The Washington times., 1894-08-08
THE FIAsCO CAUCUS.

The gentlemen who signed the call for the
caucus held yesterday by the House Demo-
Gratis had perfect right to do So but in the
light of subsequent developments they did
not represent the sentiment OF the majority.
No blame can be attached to them except that
their action was ill-advised, and now that the
predicted quarreling and wrangling did not
take place, it is perhaps as well that the
caucus was held.
For its own good the House should keep
its hands of the Senate bill; to accept that
measure without amendment would result in
thrusting the trust scandal of the Senate on
the Democratic party, burden it ought not
be compelled to assume. The Wilson bill
passed the House February / free from
odium of any kind There were no rumors nor
suspicion of jobs and crooked dealings. Mem
bers voted and acted according to conviction,
without the influence of trusts and corpora
tions. The bill was satisfactory not only to
| the Democrats OF the House but also to the
Democratic party.
1t was when the Wilson bill reached the
Senate that trouble began. Rumors were
continually being circulated OF the change of
schedules at the instigation of trusts. Sem
ators were charged with influencing the
stock market for the purpose of speculation.
Several stocks rose in the market as Senate
legislation progressed, and finally came the
investigating committee. The bill passed the
Senate July 3, and was delivered to the con-
ference committee with the fat that it must
be accepted or no tariff legislation could be
had. The conferees disagreed, were REIN
structed, and last week Monday again met,
and up to to-day have failed TO reach an
agreement. The Senate still insists that it
must be the trust bill or no tariff reform leg
islation. And it was TO surrender to the Sem
ate and its trusts that the House caucus was
called.
There can be no denying that fact Mr..
Bynum's resolution provided that unless an
agreement was reached by the conference
committee by August 10 that joint caucus
Of Democrats of the House and Senate be
called, which meant that if the House confer
ees did not surrender by that time the agree
ment was to be taken out OF their hands.
Fortunately yesterdays caucus repudiated
the surrender and saved the Democratic
party from campaign of apology and de-
tense, and prevented the acceptance of a tar
ifr bill tainted with scandal and fouled with
disgrace.
Senator German publishes manifesto that
unless an agreement is reached by the con-
ferees within forty-eight hours he will cause
the sugar schedule TO be rejected and place
sugar on the free list. His threat is no doubt
the result of chagrin at the opposition OF Pres
ident Cleveland to the Senate bill. But If
Senator German can carry out his purpose he
will become public benefactor. There is no
article in the entire tariff bill that enters more
in common use than sugar and none more de-
serving of the FREQ list. If the Senator can
give the country free sugar the conference
committee can well afford to abandon its sit
tings for the next forty-eight hours. 1t is
more than likely, however, that Senator Cor
man is trying to frighten the sugar Senators
into a compromise.