The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-22
Differences Of DEMOCRATS.

Ill C4ANGo "a +SNA+-gNA HN~1s
Two things have prevented harmonious
action among democrats in this congress.
. One is the silver question and the other
is the inCome-tax. The silver question is
practically settled for the present The
, income tax question IS under discussion.
/ a very large portion of democratic con
/ Cressmen favor the free coinage OF silver
without any provision for maintaining the
/ parity Of gold ana silver and the equal
/ power Of every dollar al all times in the
/ markets and in payment Of debts, as re-
| qUired by the national democratic plat
/ form, and a still larger portion insists
/ upon an income tax of which no mention
whatever IS made in the platform.
These two questions have greatly de-
layed legislation, and one of them threat
ems to defeat the Wilson tariff bill. The
silver question is shelved during
the life OF this administration, but it
is a cause of dissension in democratic
ranks in state campaigns, and the income
tax question will be a cause of dissension
whether the tax is adopted or not.
The Democratic party never having de-
clared in favor of the free coinage
of silver without some provision for
maintaining silver on a panty with gold
and never having declared in favor of an
income tax, those democratic congress
men who insist upon those two things are
responsible for the dissension in the dem
ocratic ranks, and VIII be responsible for
the failure of the democratic party to re-
duce the tariff if the Wilson bill should
be defeated because Of its income tax
feature. Their duty is to abide by the
doctrines of the party as declared in ITS
national platform.
The only party that has declared in
favor of the free coinage of silver and for
an income tax is the Populist party. The
declaration for those two things in the
platform Of that party is so clear that
there is no possibility of misunderstood
ing it. Both things are dangerous to the
welfare and prosperity of the country
Those democratic congressman who
have become advocates Of them
have abandoned the platform
Of their party so far as these two things
are concerned, and have adopted the plat
form Of the populists. We do not ques-
ton their motives for having done so, but
bility for whatever harm their action
may do their party. They may favor
these things because they think the ma
jority Of their constituents desire them or
because they themselves think they are
right and would be for the public good;
still, if they determine to take a stand
for doctrines their party has not approved
they must shoulder the responsibility
which such a departure imposes upon
them.
a distinguished democratic senator is
quoted as saying within the last few days
that the Wilson bill cannot pass the Sen
ate unless the income-tax feature
of it is eliminated, and it is
alleged that the House will not
agree to the bill if that feature is
eliminated. If these statements are true
il is evident that the Wilson bill is in
very precarious condition.
If no tariff bill is passed at this session
of congress it is safe to predict that the
next congress will not be democratic The
issue upon which this congress was
elected was the tariff. 1t is pledged to
reform the tariff and if it fails to fulfill
that pledge thepeople will lose confidence
in the Democratic party.
When the income tax was proposed the
MORNING News insisted that it should be
dealt with as a separate measure. 1t
pointed out that the income tax is not
mentioned in the national democratic
platform, and had not been discussed be-
fore the people-the people had not
spoken in respect to it, The Democratic
majority of the House, however, insisted
upon making it part of the tariff bill,
thereby jeopardizing the success of that
measure.
We still believe, however, that the Will
son bill will be passed. 1t must be
passed, or the Democratic party will have
to admit that it cannot do what it has
been promising for thirty years it would
do if given the power, namely, reduce the
tariff. 1t cannot afford to make such an
admission