The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-01-16
OF. WASHINGTON LETTER.

Republicans outside of the Senate
find it difficult to comprehend the
deadlock IN the Senate Finance
Committee over the House tariff
bill. A caucus Of Republican SEN
ators decided that the bill should
be reported to the senate without
amendment, just as it was passed by
the House, but instead of the bill
being reported or whether it will be
reported or whether it will be re-
ported at all Is it any We nder that
Republicans are asking what was
the use of recognizing the Senate
committees If a bill ordered reported
by a Republican caucus can be dead
locked in a committee which has a
majority of Republican members.
The alleged cause of the deadlock
is the action of Senator Teller, of
Colo, Republican member of the
Finance Committee, IN declining to
allow the tariff bill to be reported
to the Senate unless it be amended
to provide for the free coinage Of
silver. What makes the action if
Senator Teller inexplicable what the
Financial Committee has already
reported a bill for the free coinage
of silver as a substitute for the
House bond bill which is now be-
fore the Senate and will almost Ger
tainly be passed by the Senate.
That being the situation, what can
Senator Teller, or any other silver
man man hope to gain by putting a
free coinage amendment on the
tariff bill. The tariff bill was passed
by the House as an emergency
measure intended solely to furnish
the revenue needed by the govern
ment, and if it is passed by the Sen
ate in that shape it would at least
have a chance to become law.
With a free coinage amendment it
will not have even a ghost of a
chance. 1t might get through the
Senate, but 1t could not get through
the House, and even If 1t could it
would be met by the Presidents veto
to a dead certainty. Senator Tell
er's intentions are unquestionablY
good, but nothing but harm can
come from the killing of the House
tariff bill, and that will be the re-
suit if he maintains his present posi-
ton.
Hon. Geo. Prince, as. G. Demo-
erat now visiting Washington, pro-
hably gave away more than he in
tended when he said Of the political
situation in his State: "For some
time it has been evident that the
Democrats would sooner or later
have to contend with another party
and now that all danger of black
supremacy has been removed (by
oonstltutionally restricting the right
to vote), and the Democrats have
virtually ceased fighting each other
it is apparent that the Republican
party will come into the field pre-
pared for vigorous battle OH purely
economic issues. South Carolina
has of late years grown to be heavily
interested IN cotton and wooden
mills and other manufacturing en-
terpriscs. The people who have
put their money into these are be-
coming strongly lmpregnated with
the doctrine of protection. With
the race problem settled, great
many of them will not hesitate to
ally themselves with the Republican
party on the ground of Its fostering
attitude toward American indus
tries. From this source will come
the future danger to Democracy in
South Carolina.
There was one portion of the
speech of Senator Jones, of Ark,
in favor of free coinage substitute
for the House bond bill that was
pleasing to all Republicans regard
less of their position Oh the silver
question. That was where he said
that it was perfectly plain that the
revenues of the government were at
present insufficient and that they
were not likely to become large
enough without additional legisla