The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-31
The Tariff Question.

natl. Consequently, he Is sore, and not In
n good humor by any means. He denies
that that plank was his work. lie says 1t
was In the st. Louis platform OF 1876. But
all the same he processes his Willingness
nav, his desire-to fight the presidential
battle OF 1884 upon the same plank. His
zeal in the cause leads him to begin the
fight inside his own party He opposes
the election OF Mr.. RAADAIA. as Speaker OF
the next House OF Representatives because
the latter is in favor OF taiid giving incl
dental protection to American industries,
mot 10 say.in favor OF an ort-and-out tariff
for protection.
A Harrisburg letter TO the New York
Sun. which letter is supposed TO have been
written by the Democratic Lieutenant
Governor Of Pennsylvania, who is Judge
JERRY BLACKS son, says:
L" Since the adjournment OF Congress
have seen and conversed with many OF the
most prominent politicians and great
many OF the leading businessmen OF Penn
sylyania, and from the information obtain
ed from them / am warranted IN saying
that every business interest in The staie
favors the election OF the Hon. Samucl y.
Randall TO the speakership- while every
Republican politician interested in national
noltics il earnestly hoping for Mr.. RAN
dalrs defeat next December. Business
men claim that q reduction OF S33,-
OOO. 900 in custom duties and ST.
100000 Of internalrevenue taxes at
one stroke is TOO great TO justly fllr-
Their intermeddling with the tariff until
fair trial is given to the enactment OF the
recent Congress. and the expressed deter
mination OF Mr.. Cox, OF New York, and
Of Mr.. Carlisle to again take up the tariff
question Immediately upon the reassen-
bling OF Congress is, under the circuln-
stances now existing, calculated to create
distrust i'm business circles; therefore 1t Is
not strange that, knowing Mr.. RandalPs
conservative views and practices on all po-
litical questions OF importance, our Dusl-
ness interests feel n degree OF safety with
Mr.. Randaps experienced hand ut the
helm that could not be secured with any
one else as Speaker OF Congress. Politl-
Clans Of both sides generally consider the
chances between the two parties in 1854 as
about even: but Republican politicians OF
Pennsylvania believe that, with the deieat
of Mr.. Randall for Speaker, the prospects
would stand i'm the ratio OF three Tor the
Republicans to two for the Democrats.
Hence they sagaciously favor the defeat OF
Mr.. Randall"
The question has become an interesting
one to the country generally. The Wash
ington Post says:
"Only one of these branches VIII be
Democratic for the next two years. and
that one fthe House OF Representatives.
will not be required to attempt the impos-
sible and load itself with failure and the |
Odium OF needlcssly disturbing the business |
interests of the country. Shall the Demo- |
cratic party forego all the immense adyan- |
tages OF its present position! That Is the |
question involved in the proposition to |
open up tariff legislation next winter.
Shall the Democracy, on the eve OF presl-
dental campaign and with victory In sight. |
undertake palpable impossiblity, with no |
chance Of gain but a certainty OF loss IN |
popular strength NOmeasure that would |
be honestly Democratic could get Though |
the Senate. And il such bill was passed |
by both houses it would meet death at the |
other end of the avenue.
"The duty of the Democracy, as we see |
il, is TO let the tariff severely alone until
the possession OF legislative power shall
clothe that party not only with response
bility. but with the means OF putting De
mocratc principles into the shape OF law.'
On the other hand, according to Hon.
FRANK HURD, of Ohio, it is part OF the De-
programme Of tariff for revenue
only to restore the tax Oh tea and coffee.
That would be "tariff for revenue" with |
a vengeance. Sugar, coffee, tea, French !
brandies, wines, &C., are the proper arti- |
cles for "a tariff for revenue only" to be !
levied upon. But whenever Mr.. IluRD |
shall propose to tax coffee and tea he will
see how little strength his scheme has in
the House Of Representatives.
The Danville Register says:
"If this issue is pushed too far it will
bring danger to the Democratic party, and
may, in spite of the present prestige and
advantage, lead TO the defeat OF the party
i'm 1884 and the election OF Republican
President. Up to this time the Democrats
have the better prospect OF carrying the
country in 1884, in case there is no break
on the tariff question. The Republicans
are hoping that this issue will become
sharp"
In another article, the Washington Post
says:
"Tbe Forty-eighth Congress will expire
before The Senate can possibly become
Democratic. Under these circumstances
there can he no good reason for unchain-
ing the tariff tiger and letting him loose in
the House next winter. What but folly
could induce Democrats to stir up strife in
their own ranks, on the eve OF the presi-
DENTAL campaign, for no other purpose
than to send bill to the Senate to be
buried tberei"
The New York Sun says:
"But II Mr.. Randall is to be prescribed
for his opinion on the tariff, his friends may
naturally retaliate by prescribing the free
traders in.their turn; and thus the Repub-
lcans will finally be gratified by breach
In the Democratic party, and by the oppor-
tunity OF waging the contest Of 1884 upon
the plain question Of projection TO Ameri-
can industry on the one hand and revenue
tariff on the other.
81. The world OF practical poll
tics Is q world OF uncertainty and Of sur
prises, and it is not at all impossible that
the brilliant prospect which now opens be-
fore the Democracy may be clouded by UNI
necessary conflicts within the bosom Of the
party, resulting in the election Of q Repub-
lican President next year, after ALL"
The Philadelphia Telegraph says;
"There are plenty Of facts and circum-
stances which indicate that the Democrats
are only waiting until Congress conycnes
to perpetrafe the most egregious blunder
possible. which is that OF reviving the tariff
agitation, and making tariff for revenue
the controlling issue Of the presidential
campaign OF next year. They could do
nothing more acceptable to the Republican
party than that. The chief fear of Repub-
lican failure In 1884 was that the party
would be without q distinct issue nnnn