Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1883-04-27
MARYLAND Independent.
PORT TOBACCO. MD:
bRIDIr Apru 25,b,-.- 1883.
THE TIRIfF IL POLITICS.

THE T.tRIf'F IL POLITICS.
'fhe Tariff qus-ttm which was tenn
poruriIy laid to rest hy the legislation Of
the lasi Cougr, 5. !. already again looming
up aud bids far 10 h. tie leading issue
ia the next presidential campaign al
though some 81 our politicians are try
ing 10 push it a. far into the background
~ possible But like Banquo's ghost
IL will MT down either at tie billiug
If Mr. Sam Randall or the New York
SIM pcr>isirutly rising at every confer
once over the next spsakyrship Of the
House and sticking Itself Into every
platform Of principles on which to stand
the next candidate for President
Heretofore there has been a popular
be ief that the two great political parties
Of to-day were opposed to each other on
the question Of tie tariff, the Democratic
party supposed to be Free Trade or
Tariff for kcyenue-oniy party and the
Republican party a High Protective
Tariff party or for Protection" merely
Possibly some sert Of division Of the
tWo parties might be made ~ line Of
distinction between their Turif prnei-
pies alone, but if the utterauces Of some
OF tue leaders are any indications Of par
y principles, they ars as inoxtricably
mixed on this question as the two
foster-children in "Pluaforq." To take
the two parties separately there seems to
J.. a little more Of tbs "mixedncss"
just now among the Democrats than
among the Republicans, but this may
he only more apparent among the forA
er because Of the contest over the speak
orship ia which. for obvious reasons, the
Republicans take comparatively little IN
ierest at this time
1t is right that the Tariff question
should be leading issue in this speaker
ship contest II can hardly be considered
of .oss consequence than 1t will probably
be in the presidential candidate can
vass year hence For the speaker Of
the House Of Representatives yields
great power IN Congressional legislation
The power Of appointing committees
alone can very easily be exercised to
shape bills fayorng any interest he may
oPouse or to carry out any tariff Or 9th
er economic prociyities he may enter
tain. True the House is not compelled
10 do all is committees propose, but tie
force given u measure considered aud
maturcd in committee and reported "a
vorably to the House can not readily be
resisted. Hence with speaker fayora-
bic to subsidies we will likely have some
proposition and legislation to help Johu
Roach to carry the mails or something
to some foreign port, aspeaker with au
Itching palm would probably developc
some paving or Credit Mobiliei
scheme, while -pro,octive-tarif
head Of the House will see to it that
sufficient number Of the most ultra pro-
toctionists are on the ways and means
to strengthen the Iron and Steel Asso-
citation" aud to make glad tie hearts Of {
the Woo-growcrs leaving the filters Of /
she SOL aud the lovers of art and ra- i,
,are to dig and PIol along and protect I
themselves as best they may.
4 good deal Of complaint was made
last winter at the slowness aud uncer
taiuty Of the majority il congress in deal
ing with the tariff revision aud at the
very meagre aud unsatisfactory outcome
of the efforts to effect this revision, hut
some If The principle croakers are al
ready beginning to realize the Difficult
,ios attending revision Of the tariff
Their chickens are coming home 10
roost much earlier than they expected
II it we're not 50 serious matter it
would be rather amusing to watch the
gyrations Of some Of the aspirants for
honors in the next House
We venture to predict that if Mr.
Randall be the next speaker there will
'qe such a disposition or no disposition
at an Of tariff questions As will make the
tariff legislation Of the last congress seem
a great move towards tariff -tor-rcveuue,
ar as Mr. German calls it in b, tariff
speech "a purely revenue tariff with in
.idental p-otecton" But whether Mr.
Kendall or Mr., Carlisle be speaker, such
division Of sentiment is likely to exist
among Democrats in the next House on
this vital question as will IN sll proba-
hlity make some Of the Democratic as
prants for the presidency wish their par
ty had remained in the minority while
longer