Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-30
A CURIOUS PLIGHT
Position Of the Democratic Congress
sional, Campaign Committee.
A CONFLICT At THE VERY OUTSET
Difficulty as to the Treatment Of
the Tariff Question.
WHERE THE RUB COME Els

The democratic congressional campaign
committee will probably find themselves in
a curious plight when they come to map out
their line of policy with relation to the
treatment of the tariff in the campaign. 1t
is joint committee of the House and Sem
ate, and member of the Senate, Mr..
Faulkner is chairman. The members rep
resenting the two houses are supposed to
work together for the common benefit Of the
party. Up to this time they have been sur
veying the field to determine where the work
must be done. They have figured out how
many districts are sure to remain demo-
cratic and how many more must be carried
in order to hold the House. Then they have
gone over the uncertain districts to deter
mine which there is the best chance of carry
ing, and where the work can be put to the
best advantage.
Where the Rub Comes In.
All this has not in any way involved the
question of policy as to issues, and there is
where the rub comes. First, Mr.. Cleve-
lands letter to Representative Catchings.
and them yesterday. Mr.. Wilson's speech to
the convention which renominated him,
has marked out line of policy as to the
treatment of the tariff question in the cam
paign which the administration and a ma
jority of the democrats of the House want
to follow. 1t involves attempt to gloss
over the features Of the bill which are dis
tasteful to tariff reformers, but aims at
the condemnation OF these features and the
denunciation of those who are charged
with being responsible for them. 1t involved
practically an issue between the House and
Senate, as If they were in control of differ
ent parties. The whole Senate comes in for
more or less condemnation, and consider
able number of the democratic Senators.
under this treatment of the question, are.
krlfh fh.a he. obi loot faf
attack.
To Condemn the Senate.
There is a very determined purpose to
carry on this line of campaign, not defend
ing, but, on the contrary, condemning. the
Senate. and placing the responsibility for
an acknowledged failure with that body
Some Of the men falling directly within the
range of this sc,indemna ton are ttose who
heretofore have been most active in cam
the election of President These men can
not take part NOW in their own denuncia-
ton. and therefore must be cut off from
participatiop mi the work of re-electing
democrats TO the next House. If the policy
outlined is to be followed.
4 Prebab bic Break ID.
This situation is almost certain to result
in a break up Of the joint congressional
committee, In so much friction in their
work as to make it ineffective. The two
branches OK the, committee will be engaged
in a game of cross-purpo5es A division of
the committee which will leave the House
to take care Of itself, the organizat ton
of committee composed of members of the
House only, is a thing very apt to come
about when IL is fully developed that the
defense of the democratic representatives
On the stump against the charge of failure
to redeem pledges is a denulciation of the
Senate.
A Conflict at the Outset.
AS shown by the first circular on the tar
if sent out by MIR. Faulkner, in which the
Senate bill was held up for admiration, the
purpose of the Senate end of the commit
tee will be to claim during the campaign
that the measure is an admirable one on
the whole. an Improvement over the Wilson
bill. and that the attacks upon it are ut
terly unfounded. The policy of the
House people and the administration as
| indicated by Mr.. Wilson's speech, and Mr.
Clevelands last letter, is tn defend only that
part of the bill which they like and to con-
denim the rest This makes conflict at the
very outset of the committees work, which
1t will be very difficult to get over.