The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-15
THE DEMOCRATIC TARIFF FIGHT.


The contention between Democrats has
been the cause of their failure to pass "A
tariff bill ere this. AS the days go by that
contention becomes more positive and de-
termined. The larger element stands with
the administration in favor of the Wilson
bill as passed by the House. If the Presi-
dents hand were not in it. if his potency
as a patronage dispenser should be with
drawn. and no penalty were attached to
voting against the Wilson Tor adj
ministration) bill. it could be beaten
in the House, but alas! Democratic
Representatives stand in greater fear of the
administration than they do of their con-
stltuents. In the Senate the Wilson bill
could have no show. The fact that the
Voorhees, bill was reported in its stead. ard
that a new compromise bill, with over
four hundred amendments, has supplanted
the Voorhees, bill shows that a half-dozen
or more Democratic Senators must be pla-
Gated. That is the purpose of the so-called
compromise amendments which the Senate
is now slowly considering and adopting in
spite of the protests of the rabid free-trader
Mills.
But the bitter conflict between the two
wings Of the Democracy will come when
the Senate shall have passed the compro-
mise bill and the House refuses to concur in
the amendments which it contains. Then it
Will go to a conference committee. and for
that committee the leaders are even now
looking out for the advantage to be de-
rived from having aggressive men thereon.
Already Senator Mills, who represents the
administration, has made peace with Speak
er Crisp, to the end that the House MEM
bers of the conference committee shall be
made up of ultra Southern free-traders
who will contend to the bitter end for some
thing like the Wilson bill. 1t is usual to Sc
lect the conferees from the ways and means
committee on the part Of the House, but it
is intimated that Speaker Crisp may go
outside for an out-and-out noncompromiser
and bulldozer. The Senate conferees will
undoubtedly be selected from the finance
committee, most Of whom are free-traders,
but all of whom have yielded to placate the
Senator'S from New York, Louisiana, Mary
land. New Jersey, West Virginia and Ohio.
1t is now given out that the administra-
ton has a new tariff bill, which is prac-
tically the Wilson bill. which the House
members of the conference will
be selected to support as a conference
bill, and that all the influence of the admin
i~stration will be employed to cause 1t to he
adopted. If that bill, which has never been
discussed, shall receive the approval Of the
majority of the conference committee ii
will be reported for adoption. If it receives
a majority in both branches 1t will become
a law. II is given out that the power of the
administrator will be exerted TO the fullest
who refuse to sustain the measure will be
read out OF the party. This is the plan of
the ultra free-traders and the administra-
ton. If six Democratic Senators vote
against the conference bill II will be de-
feated. There are those who believe that
that number will prefer to stand by their
constituents rather than bow the knee to
the Southern brigadiers and the President.