Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12
For Those Who Desire to Settle
the Legislative Problem.
HARD TO ACT IN NON-PARFEAN SPIRIT
Charges That Each Party Brings
Against the Other.
CLEVERDIPLOMACYR REQUIRED

non-partisan spirit, the difficulty in doing
30 is conceded to be great by both sides.
The republicans charge the democrats with
lack of frankness in stating the case,
and the democrats charge the republicans
with insisting on such a settlement of the
question as would be tantamount to an
abject confession of failure by the party
In power on every line of its public poll
cies. The two sides. therefore, are very
far apart.
The Republican Indictment.
The republican indictment of the denoc-
racy is put In this form: You fellows
had as well admit that this really is not
a question of the currency. but of revenue
sufficient to the government Your
tariff policy. even after the briefest trial.
has proved ruinous to your party and most
injurious to the country. 1t should never
have been entered upon. 1t should prompt
ly be abandoned. There is no Justification
for further insisting upon a policy so COM
pletely dlscredited. Own up now, men
should, and We'll render all the assistance
In our power toward correcting evils and
putting things right again. But We warn
you that this calls for tariff legislation
we'll as currency legislation, and the tariff
legislation must come first. Turn over
your revenue problem to us, and we'll pre-
sent a scheme fully meeting the emergency.
ThIt is the only remedy at this time, and
after that has been arranged we'll help
Don't be influenced by false pride. You
have blundered. and the country knows it
and has condemned you at the polls. The
best course now is one of frank confession,
and the manifestation of a spirit to do
what you can to remedy the effects of your
short-sighted legislation
What Some Democrats Admit.
This indictment affects democrats diff
ferently; but none of them will publicly
assent to it's unqualified truth. There are
democratic leaders who believe that the
tariff question at the last session of Con-
gress was seriously mismanaged. They are
not only out of touch with their party on
the general principles of tariff reform, but
they criticise the extreme and incessant as
saults that were made on protected inter-
ests of all kinds in the debates and in the
committee rooms. This, they charge, had
very bad effect in business circles, and
added to the then existing dstrust and de-
preston. These men admit that the rev.
enues were too far reduced. and are willing
in some seemly way now TO help raise
more money. But they object to having
this forced upon them SO as to work in
jury to their party. and, as they believe.
with that end in view.
The Irrcconcilables.
Then come those democrats who will con-
fcss to no blunder at all on the score of
the tariff; who insist that the present en-
barrassments grow out of past republican
any step backward of remedy or recanta-
ton Their reply to the republicans is
something like this: What you ask Of US
Is virtually suicide.
eff we were to do what you propose we
should completely eliminate the democratic
party from all future calculations. We did
not blunder on the tariff except i'll not
going far enough. The steps We took were
strictly in the direction of all our fast
professions and promises. Our difficulty
was in encountering protection sentiment
In our own party. 1t was that that over
threw us. We do not intend to take any
backward step on the tariff question. but
rather to go on in the course we nave
chosen. Your proposition Is purely parti-
san. Were we to accept 1T there would
not be q democratic state ticket elected
anywhere this year. The returns from
every quarter would show enormous re-
publican gains. ard we should be left on
the eve of the national contest without a
leg to stand on. 1t may be true that we
have not so far met the expectations OF
the country. but we are not ready to ask
for the appointment of receiver for the
democracy The real trouble is in the east,
where capital. regardless Of politics, exerts
great influence. and where there is COM
bination I'm existence to use the govern
ment for Understanding purposes. Let
that be broken up and prosperity Will
return. But, In any circumstances, we
shall neither confess failure nor abandon
the policy of tariff REFORM which will never
be settled until 1t Is settled right. You
are spreading your nets in vain for US"
Clever Diplomacy Required.
1t Is confessed that the situation calls for
very clever diplomacy and some nice ad-
justments. There Is loud call for a COM
promises of skill and influence Conservative
democrats express desire to meet the re-
publicans half way. But it will require ex-
pert civil engineering to locate that spot.
The republicans take the ground that half
way measures are dangerous. and that at
rtnr han tC
stake, action should represent something
definite and comprehensive. They point,
also, to the November verdict at the polls,
which, as they claim, was the legal notice
given to the democrats to retire and give
place to the other side. These instructions,
the republicans declare, should be carried
out at once, and they insist that the only
way possible at this time for the democrats
to obey the peoples mandate is for them to
fall in behind republican leadership, even at
this session. and support measures OF re-
publican origin and advocacy.
Hope In Sherman and Allison.
Those democrats who are hoping for
scme action nov are relying uron the good
Offices OF Messrs. Sherman and Allison.
beth of whom are regarded as being both
able and fair men in dealing with public
questions of the highest importance. They
are not expected to modify their we'll
known views in any degree, but their in
fuence and experience are such as leads
to the nope that II they can De actlNely
enlisted In the cause something beneficial
may result. They are not given to pushing
an opponent with unnecessary severity.
and all of their suggestions would be re
otfyed with great respect. The republi-
cans, on their part, look to MIR. German
for the most assistc Ice on the democratic
side. The attitude of the Maryland Sepa
tor fits him. il is thought, for the part of
mediator on the subject. He was the
leader of those democrats who urged more
revenue at the time the tariff bill was In
course of projecting, and takes the position
now that more revenue should hare been
provided. This enables him to meet the re-
publicanS on that line of the contention on
pleasant ground. He likewise leans to q
sound money policy. and this makes him
acceptable In conference to the reDubli-
cans. But reither side. although both
sides are so anxious that something should
be done. has as yet named conferees on the
subject
An Appointment.
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