension OF the
rules. The Democratic majority In the incoming
House will not be- arge-not large enough 10 force
through any tariff legislation under SUSPENSION Qf
the rules for example. even II the majority snail
prove as harmonious that question as IL WIS
In the Lid Congressand the prospect Is that there
viii be q bitter Democratic factiOnal fight over 'he
proposition 10 adept rules which will allow the ma
forffy 10 control the business Of the House.
The fight among Democrats oyer the money ques-
ton promises be even moro bitter ana stubborn
than 1t was In the last Congress- when such DEMO
cratic leaders as Bynum. who now publicly sheefs
al .sverltes,n and Crisp, who Ike Brer RibDi now
keeps exceedingly quiet whenever he hears silver
mentioned and Mills McMllin and the BrechinridgeS
were voting with Bland for free coinage against the
protests and opposition OF such leaders Andrew.
Bacon Bourlse Cochran, Fellows, Coombs, Tracey,
Warner and George Frederick Williams. In the III
coming Congress, Of course. the old Democratic
"leaders.' few Of whom have been mentioned, VIII
be heavily reinforced by a large number OF new
.leaders' and, has already been indicated, some
of the free coinage leaders in the Lid Congress
will be found among the leaders OF the "hoHest
money, faction in the LIId Congress. but the fact
will remain that the majority. as Il whole VIII be
sadly lacking in leadership Some Of the Free
Traders who know how necessary, Indeed VITAL capa-
BILE and aggressive leadership Is to the success of any
measure in the House Of Representatives, already
realize this fact.
The majority Is not strong enough TO carry any
partyemeasure by mere force Of numbers under the
gag rule and by "a twohrds vote. and wise and sklfuI
parliamentary mana cement will therefore be required
No dlspassOnte observer surveying the field can dis
cover a Democratic leader capable of that sort OF
,I.lu
discover him. They seem TO be rather unanimous In
the belief that Springer will not do a
very strong Democratic faction disllkes No
Nilhn and dstrusts his ability both as
o parfiamentarian and tariff reform statesman
Many Democrats complain that Wilson lacks force
nerve and physical stamina. and object that Bynum
possesses TOO much OF all these qualities to BE- success
full in a tedious tariff debate involving multitude Of
intricate and perpcxng details. while Breckenridge. OF
Kentucky depends too much ON his silver tongue
and Is sadly deficient In both parliamentary knowl-
edge and practical information OF course every one
Of whose names have becn mentioned land The
same NAV be ,rutufully said Of score OF other lead
ersD believes that ne IS thoroughly armed ana
equipped and could lead the Free Trade host to vie
tory N he had the chance, and he seriously dis,russ
the ability Of any other Democrat In the House TO do
the thing.
Nothing In the future ~ more certain than that
the reorganization Of The ways and Means Committee
and the desires OF Secretary Carlisle, will provoke
gIeat deal OF dissatisfaction among Dem Jcac neal
bers OF the House. The Democratic membership Of
the committee will comprise ten men at most, incinl-
Ing the chairman, and decent regard for the rights
of the minority would reduce II to nine There are
not less than dozen Democrats each OF whom thor
0ughy believes that he ought To De appointed chair
man. not less than three dozen more each Of whom
Is firmly convinced that the public welfare and the in
,erests OF tariff reform alike demand that he shall
be made a member Of the committee. The men who
thus believe and who suffer disappointment Will be
very likely to ascribe their failure, In part at least. TO
the President and his Secretary Of the Treasury.
The lack Of firm and capable democratic, or rather
Administration, leadership viii b. felt even more
kecnly In the fight for the repeal OF the bullion pur
chase provision OF the silver law and against free
coinage than In the struggle over the thrift. IN
respect to the latter question the Democrats sup
posed to be still united, despite few sporadic cA-
pressons from men who conndentially intimate that
they are sugar coated Pot consts.7 In regard TO the
silver question: the Is wholly and radically DIFF
ferent Every intelligent and careful observer Of
events in Washington during the last Jew years knows
that Mr.. Bland represents the views Of al ovcrwhcm
Ing majority OF his party OIL that question: views
which have been as heartily and strongly
supported within the Last Two years
BY secretaries Carlisle and Herbert and
senators Mills VOORHEES, and Vest in opposition TO the
views Of Cleveland. they have been by Bland and
fine men who now demand that he shall be reap
pointed chairman Of the Coinage Committee he
shculd be set aside and Mr.. Tracey Of New York. BE-
APPOINTED chairman of that committee as the men
who are supposed to represent Mr.. Cleveland seem
inclined to insist shall be the the breach between
the Democratic factions would bc made wider and
deeper than ever.
Mr. Tracey Is an earnest and sincere man. p"'
n would be difficult to find more poorly equipped
for parliamer snry leadership The result OF ihe hsh'
for the unconditional repeal OF the silver purchase
proyision of the existing law Will depend to great
extent, II not mainly, upon the shi readiness ana
,n. with which marlin mcrtary tactics are empl0ye