Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-10-27
TIE SPEAkeRsHLp MAR.

>'A 10 " 10 OcpIOTeui IL can nave
no other than a deleterious effect on
Democratic prospects in the States
that are to hold elections next month.
We do not wish to be understood as
advocating the cause of Mr.. Randall
for the speakership. To the contrary,
IT this paper could determine who
should be speaker, Mr.. Randall would
not be the person selected to fill the
place. But our objections to him for
that position will not make us forget
that he is q distinguished Democrat
and that his devotion to the party and
Its Interests cannot be questioned.
The Courier-Journal, and some papers
OF lesser note, like the Nashville
World, entirely ignore the able SER
vices that Mr.. Randall has given the
party and are more bitter against him
than they are against the common
enemy. Such uncalled for attacks are
only calculated to create party dissen-
tons and we can't see that they in any
way benefit the cause of Carlisle. This
last mentioned gentleman has distin-
guished merit and ample ability to
fill the place to which he aspires, and
enough can be said of his claims and
qualifications without resort to a
violent personal war on his most for
midable opponent That Randall has
a strong following cannot be denied
and the attempt to read him out of
the party, if successful, would only
serve to disrupt the party and snatch
from 1t all hope of victory in the COM
ing presidential contest
We don't believe the election of
either Randall or Carlisle can materi-
ally affect the Democratic position on
the tariff In fact the utterances of
these two gentlemen do not indicate
that they entertain very divergent
views on the subject. The Pennsylva-
MIA Democracy reiterated the Ohio
tariff plank and it is generally conce-
ded that Mr.. Randall fashioned the
Pennsylvania platform to suit him
self, though he was not in the conven-
ton that made it. II that is not true,
however, Mr.. Randall has repeatedly
said of late that he endorsed the Ohio
utterance and, taking his word for it,
there can be no doubling the fact that
his tariff position is fully defined by
that well known expression. We
don't know that Mr.. Carlisle has been
heard nom personally on this point,
but his organ, the Courier-Journal,
was very laudatory of the Ohio plank,
and accepted it without equivocation.
The speeches of these two gentle
men, made in the last congress, are
alike devoid of any marked difference
on the tariff issue. Carlisle is con.
sentative reformer and Randall is by
no means an ultra protectionist. 81
would not" said the former in a speech
in the House in March last, make any
Radical changes at once, but would be
disposed to proceed by cautious and
conservative methods to relieve the
people from taxation and to reduce
the revenues of the government with
out injuring or alarming the industri-
al interests of the country" He recog-
nized the necessity of enabling the
large interests that have been over
fostered by protection to adjust them
selves to natural and just conditions.
"But," he added, while l would stren-
uously insist upon actual and substan-
tial reductions, would be willing to
accept very reasonable and moderate
measures rs satisfactory indications of
a fixed purpose to relieve the people at
large without embarrassing special
interests"
The following is an extract from
speech made by Randall about the
same time:
/ do not favor tariff enacted upon
the ground of protection simply for
the sake of protection, because
doubt the existence of any constitu-
tional warrant for any such construc-
ton or the grant of any such power.
1t would manifestly be in the nature
of class legislation, and to such legisla-
ton, favoring one class at the expense
of any other, l have always been OPP
posed.
In my Judgment this question of
free trade will not arise practically in
this country during our lives, if ever,
so long rs we continue to raise reve-
nue. by duties on imports, and there |
fore the discussion OF that principle is
an absolute waste of time. After our
public debt is paid in full our expend-
lures can hardly be much below
$2O00O0,OOO and if this is levied in
n business like and intelligent manner |
it will afford adequate protection to !
every industrial interest in the United |
States.
Now, wherein lies the radical differ
ence in these two extracts? Both IA !
vor reduction of tariff duties to n
revenue basis, to "the necessities of |
the government, economically admin
and no sensible man of what
ever faction, could ask for any lower
rate.
We favor Carlisle for the Speaker
ship. He is a brilliant and able young
statesman from the Southwest and has
he highest personal qualifications for
he office. His democracy is sound
md his election would not commit the
party to free trade views. The danger
5 that his prospects will be injured by
he efforts of the Courier-Journal to
,reate that impression.
We favor Carlisle, but in order to
,lect him, we don't deem it necessary
o split the party on false issue and
ny to read his distinguished opponent
put of the folds of Democracy.
THE GAINESVILLE Chronicle is in error
n asserting that the last legislature
passed a law making gambling a felo-
Nv The Statutp tn which orr con-