Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-04
VIEWS ON THE TARIFF.
THE FAVORITE CANDIDATES
FOR THE SPEAKERSHIP,

Congress.
The correspondent of the Louisville
/ COufier-jOuTpdl and the correspondents
of other papers sent letters of inquiry to
Democratic members of Congress some
( time in August tor their views on the
tariff, silver coinage and Speakership. A
| large number of replies were received.
/ Here are a few of them:
Representative Morse, of Massachu-
! setts, favors the abolition of duties on
| raw materials. Representatives Bagley,
/ of New York, and New Yorker who is
not named, oppose any disturbance of the
| tariff. Representatives Ward, Wood.
/ Matson and Stockslager, of Indiana, are
/ for tariff reform Congressman Shaw,
! Deuster and two others, unnamed, are on
/ the same line. Congressman Morgan and
/ Hatch, of Missouri, are heartily in favor
/ of revision. We give what Is said by
| Hatch, of Missouri, and Cassidy, of Ne
| Vada:
Representative Hatch, of Missouri: "a
! failure to do all in the power of a Demo-
/ cratic House of Representatives, to
! change wisely the character of our tariff
| legislation from one of protection to one
/ for revenue only, will he properly ac-
! cepted by the country as cOWardly and
weak surrender of the Democratic pO-
sitiOn as repeatedly declared in its
national platforms. | think Mr.. Carlisle,
| of Kentucky, more fully represents the
| opposition to Mr.. Randall than any other
! candidate, and l shall cordially support
| him and most earnestly labor to secure
his nomination. The administration of
| Mr.. Randall during the session would
irrevocably fix the status of the Demo-
cratic party on the tariff question
and leave the convention no alternative
but an unqualified Endorsement and con
sequent dismemberment Of the party. Be
lIeYing that Mr.. Tilden will not under any
circumstances be a candidate, my first
choice for President is Hon. William
r. Morrison, of Illinois. do not think it
would be wise to repeal the compulsory
provisions of the silver coinage act, or to
suspend the issue of silver certificates"
Representative Cassidy, of Nevada:
''SOme of your cOnundrumS are hard ones.
The situation is not without its embar-
easements. l feel inclined to say, if you
will pardon the profanity, that it looks as
if we might be id if we do, and id if
we don't.
Representative-electP Peel, of Arkansas:
81 think the tariff ought to be readjusted
in several respects. At the same time |
have little hope of much reform by the
coming Congress. AS to the policy of an
effort | do not feel freely competent to
say. AS to the Speakership, at present
my first choice is Carlisle. l thing, how
ever, that the Speaker should be selected
by caucus, and quietly and with as little
feeling as possible. This is no time for
heated contests between Democrats"
Another Representative from Arkansas:
Il believe it good policy to frame and
pass tariff bill next winter, thus show
| ing in facts and figures what we do want.
OF the 'practicability' there may be some
doubt; but if we cannot say before the
election what we will do, how can we
after the election do it, if we are trusted
with power? l am opposed to any change
in the silver coinage act. Carlisle is my
first and my second choice for Speaker.
| am for Carlisle against the world, the
flesh, and the devil"
Representative-elect Thompson, Of
/ Kentucky: ''The tariff issue is one
which win not down at the bidding Of
| party manogers. 1t is the all-impOrtant
| question in AmSrican politics. s. 3
! we must take Off one Kindred millions.
and we dare not make Whisky cbpaner
and clothes higher. AS to the Speoinr-
ship, the race is fairly made up between
Mr.. Carlisle and Mr.. Randall, and there
are enough revenue reform Democrats to
/ elect q Speaker and organize the House
if they are united. Mr. Randall, how
ever, is an able man, hard to beat, and
if his adversaries are not active and
| efficient in combining all elements of op-
position he may be nominated. | favor
free ships, Federal aid to the common
schools, forfeiture of land grants, thus
restoring to the public domain $4,000
acres of land which the Republican party
in the days of unbridled and prOfigate
power plundered from the people and cor
ruptly bestowed upon corporations.
Economy, retrenchment and reform, if
honestly carried out, will be as potent
watchwords in 1884 as they were in 1876"
Representative-elect Robertson, of Ken
lucky: 81 think the tariff should be re-
vised, as it must be the leading issue in
the pending campaign"
Representative Richard w arner, OF Ten
nessee: II think there should be some
reform in the present tariff law looking to
a revenue point only, and on such arti-
/ cles as are of general use and necessaries
of life. Salt, matches, trace chains, plows
and knitting and sewing needles should
! be on the free list. L think the
! silver certificate should be continued and
/ such provisions of the act of Congress as
! clog the issuance of the same should be
! repealed
A Representatiye-elect from North
/ Carolina: II favor tariff revision during
| the next Congress, but if the aggregate
! wisdom of the party in Congress should
advise against the policy, then it must be
/ delayed. l will oppose any tInkering
] with the currency. 1t is good enough,
/ and if the volume of it were increased
/ people have nothing to give for it,
/ Representative-elect Dargan, of South
/ Carolina: 81 favor further tariff legisla-
/ tion. NV first choice for Speaker is Mr..
/ Carlisle, my second choice Mr.. Cox or
/ Mr.. Springer. In my judgment there
/ should be no further compulsory coinage
| of silver. / am opposed to all legislation
/ giving artificial aid to shipbuilding for
/ any other industry
/ Representative Tillman, of South Caro-
/ lima: II am opposed to aTy attempt at
tariff revision by a Democratic House
! while the Senate and President are Re-
| publican. 1t would be not only imprac-
| ticable, but impolitic in view of the ap-
/ preaching Presidential election. l favor
unlimited coinage of silver, and would
I oppose repeal of the compulsory provi-
/ sionS of the silver coinage act, or the
suspension of the issue of silver certifi-
Gates. My first choice for Speaker is
Randall, and my second is Cox, because
1 they both favor the abolition of internal
revenue. whereas the Western candidates
all advocate the retention of the internal
SYSTEM
Representative-eIect Barksdale, of Mis-
| sissippi: Il hold that reform in the admin
/ istratiOn of the government should begin
by such change in the system of custom
4 mousse taxation as 10 make II LOT revenue
4 strictly The House of Repre-
/ sentatiyes is Democratic, and the party
/ which it represents is pledged to this re-
\ form. - Think it would be unwise
| to repeal the silver coinage act or sus-
/ pend the issue of silver certificates"
Representative Gambler, Of Georgia: 81
/ am for a tariff for revenue only, but /
doubt the policy of any further attempts
I at legislation on that subject until after
the next Presidential election. | do not
think any further legislation on the sub
! ject of silver or silver coinage wise or ex-
pedient yet. Carlisle is my first choice
Tor Speaker. may, however, see reasons
before the election to change this prefer
ence."
Representative elect Hemphill, of South
Carolina: 81 believe the tariff ought to
be and can be reformed. AS to the silver
question and the Speakership, / have
not yet determined upon my course def
nitely."
: Representative elect Stewart. OF
Texas: 81 desire tariff legislation, and
VIII support Carlisle for the Speaker
ship
Another Representative from Texas
s'The next House should strive to secure
tariff reform. The Democratic party can
not pretermit it. Silver should still be
coined, and silver certificates continue TO
be issued. / am for John Hancock for
SnnakQr first and f1arlicla for second