The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-03-28
Dare They Do Ii?

There are signs of great agitation
among the Democrats over the Tariff
problem. They want to come out
openly for Free Trade, but many OF
them are afraid of the consequences.
The attitude of their representatives
in Congress at the close of the ses-
sion left the party squarely commit
ted against Protection, and the both
ersome problem now is whether to-
stand by that position or let the
Iquestion drop till after the Presiden-
tial election. The hot heads of the
party are all in favor OF reviving the
question as soon as Congress meets,
and of cutting down the tariff until
none is levied save for purposes of
revenue. The conservative portion
is opposed to this course, not be-
cause they are at heart against it,
but because they are afraid it will
ruin their chances of success iE
1884. The whole question, there
fore, is whether or not the party will
have the courage of its bad convic-
tions. Were it any other party than
the Democracy we should feel no
doubt in predicting that ordinary
political sagacity would prevail and
they would leave the subject severe
" alone till after 1884; but judging
their capacity for blundering by past
achievements, we are inclined to
think they will take the question up
promptly upon the reassembling of
Congress.
The strongest Democratic journals
are urging this course now. They
are attacking Mr.. Randall as can
didate for Speaker on the ground
that he is too much of Protection
ist to properly represent the Tariff
position of his party. They claim
that when he was Speaker before. he
so constructed the committees that
the Free Traders were in the minor
ity. and could not accomplish any,
thing. This is true indictment.
Mr.. Randall has been just that kind
of a man. He is Protectionist in
Pennsylvania and Free Trader in
Washington, so far as his speeches
90. But talk at Washington does
him no harm at home so long as his
acts are in accordance with his home
position. His Free Trade utterances
are useful in getting him votes for
Speaker, but he knows that it is not
them but his Protectionists acts
which gives him votes enough in
Pennsylvania to make him Con-
gresham. If he is elected Speaker
again he will be very likely to pur-
sue his former course, and he is so
well known now that if he is elect
ed at all it will be with that under
standing. The Free Trade hostility
to him, therefore, is easily under
stood, and if it is strong enough to
defeat him we shall have a Free
Trade session of Congress, with all
The uncertainty and disaster which
the term implies.
1t is perfectly safe to predict the
political effect of such a Congress.
Long beforeit adjourned there would
not be fighting chance left for the
Democracy in 1884. The popular
interest in the Tariff question is
more intense and more intelligent
low than it has been for many
years. The people are waking up to
he tremendous importance of the
question, and the endless possibili-
lies of disaster and financial disor-
Ter which a careless and partisan
neddling with the subject would en-
all. The careful work of the last
Congress in revising the present sys-
em showed them this. Even with
.he best intention and with the best
abilities brought to bear in the work
IF revision, the business interests of
he country were unsettled until the
work was ended. With Democrat
c Congress ignorantly and mali
,iously assailing all the great indus
ries of the country, it is easy to see
What a chaos would be created. The
popular dread of such course is
yery strong, and everybody except
he Free Trade Democratic leaders
5 able to perceive it.
Their talk is, if possible, wilder
han ever. They declare that the
bill passed by the last Congress was
fraud and a humbug and that a
new one must be passed as soon as
Congress assemblies again. Mr.. Wat
erson, for example, thus lays down
he course for the Democrats to fol-
Ow:
1T is to stigmatize the doctrine of
on the Threshold as a
.hief and a liar. 1t is to array
against it the constitutional doctrine
hat taxes shall be levied exclusive
v for revenue, and that no more rev.
.nue shall be collected than is re-
I1ired to support the Government
economically administered. 1t is to
,how that there has been no reform
It all, but that the new thieving tar
II is the old robber war tariff warm
d over. 1t is to demonstrate that
orty-seven millions of people are
,eing pillaged to enable three mil
ions to earn a precarious livelihood;
whilst a few thousand autocrats,
Who are able to buy Congressman,
,ile up the wealth of the country,
tolen from the West and South, in
he East. 1t is to accept the issue
# the People against the Oligarchs,
md press it on every hill top in the
and to the bitter end, deaf to the
wing cry about the business of the
ountry," and stamping under foot
ne robber rubbish that American
means a handful of mil
ionaires and three or four acres of
tarving operatives. IN Y. Tribune.
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