New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-24
TARIFF COMMISSION.


place and a hearing. The motion to suspend
the rules and fix day for the consideration
of this measure though it was resisted by
some Democrats, had majority of more than
two thirds of the members present. Possibly,
the large vote was partly due to the knowledge
that if factious minority had attempted to
stop the consideration of this measure, as 1t
did waste an all-night session on the Geneva
Award BILL the majority would at once have
insisted upon the change of the rules even to
the exclusion of other business. Many Demo-
Gratis felt that they could not afford to inter
pose factions opposition to the consideration
of the tariff because they were known TO be
greatly divided on the question, while the
public desire for some modification was much
too strong to be disregarded. But it would be
premature to conclude that the bill to create
a Commission will receive much democratic
support 1t VIII be the disposition OF mem
bers of that party to avoid having anything
done on the subject, if they can. Some OF their
reasons have been stated; the principal one Is
that no affirmative action of any sort can be
taken without disclosing the radical disagree
ment of Democratic members on the tariff. If
they can pretend in one place that the party
is all for free trade, in another place that it is
all for protection, they can do better than if
confronted with proof of irreconcilable antagon-
ism in its ranks.
1t has been explained that the Republicans
have every reason to wish that this subject
may be fully discussed, and brought to
test votes The Republicans have nothing TO
lose by exhaustive discussion. The strong
popular desire for some notifications OF the
tariff, which has been expressed in formal
resolutions and memorials of the Iron and
Steel and other industrial associations, as well
as in many other ways, the Republicans have
never found it necessary to resist They can
well afford to discuss the question, and TO act
upon il. Such differences of opinion as exist
among them they have no reason 10 hide, Tor
they have not sought votes by pretending to
be unanimous in their beliefs. In one thing
they are united. They realize that the Repub-
lican tariff has helped the country to attain
marvellous prosperity, and they hold that the
work of modification should be intrusted to
those whose work in the past has been crowned
with such success.
Three distinct positions may be taken with
respect to the tariff. Nobody claims chat the
existing system is entirely faultless in its
present WORKING. lUS IIcnuS Chilli uIldU lhc
defects which have arisen through lapse Of
time and change of circumstance or have been
disclosed by long experience, should he rene
died without destroying or weakening the
system as a whole. Its enemies, on the other
hand, seek to prevent any removal of faults,
because they wish to break down the system
altogether, and hold that its defects render it
more assailable. A third class, having no
fixed attachment or antagonism to the protec-
tive system, sees defects, and wishes them
remeded, without caring particularly how 1t Is
done or by whom. The first class naturally
desires to put the task of revision into the
hands of men who appreciate and comprehend
the present system, and they consider, more
over, that the Commission bill offers means
of guarding against ill-cOnsidered, inconsistent
and mischievous changes. The second class,
being radically hostile to the tariff, will
oppose the Commission bill because it
promises to cure defects without tearing
down walls and pulling away foundations.
The third class, being without guiding cOnvic-
tons as to the principles involved, wishes the
Commission bill as one means of getting mod
ifcatOns that seem desirable, but might at
any time vote for separate changes altogether
hostile to the protective system and practi-
cally destructive OF the existing tariff