The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-03-24
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, March ~, 1891
Republican Senators who have here
tofore conceded the probability Of the
ultimate success of the democrats in
passing some sort of tariff bill now
consider that they have at least an
even chance to defeat the bill. Al,
though the committee has decided
that the bill shall be reported to the
Senate this week and taken up for con
sideration April 2-by the way that
date represents substantial, victory
for the republicans of the committee
it is known that not single one of
the ten democratic Senators who style
themselves conservatives, and are
styled "kickers" by the other demo
Gratis, has promised to support the bill,
Notwithstanding the numerous con-
cessions made to them by the demo
Gratis of the committee, and some Of
them will, it is believed, vote against
the entire bill, unless they can get
it amended to suit their demands.
Instead of the changes made in the
bill by the democrats of the Senate
commlttee-most of them against their
will-lessening the democratic opposlt
ion to the bill they have largely in
creased it. The free traders have been
offended and not single "kicker"
has been propitiated.
Many shrewd observers believe that
upon the disposition which Mr.. Cleve-
land makes of the Bland bill for the
coinage of tine seigniorage depends the
very existence of the democratic party
as at present constituted. At least
three members ofthe cabinet-Gresham
Smith and Herbert-are SO certain
that the veto of the bill would be
followed by an open split of the demo
cratic party that they are doing their
best to persuade MIR. Cleveland to
sign the bill, as peace offering to the
silver democrats in the south and west
who are disgruntled because of the
numerous snubs they have received at
the hands of the administration. Re
preventative Strauss, OF New York, 4
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 regarding the measure are.
A delegation of New York bankers are
here to prevent Mr.. Cleveland yield
ing to the party pressure that is being
brought to bear upon him to allow the
bill to become law. These New
Workers have demanded of Mr.. Cleve-
land that he veto the bill, in accord
ance with the pledges made by
Secretary Carlisle when he asked them
to save the administration bond issue
from the fiat failure which it would
have been had the bankers net sub
scribed to them. On the other hand
more than two thirds of the democrats
in Congress voted for this bill and they
are demanding that the bill be signed
or at least allowed to become law
without the Presidents signature, and
threatening to publicly repudiate the
administration should the bill be
vetoed.
In addition to being vicious the
democratic tariff bill Is very clums;lv
drawn. Since its revision by the demo
Gratis of the Senate Finance committee
the republicans of that committee, and
the public, have had an opportunity to
study the bill. A republican Senator
pointed out paragraph which would,
had it been allowed to remain In the
bill and the bill have ever become a
law, resulted in tangling up the inter.
would have cost the government many
millions of dollars. 1t would, inShort,
have prevented the collection of a
dollar of internal revenue, except upon
such articles as are specifically mention
ed 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 being put at the head of the
republican Congressional campaign
committee, but 1t has just been done
for Representative Babcock, of Wiscon
sin who has been selected to be acting
chairman of the committee, while
Judge CaulweIl is making his canvas
for the majoralty of Cincinnati, and as
Judge Caulwell is likely to be elected
Mr.. Babcock is almost certain to be-
come permanent chairman of the com,
mittee. This selection was not made
but because Mr.. Babcock's
colleagues recognized his peculiar fit
ness to direct the work OF the com
mittee, and were only too glad to learn
that he was willing to undertake it.
The investigation of the contract for
printing the Patent Office Gazette,
which was for time suspended be-