New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-31
NOT "RERNLNG QUESTION:

| The vote in the Senate on Tuesday upon the
| Tariff Commission bill does not offer much
| encouragement to the Free Trade Democrats
who before the opening Of the session pro-
| claimed with something of o flourish OF
| trumpets their purpose to bring this issue to
| the 'front.' and with the banner of Free Trade
unrolled make it the burning question OF the
| campaign of 1854. Foremost and most out
spoken of these was Mr.. Watterson of Ken
| lucky, who in one of his Characteristic pro-
nunciamentos ordered towards and traitors to
! the rear and announced that the slaughter
| of Democratic ProtectOnists would presently
| begin. These words were so spirited ana
| high. and there seemed withal to be just at
that time such a Free Trade revival in the
| ranks of the party, that we promised ourselves
the satisfaction of seeing something come
| of it, 1t did look for a little while as if some
| sort of galvanism had struck the remains, and
that we should shortly see the Democracy en-
deavoring to make fight for something that
a portion of the party actually thought they
honestly believed in. THE TRIBUNE looked
forward with great satisfaction to square and
honest fight upon the question Of Free Trade,
hoping to see the issue fairly joined and upon
full and free discussion referred to the peo-
appointed The Democracy will not fight the
next Presidential campaign upon the Tariff
issue.
The bill that has been under discussion for
the past two months in the Senate. and passed
that body on Tuesday by the decisive vote
of SO to 15, provides simply for the appoint
ment of Commission to revise the tariff.
Though not presenting directly the issue OF
Free Trade vs. Protection, it has been antago-
nized by the Free Traders in such a manner
that the lines have been distinctly drawn
thereon, and the vote is accepted by both sides
as showing the strength of the Free Traders
in the Senate. The idea of a Tariff Commits
sion originated with ex-senator Eaton of Con-
nectcut who offered bill containing sub
stantially the same provisions as the one just
passed some two years ago. In Its origin there
fore, it would seem to be Democratic measure.
1t commended itself to the approval OF Repub-
licans who are conscious of defects in the
present tariff and the necessity for revision,
and who prefer the plan of Commission to
the haphazard chances of unintelligent legis-
lative tinkering. In the vote of Tuesday all
the Republican Senators appeared in the
affirmative and with them II Democrats. The
So that while the Republicans present an I'M
divided front upon this issue, which our Free
Trade friends started out to make tie burn
ing question of the next Presidential cam
palgn, the Democrats are about equally di-
vided upon it. In this aspect of the case the
probability of their carrying out the pro-
gramme announced seems a triflo dim. They
are more likely to revise their judgment than
to set up a rallying cry which will concentrate
their opponents while it scatters their own
men.
The action of the Democrats in the Senate
completes the revolution which began in the
summer of 1850, when the Republican news
papers and campaign speakers, to the amaze
ment Of their opponents, began the attack
upon the tariff for-revenue only plank in the
Cincinnati platform, and pushed the discussion
all along the lines The Free Trade feature
Of Democratic platforms had become so familiar,
its appearance in stereotyped form had so long
passed unchallenged, that the Republican
descent upon it filed them with amazement
They had no idea that that plank of all Others
would give them trouble. They had thought
SO little Of it that they confessed they were
unprepared to defend or even discuss it. The
weakness of it was a revelation to them; and
when, at the END of the campaign, they saw
or thought they saw that it had worked their
defeat, they were stupcfed with establishment.
The opposition TO the present bill is an at
tempt to rally the party to the old Free Trade
standard. It's weakness completes the revelation
to their minds that, after all, the Democratic
is not Free Trade party, but is fatally divided
upon the question. The burning question does
not burn; it hardly sizzles. They will have
TO do as the deacon was advised to who tried
three times in vain to pitch the tune Purge
me with hyssop -"try some other verb"