Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1894-03-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Mar 19, 1894

Republican Senators who have
heretofore conceded the probabil-
ity 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. Although the
committee has decided that the
bill shall be reported to the Sen.
ate this week and taken up for
consideration April 2d-by the
way that date represents b SUBJ
stantial vict ,rY for the Republi-
cans of the committee-it is known
that not a single one of the ten
Democratic Senat )rs who style
themselves "conservatives", and
are styled "kickers' by the other
Democrats, has promised to sup.
port the bill, Notwithstanding the
numerous concessions made to
them by the Democrats of the
committee, and some of them will,
it is believed, vote against the er-
tire bill, unless they Can get it
amended suit their demands.
Instead Of the change made in the
bill by the Democrats of the SEN
ate committee most Of them
against their will-lessening the
Democratic opposition to the bill
they have largely increased it.
The free traders have been offend
ed and not single "kicker" has
been propitiated.
Many shrewd observers believe
that upon the disposition which
Mr.. Cleveland makes of the Bland
bill for the coinage of the sejgn-
forage depends the very existence
of the Democratic party as at pre-
sent constituted. At least three
members of the cabinet-Gresh-
am, Smith and Herbert-are 30
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 per-
suade MIR. Cleveland to sign the
bill, as a peace Offering to the sill
yer Democrats In the south and
west who are disgruntled because
of the numerous snubs they haye
received at the hands of the
administration. Representative
Strauss, of New York, q personal
friend of Mr.. Cleveland, is also
working on the same line. al
though himself opposed to the
bill. Mr.. Cleveland has given no
sign of what his intentions regard
ing the measures are. A delega-
ton 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 q law.
These New Workers have demand,
ed of Mr.. Cleveland that he veto
the bill, in accordance with the
pledges made by Sectary Carlisle
ghen he asked them t, save the
administration bond issuefrom the
flat failure which it would have
been had the bankers not sub
scribed to them. On the other
hand, more than two-thirds of the
democrats III Congress voted tor
this bill and they are demanding
that the bill be signed, OF at least
allowed to become a law without
the Presidents signature, and
threatening to publicly repudiste
the administration should the bill
be vetosd.
In addition to being vicious the
democratic tariff lili is very
clumsily drawn. Since it's revis-
ion by the democrats of the Senate
Finance committee the republi-
cans of thas committee, and the
public. have had an opportunity
to study the bill. A republican
Senator pointed out a paragraph
which would. had it been allowed
to remain In the bill and the bill
have ever become a law, resulted |
in taneling up the internal reve-
1ue system to an extent that would |
laVe cost the government many