Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-03
The Men Who Will Champion the
Two Sides of the Question.
REPUBLICANS HAVE MORE Big GUNS
Differences Among Democrats to
Be Settled in Committee.
SENATORS WHO ARE RADICAL

means are regarued as having decided ad-
vantage over the democrats. With the be-
ginning of another week the interest which
has surrounded the proceedings Of the
House since the opening of this session will
be transferred to the Senate. This interest
viii be intensified by the fact that the final
struggle Is approaching and the conditions
under which the question is to be considered
AFFORD better opportunity for a contest with
the result more doubtful. With such a ma
jorfty as the democrats have in the House
the loss OF a vote here and there could make
no great difference. In the Senate every
vote must be considered and the loss Of
three OF four would be disastrous to the
tarin bill Approaching this. the opponents
to this or that schedule in the bill will
hight with greater determination and more
nope OF success. Those who have had no
nor OF accomplishing anything in the
He ise have been saving themselves up for
the Senate, outstanding their resources and
preparing for heavy assault upon the
measure in its less protected position. The
forces have been assembled from all quar-
blood.
Might Have Been More Radical.
The Wilson bill was prepared by the COM
mittee on ways and means almost without
consultation with other members Of the
men not on the committee to make sug-
gestions concerning matters in which they
were interested and with whicn they were
familiar. The committee felt that they had
certain policy to carry out, which person.
al and local interests might not be permit
TED 10 interfere with. They feared even to
make any test of the sentiment of their
party In the House before the bill was
formed, lest it should be unfayorable to
their project and should render their task
more difficult. AS 1t has turned out, 1t is
quite evident that II they had had any inti-
nation OF the wishes of majority Of their
party associates they would have made a
much bolder step toward free trade than
they. have made, for it has been mad evil
dent throughout the discussion that the dar-
ing Tree traders are much more numerous
In the House than even Mr.. Wilson had any
Idea of. 1t Is a matter Of regret to many
democrats that they did not go as far as
they would have liked to. This regret was
felt soon after the bill got out of the COM
mlttee. The bill was cast into the House
TO take Its fate. without the committee hav-
ins any idea how 1t was going to be re-
eeived. and the disagreements within the
party we're fought out on the noor
To He Settled In Committee.
This ID too dangerous a course to be fol-
lowed in the Senate and the committee on
finance, IL is believed, will be compelled
to adopt a different plan. After the pre-
Hminary work of the finance committee
Is done the committee are expected to take
tneir democratic colleagues of the Senate
INTO their confidence and, If possible to
settle all their differences In the bill before
t Is reported In every step of their work
they will be compelled to try to keep I'm
toucn with their colleagues and their ef-
torts VIII be bent toward having all united
before ever the bill gets out of the commit
zee. This Is task easier of contemplation
sh shah OF accomplishment. The following of
.i .nls pan means, however. that most of
tne nghting Is to be done behind closed
Soors OF the committee room and the men,
bers or the committee will be pulled one way
ana hauled the other for the next three
The work Of the democratic end of the
COMMITTEES. which is the work of the COM
mlttee; VIII devolve chiefly upon but four
men-vance being away sick and McPber
SON being broken in health Voorhees Hor
ms. vest and Jones. are the men who will
nave the committee work to do Pitted
as ,hs coIa mem; representing the minority
esI men In the Senate, all thoroughly IA
mihar mn with the tariff question. Morrill,. as
o'n eu, as ne Is; sherman. Jones of Nevada.
<AHison ana Aldr1ch. make a yerv sfrono
team to pull against ons
What part Mcpherson fs po,no %o &, .
sne formation Of the bill is stiII a matter Of
doubt He went away and Mr. Mi1,s vi
selected to take his place This uas So s
De very satisfactory to the radicals NO.
ne mas come back. and IL is said that he
VIII resume MS position on the cornr,tftao
Inis Is said to be very unsatisfactory To The
radicals. Mcpherson will probablv not he
able to devote himself to the hard v,ort ~
tne committee but he can vote and can look
out Ior those interests which he thinks re
quire some care. and he Is the onIy demo
crat on the committee who is in any wav a
protectionfst The selection Of Mills to take
MS place was an indication of the ternna-
or the party and promised to give over n
committee completely to what is known ne
tne free trade" element Of the party. The
committee as 1t stands Is controlled by men
VINO. IL Is fair to suppose, may be disposed
70 take even bolder step toward free trade
than the House committee had the coura 90
Tor. Indiana. Tennesses. North Carolina,
Missouri and Arkansas stand for the lowest
OF low tariff and for income tax IT was
this consideration. probably, that induced
MI; McPherson to forego the pleasure Of
to stand on guard. He will be a lone guard
A glance at the committee list is calcuIa tad
TO arouse the suspicion that there IS not
more conservatism will be found there than
In the House committee.
The Democratic Champiors.
When II comes to fighting the thing out
on the floor of the Senate there becomes ap-
parent a disparity in numbers between the
capable champions on the two sides of the
chamber. The democrats have many men
Of great ability, but very few of great
technical knowledge Of the tariff. McPher-
son. who Is probably better informed as to
the details than any other man in his party,
Is hardly in sympathy with the controlling
element. and German. the great tactician, is
under suspicion of having a taint Of protec-
ton. The two West Virginia Senator's, one
OF whom. Faulkner, is one of the best men
OF the party in a struggle. are interested in
preserving some degree OF protection for
West Virginia products. For the most part
the democratic leaders upon whom will de-
volve the task of accomplishing tariff re-
form are professors of political economy
rather than men of practical business ex-
perfence- Most Of them viii be dependent
upon books for their technical knowledge
and the debate promises TO be one of gen.
eralities and theories ably presented on one
Side, as against familiarity with the busi-
ness and mastery of details on the other
side
Voorhees, has been n tariff student is
an eloquent debater and has the capacity
to acquire a degree of mastery over a sub
5ect in a short time devoted 10 diligent ex-
animation. In general debate and in elo-
quence of appeal to the loyalty of his COL
leagues he will be powerful. Harris Is the
parliamentarian. and will be skillful In a
sort OF guerrilla warfare. where he can
pounce out Unexpectedly upon his adversary
and give him short fight with a sharp
knife Vance. who is very capable de
batter and a welI-informed scholar of the
tarin, Is now out OF the fight on account
OF his health. Vest, again. is a good de-
bater, having a forceful way of presenting