New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-08

NEW PHASE or THE TiEiIF QUESTION
The decision of the Senate 10 take UP The
Scisnioragc bill is not necessarily fatal 10 The
Tariff bill 1t is still within the power Of The
ajority in the Senate 10 give precedence to the
Tariff bill whenever il Is reported Ncycrlhe-
less. the obvious anxiety of some Free Traders
10 avoid the conclusion that tie action of The
Senate is hostile TO thct pIsns cXcic> amuN'~
mcnt one would say it'was clear enough that
the supporters Of tie Tariff bill had been com
PEELED 10 assent to is .po~tpOmcmcnt in order
10 avoid an adverse vote in til" Senate
It is curious too. how much Indignation is
manifested by the extreme Free Traders at
those Democratic Senators whose position in
this matter has made il necessary to sidcraci,
the Tariff bill There are not many Of these
Senators. and the Frc,+Iradc organs, which
print their names and photographs rs if they
were enemies Of their. country. reckon only
about ten Of ihcm but the number is AT all
events quite enough These men have said from
time to time that they were not Disposed To
vote against Il party measure. ana That if The
Democratic caucus should decide upon a tariff
bill. they would moi be prepared TO oppose it,
But il is sometimes easy 20 defeat II hill with
out voting against ii directly. As these Son
there are more ways than one 10 skin "A eat. and
without voting against the Tariff bill AT all
they have greatly increased the chances Of lis
defeat
On the other hand. it is perhaps TOO SooI:
10 indulge in unboundcd cyal,atiOn, as some
opponents Of the Wilson bill are doing. as if
It's defeat were now definitely assured. The
best tina; can be said is that It's opponents have
greatly increased their possibilities Of success.
In the discussion of the silver question the old
bitterness Of feeling between Democratic fac
tons Is still TO become broader ana deeper It
is certain that this artagonism will make it
harder to unite the full Democratic force in
support Of any tariff bill Whatever This is the
more clear because the President himself can
not afford, without dshonoring his past record.
10 assent TO silver legislation upon which the
majority of Democrats in the Senate will prob
ably insist. Before the matter ends. it seems
not unlikely that the silver Democrats. being
the majority in the Senate, will in effect tell
the President that he can get no tariff bill
passed unless h. consents TO such legislation
about silver as they may wish
A break Of this sort would be "A good thing
bill in full operation until another session Of
Congress- and as general election will occur
next fall, and viii probably result in decisive
expression Of public opinion against The pur-
poses OF the Democratic party ii Is not unlikely
that postponcmcnt until The next session would
mean pOstponcrncnt until after the next Prc>i-
dental election There are very few men Of
either party in the Senate who do not know. in
the light OF the experience of the last few
months that business would IN that event
speedily improve, and the results be of meal
cuabc benefit TO the country The defeat Of
silver legislation and the defeat of the Free
Traders in their attempt to smash home indus