El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-06-14
SPLIT WIDE OPEN.
Democrats Might Unite OH Finances
But Tariff Catches Them

The course of Bacon, Clay, Eawlins,
Mcknery, Tillman and McLaurin, all
silver democrats, yesterday, says w.
q. SJerrett, IN the Dallas News, in vot-
| ing for lax of 20 per cent ad valOrem,
completely dumfounded the other sill
yer democrats IN the senate and they
are just recovering.
Today Senator Mills scored them for
| departing from the faith of their faith
| era, and Mr.. Vest rasped them for the
same thing. He offered an amend
| ment putting wheat on the free list
| just TO test the democratic side again
aud got for a result an opposition DEM
ocratic and populist vote of Bacon, Nc
Enery, McLaurln and Tillman and AL
| len and Heitfeld.
1t now appears that the democratic
silver-party is split on the subject of
the tariff. One element of the sup
Lorters of Mr.. B~yan, insists on pro-
lection to al LicleS ana callings in which
their people are Interested, while the
| oJher element winch supported Mr..
Bryan insists on the old democratic
u ocJrine that tax should be levied to
pay the expenses of the government
economically administered.
The republicans are naturally de
lighted over the split in the silver
democratic ranks and they chuckle0
ONCi VIZ o'SPaoS OAbS vi ONSI "haV
the Chicago platform meant in its
tariff PLANK. Bacon, TIllman ct al.
insist that the platform indOise a
tariff for revenue and the word only
after revenue as 1t stood in the plat
form was omitted. This omission was
elioerata and after argument as tes-
titled to by Senators Rawllns and Till
man, who We're on the committee on
platform. They take the position that
al imposition OF taxes and claiming
any benefits from such imposition,
though 1t might be called protect on.
| u fact they want tariff put on such
things as cotton and wheat so that
log staple cotton can be prOtec teG
against the Egyptian cotton and Sc
that the wheat growers may feel that
thy are not overlooked, though they
really get no benefit from such tariff.
TINS position is NORWOOD and gall
to such men as Berry and Jones OF
Arkansas, Mills and Chiffon of Texas,
Vest ana Cockrell of Missouri and
other rampant silver democrats who
claim that tie Chicago platform is not
to be construed in any way as advOcat-
ing protection.
Altogether it is most unsavOry
mess 10 those who a few days ago
thought the democratic party would be
sure TO control the OuSe alter the next
! congr esslonal elections and the country
Of Ter the presidential election in 1900
The democratic members of the
house are in the worst spirits | have
ever seen them. How can one 60 Oh
the stump and denounce this iniq uitous
tariff bill when our senators are voting
for protection every time schedule
comes up IN which their people are in
terested is heard on every side. The
other query is heard, I'll we split on
the ali-1mpOrtant question Of the tariff,
how is it possible for US to get together
sufficiently to rally around our free
silver standard?' There Is some talk
of the necessity for a democratic eau
Gus to adjust matters aud preserve the
party, but no one believes that eau
Gus can DO it or that any serious a.
tempt will be made to Assem- bic one.
The popullsts, too, are voting for
protection whenever an article is I'M
der consideration that the people raise.
They are openly in opposition ard
therefore can DO as they please, being
satisfied that they can explain to their
people that their purpose Is to cut the
democratic party into mince meat and
then swallow il up.
In the meantime the gold bug sena-
tors, Gray, Lindsay and Gallery seem
to be resigned to what is going on.