Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-02-11
A REFORMATION NEEDED.

A REFORMATION NEEDED.
In IN able article, which wv copy
III another column, the Chicago
Times points ont that the time IS
ripe for political reformation
which we have long desired Tn
last Thursday the House committee
II ways and means performed It's
part iii the last act If tic drama If
blunders which the democratic
majority III congress LA, bccn acting
Tor some time past. At tire COM
tncnccment 81 the present session
congressman Hurt, Of Ohio, intro
,iuccd Z resolution favorin9 tariff
reform. This resolution he has
Stoutly championed ever since, aud
hns pressed hare for its consider
alton by congress, demanding that
IL Ways and means committee
should report either favorably or
nnfayorably i'll the matter, The
committee failed to to do anything
more than triflc with the resolution
until Thursday last, when ~ vote
u six 70 four, il was determined to
postpone further consideration for
tour weeks, or until the 81 Of March.
As the 81 day Of March il tie last
day Of the present session, Mr..
liurd and his tariff resolution have
been successfully Smothcrcd by his
svowed party friends
This action Of the ways aud
means committee il equivalent TO
declaring to the world that while
the democrats control congress the
friends of commercial freedom shall
not be allowed 4 single chance To
obtain relief for the 2rcat majority
II oul people from the burlensome
monopolies ~ which lIcy IRE
oppressed through the Instrument
talitg If cur present outrageous
tariff laws. Now the reformation
which the Times advocate i this:
II advises Mr. Hurd AMI Ills fellow
democrats who believe With him 10
takc their stand firmly iii the
ground of commercial freedom. and
ii have no utilization with any
body, no matter what political party
he claims ~ his own, unless ho sub
~cribes 10 this important article OF
the belief ii the early democrat, in
this country The demand for such
: reformation IS undoubtedly urgent
and pressing, and ii will IL wei
with the leading democrats who
prove themselves able Il mce, IL ~
taking the initiatory steps III the
work 81 organizing i party which
shall have freedom OF tfadc y, one
IL its chief tenets Such i rotor
nation would shake both political
parties as they were never shaken
before. .tnd shaken they ought Is
he' When such reformation In,
taken place, free traders 1t I'LL
>haies, from those who favor tariff
far revenue % those who favor i
direct taxation, will not. rs they DO
now meet IN caucus with such rro-
proteetionists rs Samuel J Randall
and Pix Iron Kelley, t. determine
what action they will takeas party
on all measures which come before.
congress When such reformation
shall have taken place intelligent
voters III the west Will cease Is vote
for representative in congress iust
because he i labelled republican"
or democrat, without inouiring
whether he is in favor Of favor i
free trade policy, or whether Re IS /
communist Of the protection stripe.
III fact, such reformation would
place the political parties q the
country in such a position that the
voter when choosing between them
may do % on reasonable grounds
instead Of being actuated by pre-
iudice or passion rs he is when he
chooses now. God speed the dav
when the republican and democratic
parties, as now organized, shall be
no more, and we shall have q party
which viii not be ashamed Of the
free trade plank in lis platform when
il comes TO presidential election.
Then and not till then may we ex-
psct relief from monopolies.