Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-12-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom Our Special correspondent.)
WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov. 81, 'se.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 81, 96.
The industrious gentlemen who are
writing and talking about alleged dis
sension in the Republican party are
merely showing that they do not know
the difference between variation in
the individual opinions of Republicans
and party dissension. The Republican
party is not, never has been. and never
will be an organization of cuckoos,
willing to accept AMI echo opinions
given by any one man. One of the
party's strongest elements OF power has
always been the encouragement of in.
dividuality on the part of its members
in the expression of opinions as to party
policy. Republican Senators and Rep.
resentatives who have come to Wash
ington to attend the session of Con.
gress have, as has always been usual,
expressed their opinions on what should
be the party policy at the sh ort session
and because those opinions have not
all been alike, set of poorly informed
Democrats have tried to create the i'm.
preston that dissension was rampant
in the party. They are in a sense ex.
cusable. They are bound to say some.
thing, and as there is nothing good
they can say for the Democrats they
have, like a shyster lawyer with bad
case, taken to lying about the other
side, The Republican party was never
freer of dissension than at this time.
While expressing their individual
opinions of what the party in Congress
ought to do this winter nearly every
Senator or Representave invariably
adds, but the policy of the party will
be determined by caucus to be held
as soon as we know the recommends
tlons of Mr.. Cleveland and Secretary
Carlisle, or words to that effect. Those
who are hoping that talking about dis
sension will really make it in the Re.
publican party are doomed to disap.
pointment, as will be seen as soon as
Congress meets and the Republican
caucus decides upon the party policy
Then they will see that the Republicans
in Congress, excepting, of course, those
and supported Bryan, who still call
themselves Republicans but are not 80
considered by the Republicans, will
act as a unit upon all questions affect.
ing that line Of policy.
While making no pretsnse to know
in advance OF the Republican caucus
what will be determined upon, your
correspondent is confident that the
feeling that an early extra session of
Congress will be called by President
Mckinley for the purpose of passing a
general tariff bill is so prevalent that
one of the decisions will be that it is
unnecessary to attempt tariff legisla.
ton at the short session, especially
when it is matter of doubt both as to
whether even so moderate a bill as the
Dingley emergency measure, passed by
the House, could be passed by the Senate
or would be signed by Mr.. Cleveland.
Even If Mr.. Cleveland would promise
in advance that it should become
law, either with or without his sigma.
ture, and a sufficient number of Sena.
tors would pledge themselves to make
its passage certain, it is doubtful
whether the Dingley bill would be
pushed in the Senate. Last winter it
would have been a good bill to pass,
but with the prospect of a genuine and
general Republican tariff bill in four
or five months it is different now.
Whether there will be any attempt
at financial legislation at the short
session will depend largely upon the
condition Of the Treasury. Senator
Chandler thinks the Secretary of the
Treasury ought to be authorized to
borrow the money needed, to make up
the deficit in receipts as long as 1t ex-
lists, and he may try to push the idea
in the Senate, but it hasn't the ghost
OF show, because 1t would be opposed
by all the silver Senators regardless of
party and by number of Republicans
who are opposed to further bond issues.
1t is probable that Mr.. Cleveland 3
message will renew his recommenda-
tion that the greenbacks be retired, but
it will not be acted upon.
1t requires an enormous amount OF
gall on the part Of the free trade Dem.
ocrats to argue that President McKin.
ley ought not to call an extra session
of Congress to act upon the tariff, but
should allow the matter to 20 over to
The regular session in December, 1897,
and when they try to strengthen their
argument by trotting out the assertion
that an extra session will upset bust.
ness they only make a bad case worse.
For the Republican party to defer &C.
tion upon the tariff for nine months
after 1t has the power to act would be
like sending for doctor and after
having his prescription for the patient
failed to put the medicine away for
nine months and let the patient worry
along as best he may. The voters have
prescribed protective tariff for Uncle
Sam and the task of administering the
medicine has been intrusted to Re.
publican President aud Republican
Congress, and 1t will be faithfully per.
formed. 1t is nonsense to talk about
an extra tariff session OF Congress hurt
inc business Eaiiura In hold oua v,orld