Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-20
A TARIFF BILL
Republicans Threatened With Diff
Guilty in Settling on One.
NOT LIKELY TO SACRIFICE PRINCIPLE
No Reason Why TheyShouId Cater
to the Gold Democrats.
THE DIVIDED DEMOCRACY

The republicans are threatened with
many difficulties in settling upon a tariff
bill. Much is being said in some quarters
about constructing a measure which will
be acceptable, or at least not offensive,
TO the gold democrats 1t is even being
suggested that an effort should be made to
get a modified Dingley bill, or an entirely
new measure through Congress at this
session. which Mr.. Cleveland would accept.
From the point of view of men who be-
lieve thoroughly In protective policy, such
talk Is either idle is inspired by the
wish to defeat a complete return to a pro-
tectiye system tariff which will furnish
abundant revenue to the country. There
Is good reason to believe that efforts to
accommodate the tariff policy of the re-
publican party to the sentiments on that
subject of those democrats who agree with
the incoming administration on finance
would be profitless. and many protectionists
of greatest experience believe that such a
course would be disastrous.
No Danger of Such "a Policy.
II information coming from these most
familiar with the attitude of Major Me-
Kinley is to he given. any weight, there 8
danger of such a policy being favored
by him. The expectation Of these men is
that there will be a strong, consistent and
scientifically constructed tariff measure en-
acted by the Fifty-fifth Congress. and that
this will be the tariff law of the country
for many years 10 come.
The statement comes in a direct manner
from those who have had opportunity to
get the information, that MIR. Cleveland
would veto the Dingley bill or anything
like 1t if ii were sent to him by Congress.
No one aas found any reason to believe
that he would do otherwise.
The suggestion of immediate legislation
in the form of a very n, T,oderate protective
tariff bill is made upon the assumption that
the republicans need to make perpetual an
alliance with the gold democrats and that
they should make some sacrifice to bring
this about
Republicans whose political Judgment has
generally been good do not see that the re-
publican party Is reduced to any such ne
ceSsity- They calculate that, at the worst,
the republicans Will not be confronted at
the next election with a more difficult con-
dition to Zeal with than they had in the
hight just finished. and that under such
ctEditions the gold democrats would have
te essist the gold cause as they have Or
NOR directly.
Eject of 81 Modification of Position.
They argue that to attempt a modifica-
ton of position on the tariff to please the
gold democrats would be to insure the f.
nancial question continuing the chief issue
in politics, and would render more doubtful
the allegiance of those republicans who
being shaky on the silver question, still ad-
mere 10 their party on the tariff. On the
other hand, 1t is urged. no danger could
come to the republicans through their Civ
ing onense to the gold democrats by ad-
herlng strictly TO the time -honored and ex-
perience-tested policy OF protection. A
pcint in considering the possible relations
in the future between the gold democrats
and the regular organization, represent
y-ArtI
lost sight of. This is that the gold demo-
Gratis, by adopting a permanent organiza-
tion at Indianapolis. excluded themselves
cratic primaries.
Not being able to vote at these primaries
which will be called Under the direc tion
OF National Chairman Jones. they will have
no opportunity to recapture the demo-
cratic national convention next time This
renders 1t practically certain that the con-
vention called urder the direction of Chair
man Jones Will be silver convention rep
resenting the party which Mr.. Bryan led.
The Two Democratic Wings,
There is, therefore. no chance for the
two wings of the democratic party to get
together again in antagonism. There must
either be two democratic parties or else
the gold democrats must cooperate with
the republicans. The republicans have ap-
Iarently nothing to fear from the exist
ence of two democratic parties, for If they
lost. in that event. some of the direct sup
port they got in the last election, they
would also be the gamers through the
national democrats" maintaining an or
ganiZation. through the fact that many
sound money democrats who were led to
support Bryan by consideration of party
regularity" wouil no longer be impelled by
such consideration, and the old demo-
cratic party would then be divided more
nearly in half. With such division of
the old democratic parties, it is beli,ye1
that the republicans would have nothing
to fear. From this view of the case there
appears no motive for the republicans to
make a sacrifice of principle to please their
recent allies.
GrOsvenor on the DinRley Dill.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
COLUMBUS. Ohio, November 2O.-Repre-
sentative Grosvenor In an interview here
last night said he doubted the wisdom of
passing the Dingley tariff bill as an eme-
gency measure. 1t might commit the party
to unwise policy by making further
tariff legislation difficult. He refused to
discuss the report that he will be candi-
date for the United States Senate to sue
coed Ir. Sherman.