The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-02-26
PLANNING AND SCHEMING.

The regular Washington cores
pondent OF the Chicago Times Herald
writes as following:
Washington, Feb. 19-Something like
a crisis has been reached in the affairs
of the Republican party in congress. In
faint hope of being able to straighten
matters out and settle upon some definite
program for the remainder of the ses-
sion, joint caucus of the Republicans
of the house and senate has been called
for tomorrow evening in the hall of the
house. The movement had it's origin
with the Republicans of the house, who
are much disappointed at the failure of
the senate to pass the revenue bill.
1t is the belief of many Republican
leaders that the country is holding the
Republican party responsible for the
failure of this measure, and on this issue
the party is losing ground. 1t has been
made manifest to the Republicans in
many ways that while the country did
not care very much about the bond bill
upon which the senate loaded free silver,
it does care great deal about the reve,
nue. bill and wants it enacted into law.
The Republican leaders are anxious at
least to give Mr.. Cleveland chance to
sign or veto that bill. They believe he
will veto it, and that if he does they will
have the clearest and most satisfactory
sort of an issue on which to go before the
country in the coming campaign. The
caucus was called in the hope that the
silver Republicans of the senate might
be whipped into line and the revenue bill
pushed through. Conservative opinion
is that the caucus will not have any def
mite or beneficial result. Caucuses of a
congressional nature rarely do. The
time is wasted in speeches and disagree
ments, and policies are rarely agreed
upon.
Speaker Reed is very earnest in his
desire to have the tariff bill sent to the
president. He also has something to
suggest to the silver Republicans-n
ing less than another international mon
etary conference. Mr.. Reed realizes that
this international conference idea is a
trifle threadbare as panacea for politi-
cal ills, but hopes it might be able to
carry the party through another cam
paign. The speaker has another sugges-
ton, somewhat in line with a magazine
article which he wrote year or SO ago.
to the effect that if England stands out
against international bimetallism she
might be brought to terms by recip-
rocity agreement among the nations
which attempted bimetallism. That is
to say. imports from the countries in the
bimetallic union into other countries of
the union would be admitted at a lower
rate of duty than from countries outside
the union. If England stood out this
would hurt her trade and strike a blow
at her tenderest part. All these sugges-
tions will be made to the silver Repub-
licans of the senate tomorrow night, and
it is said Mr.. Reed will personally take
the floor and counsel peace and action.
1t is the idea of many leading Repub
licans that the party is not in good con-
dition for the coming campaign. There
is too much division on silver and not
enough unity on protection. There is
also the danger of silver spit at the st.
Louis convention. 1t is supposed to be
Mr.. Reeds hope to bring the wings of
the party together and to arrange leg
islative program which will guide the
deliberations of the national convention
Our readers can obtain a glimpse
here of the cunning tricks being re-
sorted to for their deception, in the
interest of the robbers. A false issue
must be gotten up on the tariff ques-
tion, to amuse the fools and keep them
in line. The "sham- ba tile that did
such good work four years ago. is to
be revived and the torches are to burn
and the rockets to blaze and the
drums to beat to the tune of 1.-THE
protection of American industry
Hip! Hip! Hurrah!'
And there is to be an international
conference. which will report after the
election is ouer and the votes counted!
And the four years more of I'M
strained plumber by the Gold-bugs.
And how can we discriminate
against English goods and in favor Of
silver-using countries? England has
solemn treaties with the United
States that she is to have ''as good
terms as the most favored coun-
tries" And to give hes less means a