Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-03-16
eureka Dailp 5eutiufl.
FRIDAY. MARCH 16, 1888.
THE LAST TARIFF BILL.

IlbAN INV w.
mittee adjusted the sugar scale so as to
please Louisiana, Congress would have
adjourned with nothing done. But when
the bill was sweetened with what is
practically a ~prohibitory rate on sugar
Of the grade Louisiana produces, the
scene shifted. Senator Kellogg reversed
himself. Instead of proceeding to ex-
ecute his intention to talk the report to
death, he espouscd it, and his vote car
ried the day in the Senate.
So much for political economy and the
triumph Of principle in the passage OF
the Tariff bill. The bride to sugar did it.
Even then the result hung on the vote Of
Senator Mitchell, who thought he was
paired. and in SO thinking thought wrong.
The error saved the bill. Another tri-
umph Of political economy, as applied to
practical legislation on customs duties.
Five hours before the report was
agreed on by the Conference Committee
there was scarcely any prospect of an
agreement. 1t was meant there should
be one. kilograms began to pour in
from party leaders to the Republicans
in Congress. Don't adjourn without
doing something" said a score. GIVE
us something, and call it reform, was
the substance OF many more. The cry
in general was for the party. The cor
rect view of duties and taxation hardly
entered into the account.
Toward the last hour John Sherman
said: Let us fix up something that Will
suit this demand" 1t was to be a DIES.
perate effort to save the party; it mat
tered little what. The work Of patch
ing up something that would carry, not
for any merit it might have as 4 piece of
true tariff work, but as a devise for party
advantage, was begun.
The immediate idea was how to get
votes enough to put some sort OF a bill
through. Up to that time the lettings
go-by-the-B Board idea was the dominant
one in the House. But under the tele-
grams and the outside pressure to do
something there was a weakening.
When the committee brought in their
patchwork, the idea Of doing some
thing, and not much matter what, if it
only had the appearance Of reform, had
got all other ideas pretty well on the
run. The plan of the protectionists OF
letting well enough alone, as they called
the do-nothing policy, was upset.
1t was for this plan that Blaine's help
had been summoned by the Pennsyl-
vania protectionists. From first to last
they had scarcely exerted the courage to
ayow it. 1t was secretly worked for,
and under various DISCUSSES. When the
report of the Conference Committee
came in a large part Of the plan failed,
for the leading point was to achieve the
victory through disagreement. The
agreement of the conference managers
was the tocsin of defeat.
After that it was not much use to con
tinue the fight, though it was kept up
with a show of vigor by Representatives
from high protection districts. AS it
was, the bride to sugar and the alleged
mistake as to his pair by Senator Mitchell
carried the report in the Senate.
1t is a law, but what is it As patch
work solely, it may serve the purpose of
the makers. But as an intelligent treat
ment Of the question Of customs it is a
mass OF crudities which never will be
tolerated. Probably not five men in
Congress had any clear idea of what they
were voting for-no, not one, even, tax
ing the bill as a whole, for it is an i'm
possibility for any man to understand it.
John Sherman's idea, expressed since
the adjournment, is that the country
demanded something. So the committee
shook up the two bills and drew out
what came first. Patching the pieces
together, the committee took the result
for their report. Congress took the re-
port because the committee made it.
How the country will make out with the
law, heaven only knows (!
Such is the tariff legislation by the
last of Republican Congresses.