The Washington bee., 1895-09-07
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL,
THE TARIFF QUESTION IN THE
COMING FALL ELECTIONS.
1t will Cut Something of Figure IT,
Maryland-The Silver Conference In
Observation-Disclosures Democrats Hedc-
ing on the Question.

Whether or not the tariff question will
| cut prominent figure in the next Presi-
Dental campaign is one Of the problems
! about which politicians are more or less
| doubtful, and regarding which they
look to the coming fall elections to give
| them a pointer" Many curious eyes
| will be turned on the election results in
| Maryland, owing to the peculiar rela-
] tons Of Senator German to the changes
| made by the Senate in the Wilson tariff
bill. II there is any change in public
| opinion regarding that bill. 1t will prob
| ably be quite as pronounced in Mary
land as elsewhere. Senator German has
been bitterly antagonized, largely on
| account of his tariff views, by a faction
| of Democrats in Maryland, who at one
| time showed disposition to fight him
! on the tariff issue. If such an intention
was ever entertained, it did not show
any marked strength at the late Mary
| land Democratic convention.
But there is time enough yet Senator
Gibson. who succeeded Senator Sails
bury, was elected for short term. and
the Legislature to be chosen this fall
must select his successor. He is a can
didate for reelection. Senator Gibson
is known here as one of the most agree
able and popular Of public men. and
personally it is doubtful If any oppos1-
ton exists against him. But he was
elected to the Senate as a representa-
tive of the German interest in Mary
land politics. against the full force Of
the opposition in his own party, and he
Loyalty supported Senator German in
his fight against certain features of the
Wilson tariff bill. Senator Gibson may
therefore be said to stand for the Sen
ate side of the tariff issue, if such an
issue exists. My information. however.
is that all parties and factions are a
little chary of the tariff question, pre-
ferring to await developments in the in
dustrial situation before taking pro-
nOunced position. Tariffs are always
apt to be one thing in theory and an
other in practice. The only test is that
of practical trial. The present tariff is
now having it's trial. and there seems
to be little disposition on the part of
the friends Of a still lower tariff to
attack it. The change in public senti-
ment, especially among reform Demo
Gratis, has been quite marked within a
few months past, but the opportunity is
afforded them to put public sentiment
to test in Maryland.
The gathering here this week Of free
silver men was interesting as indicating
modification of extreme sentiment up
on that question. The Illinois delega-
ton, Of which Congressman Fithian is
a member, started quite a boom for
Hon. William r. Morrison for President.
w. H. HinrichSon, who headed the Illi- |
nois silver men, and who has the honor
of having called the first free silver con-
vention ever held, was active In adj
vancing Mr.. Morrisons interests. Mr.. |
Morrison, however. is not known as a |
very prominent free silver man; in fact |
has recently been quoted upon pretty |
good authority as favoring sound mon |
ey upon the basis of an international |
agreement regulating the ratio of gold |
and silver. This is platform UJCn |
which many so-called gold men stand. |
and upon which the politicians of both |
parties seem anxious to be found. Ger
tainly, if the Western silver Democrats
are prepared to accept Mr.. Morrison it |
indicates pronounced change from the
radical sentiments held by them few
months since.
Several pronounced silver men confess
that public sentiment has been under
going a change upon the question of
free and unlimited coinage of silver. and |
that the utmost they can hope for is 10 |
force a compromise in favor of such