The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-18
General Hancock aud the TariH-An.
other Letter from Goyeru0r's Island.

General Hancock aud the Tarin-An-
other Letter from Goyernor's Island.
In order, If possible, to save New Jer-
sey, Ex-Governor Randolph, OF that
State, has induced Hancock to say some
thing on the tariff, and the following is
what he has been induced to write:
GovERsoR's ISLAND, N. Y, Oct. l2.
My DEAn GovRRSoR:-t have received
your favor Of the llth inst. In my letter
OF acceptance expressed my full SYM
pathy with our American industries. l
thought l spoke plainly enough to satisfy
our Jersey friends regarding my tariff
views.
lam too sound an American to advo-
cate any departure from the general iea.
lures OF q policy that has been largely in
strumental in building up our industries
and keeping Americans from the competi-
ton OF the underpaid labor OF Europe.
II We intend to remain honest aRd pay
the public debt, as good people Of all par
ties do, and II We mean to administer the
functions OF government, then we must
raise revenue in come way or other.
With q reunited aud harmonious country
we shall iu time pay of the public debt,
but the necessity Of raising money for the
administration ot the government will
continue as long as human nature lasts
All parties agree that the best way for us
TO raise revenue Is largely by the tariff.
So far as we are concerned, therefore, all
talk about free trads" ia folly.
But the tantf question will probably
be treated with justice to all our interests
and people by some such bill Us Eaton's.
I believe that a commission OF experts rep
resenting boih the government and Amer
ican industries wili suggest tariff measures
that will relieve us OF any crudities and
Inconsistencies existing III our present
laws and confirm to Us system which
will be judictous, ius:, harmonious and
incidentally protective as well as stable In
its efec's. am, very truly, yours,
WISPIELD 5. HANCOCK.
Hon. THEODORE F. RANDOLPH, Morris.
town, j.
The New York Herald, Of Saturday, &C,
companies this letter with tho following
comments:
When General Hancock wrote his letter
on rebel war claims" everybody under
stood his position. His latest epistolary
effort Is, we regret 10 say, not equally
successful. Does the letter mean that
General Hancock stands on the Demo.
cratic platform Of "a tariff for revenue
only?" It does not sny so, certainly, yet
1t would have been very easy Tor the
General! to have said this. Or does he re.
pudiate the platform? II SO, he ought 10
have said that plainly.
The simple question which we have no
doubt Senator Randolph meant to ask
Gen. Hancock was this: II the Democrats
have majority in the next Congress, and
II they shall then keep the promise OF their
platform and revise the present tariff so as
10 make it q tariff for revenue only, would
YOU veto the bill? The President has no
other power over the matter than that.
When Gen. Hancock was asked about
"rebel claims" he promptly and maniuiIy
replied that ne would veto any bill OF the
kind il he were President, and the respect
able part OF the public was content at once.
But on this tariff question, TO put 1t mildly,
the General dodges, as it were.
But this Is useless, and worse than use
less; 1t is damaging. The plain truth is
that the Republican party is the defender
OF the preseut tariff II enacted tand 1t
stands by it; il it iscontinued in power it
will deieud and continue it. The Demo.
cratic party Is opposed TO this tariff; It's
leading aud most influential men-such
men as Morrison. Hewitt, Tucker, Wood,
Carlisle, Cox, McLane and others-the
leaders Of the party and its brains, believe
that the present tariff secures TO the gov.
ernment lees revenue than one simpler
and more liberal and With lower and fewer
duties would do; and that such reformed
tariff would secure greater revenue at
much less cost TO greatly increase our Tor.
eign commerce, which with Tree ships
would rapidly fall again into American
hands. Sincerely believing this, these and
other Democrats put the free ships aud
tariff for revenue planks into their plat
form, and II they have q majority in Con-
gress they will undoubtedly pass q bill in
accordance with their belief and with
their platform, as they are bound as hon.
orable men TO do.
Would General Hancock veto such q
bill? That ia the real question. Ii he
form or with the leaders OF the party. II
ne would not then he should have said so.
We have not the least doubt that he
would sign the bill.
But it is useless for timid Democrats and
old Wings training in Democratic uni
forms to try to muddlo this matter. The
Republicans are getting the full benefit o.
their recently begun iranknesa on the tar
ia question; the Democrats are losing
votes at both ends by their effort at facini
two ways. They cannot delude the voter
who want the present tariff continued
and they disgust the voters who want /
reformed. The Herald agrees with Sena
tor Randolph thatit is important that Gen
eral Hancock should be rightly understoot
In this matter; and We hope he will writ
another letter.