Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-03-23
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.


tofore conceded the probability Of the
ultimate success of the democrats in
passing some sort of tariff bill now con-
slider that they have at least an even
chance to defeat the bill. Although the
committee has decided that the bill
shall be reported to the senate this
week and taken up for consideration
April 2-by the way that date repre-
sents substantial victory for the re-
publicans of the committee it is known
that not single one OF the ten demo-
cratic senators who style themselves
conservatives, and are styled s'kick-
ers" by the other democrats, has
promised to support the bill, notwith-
standing the numerous concessions
made to them by. the democrats 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 committee-most of them
against their will-lessening the demo-
cratic opposition to the bill they have
largely increased it. The free traders
have been offended and not single
"kicker" has been propitlated.
Aanv obra,yJ r,carvarc haltat-a that
| upon the disposition which Mr. Cleve-
land makes of the Bland bill for the
coinage of the seigniorage depends the
the very existence of the democratic
party as at present constituted. AT
least three members of the cabinet
| Gresham, Smith and Herbert-are so
| certain that the veto of the bill would
be followed by an open split OF the
| democratic party that they are doing
| their best to persuade Mr.. Cleveland to
sign the bill, as a peace Offering to the
silver democrats in the south and west,
who are disgrunlled because of the
numerous snubs they have received at
the hands of the administration. Repre-
sentative Strauss, of New York, a
personal friend of Mr. Cleveland, is also
working on the same line, although
himself opposed to the bill. Mr.. Cleve-
land has given no sign of what his
intentions regarding the measure are.
A delegation of New York bankers are
here to prevent Mr.. Cleveland yielding
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 accordance
with the pledges made by Secretary
Carlisle when he asked them to save
the administration bond issue from the
flat failure which it would have been
al the bankers not subscribed TO them.
On the other hand, more than two
thirds of the democrats in congress
voted for this bill and they are demand
ing that the bill be signed, or at least
allowed to become a law without the
presidents signature, and threatening
to publicly repudiate the administra-
ton should the bill be vetoed.
In addition TO beng vicious the dem
ocratic tariff bill is very clumsily drawn.
Since its revision by the democrats 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
law, resulted in tangling 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 con-
gress was ever before given the honor
of being put at head of the republican
congressional campaign committee, but
it has just been done for Representa-
tive Babcock, of Wisconsin, who has
been selected to be acting chairman of
the committee, while Judge Caulwell
is making his canvas for the mayoralty
of Cincinnati, and as Judge Caulwell is
likely to be elected, Mr.. Babcock is
almost certain To become permanent
chairman of the committee. This selec-
ton was not made haphazard, but
because Mr.. Babcock's colleagues
recognized his peculiar titunes to direct
the work of the committee, and were
only too glad to learn that he was will
ing to undertake IL.
The investigation of the contract for
printing the Patent Office Gazette,
which was for time suspended because
of the members of the senate committee
On printing having been otherwise
engaged, has been resumed. If Josiah