The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-08

In observing the purpose of the |
Republican party not to abandon its |
extreme on the tariff, the New York
Herald has this to say:
What is the prospect of another at
tempt to make the tariff what it
ought to be, and at least remove the
many jobs which now make it an in
strument of private profit at public
cost 4? The commercial situation is
one that is seriously in need of relief.
Slowly but surely commercial depres-
sion has been setting in for three
years, and, with existing influences,
there is little reason to look for re-
vival of business in the near future.
On the contrary, it would appear as if
the hard times which followed the
crisis of 1873 had again come and
were here to stay. The evidence OF
depression is everywhere present. In
/ January of the present year there
were four hundred and thirty iron
furnaces in blast; in October the
number had been reduced to three
! hundred and forty, and still the pro-
duction exceeded the demand. Pig
iron has sold for twenty dollars per
ton. The iron men are complaining,
too, of the high price of coal, and pre-
dict that Pennsylvania's manufac-
lures must be destroyed unless what
they call the coal ring" comes down
in its prices. But this is only one
spot where the shoe pinches.
The last auction sale of blank
cts in this city realized, it
is said, prices that were from % to 30
per cent below agents prices, and re-
suited in heavy losses to the manufac-
turers. Wages are being reduced in
nearly every branch of industry, pro-
duction is curtailed, and rigid econ
omy is forced. Skilled labor, like the
!. workers in glass, is leaving this coun-
. try and returning to Belgium. The
stock markets are abnormally dull in
the face of glut of money and CAPT
tai awaiting Investment. All Of these
signs tend to prove that the producing
power of the people has outrun
their capacity for consumption. The
commercial and financial policy of the
l nation has been such as to make the
: connection between the business in
terests of the country and tariff sc
close that the one can hardly be con
, sidered without a reference to the
y other. For this reason it is rightly
judged that a radical change in the
tariff, when made upon correct prin
cipleS, will result in an improved con
!, dition IN the commercial and indus
e trial situation.
All unbiased public expression ii
opposed to the present tariff. Even il
q many districts until lately radically
allied protection there are wonderful
changes on the subject. In New
England the manufacturers nov
: begin to see that unless the.
|. may buy raw material at les
f cost, they will not be able t.
compete with Western and Southern
manufacturers. The masses are al
ready earnestly demanding relief, an(
b congress is expected to give it. Tn
: Herald says: I'm the house Mr.. Car
Isle and Mr. Cox will again lead tn
tariff reformers, and will run for tn,
speakership on that platform. Wer
the Democrats themselves united ant
4 willing to follow either of these men
the question would be already prac
. tically settled, as the course the,
> would pursue was clearly brough
o out in the long contest of last winter
But opposed to these is Mr.. Randall
who holds Numerically opposite
i opinions. lie wishes to leave tn
n tariff alone and to repeal the remain
l. ing internal taxes. In this stand h
will be supported by many Democrat
and by leading Republicans. Nor
; than this, he may count upon having
the support of powerful and ricI
u lobby-the whisky distillers. Thes
u men, having put their heads in
moose, now wish congress to say
O then from hanging. and this may b
q done either by extending the perio
= for bonding or by repeating tn
whisky tax. Their influence ma,
thus be thrown in favor of Mr.. Ran
dali, who favors the last measur
j. only as part of general policy, AM
n without reference to the distillers.
q Should these elements succeed il
e electing Mr.. Randall, he will so OF
O ganize the committees of the house a
to favor his policy, and this will effec
tually preclude the possibility of a tru
L reform of the tariff. The Democrat
Il in congress have the opportunity nov
L to make their party the most power
full political organization in the eoun
try, the greatest of agencies for tn
alienation of popular burdens to-
great to be borne These Democrat
may make success for the Democrat
presidential ticket in 1884, or the,
may cause its utter defeat.
GFORGTANS are hnoinninp 70 fall