The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-04-20


til after next Presidential election.
| Meanwhile, neither Mr.. Kelley DOR
MIR. Kasson. uor any of the advocates
| Of high tariff, can tell Us Why protec-
| tion does not protect. We have
tariff maintained ostensioly for the
benefit of American laborers, yet
strikes are prevalent the country over
because the poor q manufacturers
can not pay Workingmen living wages.
Could anything speak more eloquently
and pointedly of the utter hollovness
and fslsity of protection
The commission scheme is hoyered
over BY the ghost of Mr.. Tite Bar
nacle, who systematized the circumlo'
cution Office, and pointed out the way
of How. not-to-do-it' IF the tariff
question becomes a serious issue the
Republicans can point to this CON-
mission and say to the people of this
country, 'We have initiated reform !;
our commission is at work; let US wait
for its report And if there should
be a report, who believes that it will
be unanimous? What will it be but
a majority essay on protection and a
minority essay on. free trade? The
bound volumes of the Record are full
of them We need no more. For the
first time in the history Of Republi-
can Congresses We find one without
combined energy and courage, without
leadership, without confidence enough
in itself and constituents to make or
meet a national issue squarely, and
20 before the country on it. The
wicked fee when 20 man pursueth,
but the righteous are as bold as a
lion
But it may as we'll be granted that
this dilstory measure will become a
law, and that the President will have
to appoint nine commissioners from
civil life to take in consideration the
presen. tariff, how it affects the va.
; rious industries of the country and
recommend to Congress what changes
ought to be made in it. There are al.
ready a good many candidates for
these nine positions and the President
has, it is said, considerable list Of
men who believe themselves or are
believed by their friends to be eligible
There is some reason to think that
ex-Secretary Kirkvood will be one Of
, the commissioners if he wishes the
} place. Concerning the others nothing
{ Is knosn. When the commission
, comes to be made up if it is honestly
done it will be something of ques
tion to determine the scale upor
:, which the great industries of the
!. country shall be represented. Ths
b nine commissioners should represent
, fairly and proportionately the in
dustries of the whole union. To be
gin With, at least toar Of the com
9 missioners should represent agricul
D ture North and South. This is th'
). largest and most important interest il
the country. Wheat aud the otheI
grains, beef and other meats, cotton
8 sugar and hay, not to speak of mino
j agricultural industries, employ mor'
r people aud interest more families tina,
all the other industries in the coun
try taken together, and to give tn
agricultural interest four represents
tives op the commission wonld be Il
e give too little rather than too much
8 To give to the raisers of grain, cotton
e beef and pork, sugar, hay and fruit
y less than four commissioners Toal'
necessarily cause great disappointment
q and distfpst among the agriculture
- class of the fairness of the commission
3 and the utility of its work. The
- comes the manufacturing interests
=, the railroad interests, cotton, lumbe
- and mining Interests, all of whicl
Is should be considered proportiopatel
+ to their relations to the tariff and t
e each other.
The Republican raid upon the seat
of Southern Democrats, foreshadowes
s in this correspondence when Con
d gress first assembled, is now fairly IN
. der way. Ooe by one the contested
cases are being decided by the parti
q san Elections Committee in favor Q
l. Republican contestants. In one o
g two instances, which cannot be calle'
+ exceptions, such as the cases of LAME
- rs. King, in Louisiana, and Stolbran'
Q rs. Aiken, in Sonth Carolina, wher
q the majorities we're respectively l2, ,00i
: and $4,000, the Democratic member
we're permitted to retain their seats
especially as there was not the slight
t est particle of testimony to indicst
4 that they ought to be disturbed. In
stances like :hese, however, do no
serve to lay the foundation even 70
claim for anything approaching jus
! tice and impartiality on the part
9 the Republicans. The work Of th
committee is now nearly done, ant
then it remains to be seen whethe
their schemes can be consummated b,
q the iDdoFseuent of the House. Th'
: Republican majority is not yer.
strong either 10 brains OF votes, ant
. will need to be reinforced by Greenbscl
aid, which they hope to secure b!
:. supporting Grecnbacker Lowe in hi
3 contest agaiut Wheeler in the eightl
r Alabama district. Some of thei
plans may fail to carry when the thu
comes. PHoNo.
| upphYn