Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-06-27
DEMOCRATIC PLANS.
HOPE TO CAPTURE THE NEXT HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Congressional Campaign to BE Prose-
suited by the Democratic Leaders
Along the Line of a General Assault
Upon the Protective Tariff.

Upon the Protective Tariff.
Washington, May II. - Every effort
will be put forth by the Democratic
leaders in both branches of congress,
and especially in the house, to divert all
general discussion for the remainder
of this session to the tariff question.
Chairman Griggs of the Democratic
congressional committee is laying plans
to make the tariff an issue, and he
hopes by the efforts TO be put forth
during the next six weeks TO bring that
issue well to the front throughout the
west and northwest, in the expectation
of making profit out of the alleged dis
content that HIS been fomented by the
efforts of the Cummins stamp of Re
Oublicans In that section of the coun-
try.
1t is manifestly the purpose of the
Democra tic campaign managers to
press the tariff question along the lines
best suited to Democratic campaign
work, in the hope either of greatly re-
next house or possibly contributing 10
the Democrats carrying the house in
the congressional elections next fall.
To this end Democratic members will
be busy from now TO the end of the
session discussing certain features OF
the tariff that have been mentioned of
late and dwelling with particular en-
phasis upon the statements made from
time to time regarding the sales Of GER
tain commodities in foreign markets at
lower prices than like articles are sold
in the United States. There is such an
excellent field for misrepresentation
and Juggling with facts and figures in
this tissue that the Democrats expect
to have an easy time with it, as they
had In the first few months after the
passage of the Mckinley tariff In 1890,
whc: they fooled the country into elect
ing democratic congress by the cam
paign cry of thigh prices" to result
from protection.
The Republican party is at some dis
advantage in the coming COMPRESSION
al campaign, due to Indifference among
the leaders whether the next house
shall be Republican or Democratic.
Some Republican wise men" profess
to believe that n Democratic house at
this time would not be altogether an
evil. They point out that the blunders
which a Democratic majority in the
house would certainly make in an eff
fort to get together upon vital prin-
clples in legislation would furnish the
country with an object lesson which
would be of great value in the follow
ing presidential election.
Another point suggested in connec-
ton with possible Democratic success,
and one that gives rise to more ap-
prehensions among the Republicans
than any other that has been suggested,
is the fact that the Democratic party
generally makes the best fight when it
is hopelessly disorganized and far from
agreement upon any question. The
point was made the other day by one of
the most observing and best informed
of the practical political leaders on
the Republican side of the senate that
the country is more likely to trust the
Democratic party when 1t is hopelessly
at sea and far from agreement upon
any we'll defined issue of the times.
Probably upon no other question is the
Democratic party more divided than
1t is upon the tariff For that reason
Democrats are able to make q general
campaign of denunciation of the Re
publican policy and Misrepresentation
of the effects of protection and win a
large number of votes among the I'M
thinking throughout the country. If
the people throughout the American
Union became thoroughly convinced
that the Democratic party is united in
a campaign for demolishing the pro-
tective system, and would carry that
policy into effect If the party gained
control In congress, it would be an easy
matter to defeat the party at the polls
In any election. 1t is only when the
Democratic party is not united and
presents a large,number Of issues, all
advanced in many different ways, In
as many4diferent sections of the coun-
try, that their party organization pre-
sents formidable front 1t is this
general policy of campaign bushwhack-
ing that the managers of the Demo
cratic organization intend setting on
foot for the coming congressional cleo
lions.
1t is apparent from the character Of
the speeches thus far made In the
house of representatives by the Demo
Gratis that their chief slogan in the
coming campaign is to be denunciaton
of the existing tariff law because of
the report that certain commodities
produced In the United States are
sometimes sold In foreign markets at
lower prices than like articles are sold
Tor in the American markets. The
statement Of the case by Democratic
orators Is composed chiefly of vehe-
ment denunciation of protection as the
promoter of combinations that are
robbing the people" This brand of
oratory has a familiar sound. 1t was
heard throughout the debate on the
Mills tariff bill in the Fiftieth con-
gress and was repeated by every Dem
Ocratic speaker who denounced the Nc
Klnley tariff and who sang the praises
of the Wilson German tariff, that
spread such u pail of despair over the
| American nation in the years from
| 1894 to 1897 The interesting fact
about this kind of debate on the part
| of Democratic orators today Is that II
| does not adhere TO the facts In the case