Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-02

The conduct Of the majority in Congress
in regard to the absorbing question OF
Federal taxation is truly extraordinary
The President in his first message to the
FOrty-seyenth Congress urged a reuue-
ton Of the public burdens, and the
only response made after weeks Vi
proftless discussion was a oeggarly
proposition 10 cut down the internal
taxes. the only real relief contained in
this proposal for the people at large being
the abolition Of the tax on matches. This
scheme failed. as il deserved 10 fail, and
the people in November passed Judgment
on the rascally majority in Congress by
voting il down at the polls.
The President reiterated his suggestions
at the opening Of the present session, and
the greater portion Of the time has been
spent in efforts not to comply with them,
but TO seem TO do so while avoiding CON-
riiance. The matter has come to this
pass. The House bill TO reduce
Internal revenue that went
over on the Senate calendar at the last
session has been enacted anew, so that its
original trainers cannot recognize 1t, ana
TO this has been tackled an alleged tariff
bill. framed BY the Senate in violation Of
the prerogative Of the House. The latter
BODY. without word OF de-
bate on the features Of this
new bill. by a revolutionary rule, has nom
concurred in the measure and sent it to
packed conference committee. The rep
resentatives OF the minority chosen to
serve on this committee have either prop
erly declined or, knowing the purposes of
the majority Of the committee, take a list
less interest in its proceedings.
To cap the climax, Mr.. Emory Speer, Of
Georgia, is picked out as a representative
Of the Democracy upon this juggling COM
mlttee. If Mr.. Speer represents De-
mOcracy, the people Of Georgia and the
country at large are at loss TO discover
the evidence Of his qualifications.
Mr.. Randall had the decency, being a
prOtectiOnist. TO decline to serve. The
sooner the farce is ended the better. For
tunately but few hours remain for the
jugglers to get in their work. The Senate
bill in its entirety is farcical enough,
when measured by the pOpu-
All AEAANlAl d All Al
the Presidents message, and to present
To- the people as a sop the internal reve-
nue. sections of the bill, with the possible
addition of reductions on sugar and steel
rails, would be sublimely ridiculous.
The majority has strained so in its
efforts to avoid mourning on the one hand
the hostility of the barons who have aided
it so long, and inviting on the other the
further condemnation of the taxpayers,
that it has got itself in desperate straits,
Ii would appear, though, that it is bent on
maintaining the alliance with the
b3rOns with the hope that the eyes
Of the people may be shut up with the
beggarly concessions the Juggling confer
ence committee may offer. The minority
should accept the issue. Let the farce
| proceed, and wait for the reckoning. This
T question is vital one and will
I be settled. The people are
1 learning more and more of it every
day. Protection is digging its grave, Its
Oyer-zealOus champions have betrayed it,
not by bold, honest demands for the
licensed spOliation it calls for, but by the
greed exhibited by special interests, the
! sum of whose selfishness is the weight the
masses have borne % long.