The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
CFrom cur Regular Correspondent

Republican Senators who have
heretofore conceded the probability
Of the ultimate success of the Dem
ocrats in passing some sort of tariff
bill now consider that they have at
least an even chance to defeat the
bill. Although the committee has
decided that the bill shall be report
eel to the Senate this week and
taken up for consideration April 2
by the way that date represents
a substantial victory for the Repub-
Leans of the committee-it is
known that not a single one Of the
ten Democratic Senators who style
themselves conservatives" and
are styled CHECKERS" by the other
Democrats, has promised to support
the bill, Notwithstanding the num-
erOus concessions made to them by
the Democrats of the committe, and
some Of them will, 1T is believed,
vote against the entire bill. unless
they can get 1T amended to suit
their demands. Instead Of the
changes made IN the bill by the
Democrats of the Senate committee
most of them against their will
'essenng the Democratic opposition
to the bill they have largely IN
creased it. The free traders have
been offended and not single
CHECKER" has been propitiated.
Many shrewd observers believe
that upon the disposition which
Mr.. Cleveland makes of the Bland
bill for the coinage of the seignior
age depends the very existence of
he Democratic party as at present
constituted. At least three mem
berS of the cabinet-Gresham,
Smith and Herhert-are so certain
that the veto Of the bill would be
followed by an open split of the
Democratic party that they are
LONG their best to persuade Mr..
Cleveland to sign the bill, as peace
'tfering to the silver Democrats in
he south and west who are dis
gruntled because of the numerous
snuns thew have received at the
hands Of the administration. Rep
resemJatIve Strauss, of New York,
personal friend Of Mr.. Cleveland,
is also working on the same line,
although himself opposed to the
bill. Mr.. Cleveland has given no
sign of what his intentions regard
'ug the measure are. A delegation
Of New York bankers are here to
prevent Mr.. Cleveland yielding to
me party pressure that is being
brought to bear upon him to allow
the bill to become a law. These
New Workers have demanded of
Mr.. Cleveland that he veto the bill,
in accordance with the pledges
made bv Secretary Carlisle when he
asked them to save the administra-
ton bond issued from the flat fail
ure which it won d have been had
the bankers not subscri bed to them.
On the other hand. more than two
thirds Of the Democrats in Congress
voted for this bill and they are de-
handing that the bill be signed, or
at least allowed to become law
without the Presidents signature,
and threatening to pnblicly repudI-
ate the administration should the
bill be voted.
In addition to being vicious the
Democratic tariff bill is very clum-
silly drawn. Since it's revision by
he Democrats of the Senate
Fin nee committe the Republicans
of that committee, md the public,
have had an opportunity to study
the bill. a Republican Senator
pointed out a paragraph which
would, had it been allowed to re-
man in The bill and the bill have
ever become IA law, resulted in tang
ling up the internal revenue system
to an extent that would have cost
the government many millions of
dollars. 1t would, in short, have
prevented the collection Of a dollar
of internal revenue. except upon
such articles as are specifically men
toned in the present bill. This
error was of course, corrected.
No man serving his first term in
Congress was ever before given the
honor of beng put at the head of
the Republican Congressional cam
paign committee, but it has Just
been done for Representative Bah
cock, of Wisconsin, who has been
selected to be acting chairman of
the committee, while Judge Caul- |
well is making his canvas for the
of Cincinnati, and as
Judge CauIwell Is likely to be |
elected Mr.. Babcock is almost GER j
tain to become permanent chairman
Of the committee. This selection
was not made haphazard. but be-
cause Mr.. Babcock's colleagues
his peculiar fitness to
direct the work Of the committee,