The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-11-21


The Congress which convenes at
Washington in December will pro-
badly determine the policy OF the
Government for MANY years to come
not so much by legislation which
may be had as bysthd policy which
partv leaders NAV indicate for the
future
A distinct party policy cannot
be ripened into Legislation by either
party, for the reason that neither Is
i'm control of the Government. In
this state of the case what ought
the Democratic party to do? Clear
lv. not undertake Legislation which
must inevitably fail, especially
when the discussion must necessarl-
" further divide the party. There
would be neither principle nor good
sense in the discussion OF questions
which must antagonize, rather than
harmonic, the party. The tarln
issue is exactly such question.
The great body of the party are
contented with the Ohio declaration.
Il has proved winning platform.
There are. however, Democrats who
are drifting toward free trade, So
called. They insist upon disayow-
ing the adjustment feature. With
them the encouragement of home
industries must net be considered
at all in making a tariff. tits these
who are now clamoring for the cleo
ton of a Speaker of the House OF
Representatives with direct refer
ence to reopeniLg the tariff question
by the arrangement: of the commit
tees with that end in view The
friends of Mr.. Carlisle, or SOME OF
the most indiscreet of them, are
Extensively loud in declaring that
his most prominent opponent must
be beaten because they will oppose
the reopening of tbs question at the
approaching session OF Congress. IL
| is absolute madness in Democratic
leaders to insist upon -precipltatlng
a debate-hot as it must be-mere-
| Iy to draw the line inside the Dem
ocratic party-for that is all 1t
would accomplish.
The Republican National Execu-
i've Committee is called to meet at
an early day, and if that committee
could have the power to dictate one
feature of 1.-THE Democratic policy to
be pursued at Washington this win
ter they would convert Congress
into n debating society and let their
Democratic adversaries spend the
winter making and publishing
speeches on questions menacing the
interests of the laboring people OF
this country. =,
| Democratic common sense would
suggest that, if there are Democrats
who are not satisfied with the Ohio,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vir-
ginia platforms on this allimportant
economic question, the attack should
be made after the Presidential race.
when, the Democrats succeed and
can agree upon a policy it can be
made the law of the land.
The way to win victory in 1884
is to start out with recognizing the
fact that we have no walk over, and
that our leaders, and especially those
in Congress, must Impress the coun-
try as being both patriotic and pru-
dent. Of all the questions yet dis
cussed before the American people
that of protection il the most deli
cate and about watch the public
pulse is the most sensitive. As an
economic question it appeals tc
mems pockets; it affects their bust
ness ; it involves millions upon mil
lions of dollars invested in the in
dustries of the country; it most oil.
rectly interests the laboring classes
of which the Democratic party is SC
largely composed. To trife with
such an issue on the very eve Of Q
Presidential canvass would be the
most fatal mistake that a politica
organization could probably com
/