Evening star., 1896-12-17
THE POPULISTS' PLANS
They Will Not Hinder the Passage of a
Tariff Bill.
They Will Inject the Money Issue Into
the Debate and Endeav0r to
Make Campaign Capital.

1t is stated on good authority that the
populist Senators will not obstruct the pas
sage of a tariff bill at an extra session, and
that they may not vote against the bill. II
they ta.:e this position, however it will not
be because they favor a protective tariff.
hut because they want to see a tariff bill
IL operation at the earliest moment. be-
litving, as members of that party assert,
that 1t will aid the cause of silver. Senator
PETER, in an interview in I he Star some
time ago. said he did not believe there
would be any obstruction to a tariff bill at
this session. He is said to hold the same
views as to an extra session. The populists
will simply take advantage of the occasion
to promulgate their views. They, together
with the democratic leaders. will prophesy
dire results TO follow tariff revision, and
will predict increased gloom instead OF
prosperity. These propheSes, to be made
in long speeches, ostensIbly on the tariff,
but really on the money question, will form
the beginning of the congressional cam
paign two years from now, and will have
that fight in view.
VIII Not Need a Majority.
1t is asserted that the republicans will
not need a clean majority in the next Sen
ate to put through a tariff bill. Populsts
say this, and democrats reiterate it. Sena-
tor Mills yesterday, in his speech in the
Senate, admitted that the bill would pass.
These admissions are based, il is said, on
the populist position not to obstruct the
bill, and on the probability that several sill
Yer republicans will not vote against the
bill.
The silver forces in the Senate will, as
stated, use the extra session for party ad-
vantases, If this can be done They will
set the pegs for themselves and the white
metal in future campaigns. That is their
intention now, and no change is expected.
1hey Will use the tariff bill as a basis for
discussing silver and the monetary stand
ards.
They will inveigh against the tariff,
against the classes and against trusts.
These speeches will be the literature of the
SILVER side in the next campaign. Senators
and Representatives are already preparing
themselves for these oratorical efforts. As
size issue 10 these speeches will be
charges of the corrupt use of money In the
last campaign. The outlook is that the
tariff bill would be quickly passed il the
other issues are not injected into the de-
bates. which will take wider range than
ever before known. The republicans Will
feel compelled to reply to the speeches,
and thus divert the subject. 1t will be
necessary from party standpoint.
POpulists fn the House.
The populists in the House will follow the
lead OF the Senators. Representative How
ard, mf1dle-of-the-road populist from
Alabama, states TO a Star reporter that he
wants tariff bill on the books as quickly
as it can be gotten there. Il have talked
with other populist members of both
houses. he says, 'and they agree not 10
hinder or oppose the passage of a tariff bill.
L want to see the highest kind of tariff
on everything, not because L believe in IL,
but because it will bring free silver quicker
than anything else"