The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-27

she mas SO 10 Duy n6r cdrpellng. one |
comes to Kansas City Tor Abilene) and |
finds that the carpeting she could get |
for S75 but for the iniquitous tariff, she |
will be required to pay S165. She could |
get good English carpets for S75, better
than what she has to pay S165for We
are exact as to figures, because of an il
lustratiOn before us. And yet there are
500, 900, 900 surplus for grabbers and
plunderers in the treasury, put there by
this outrageous system for no other
purpose than plumber"
Speaker CARLISLE has announced
his committees of the House for the
Forty Eighth Congress, and his selec-
tons give almost universal satisfaction.
The ways and means committee is COM
posed of pronounced tariff refOrmers,
and its chairman is Morrison, of Hi
nois. 1t is evident, notwithstanding
republican journals to the contrary,
that the democrats in the House will
very decidedly take hold of the tariff
question. The ways and means COM
mittee is composed of the following
members: Morrison, Mills, BlOunt,
Blackburn, Hewitt, of New York,
Herbert, Hurd, Jones, of Arkansas,
Kelley, Kasson, of Iowa, Mckinley, of
Ohio, Hiscock, of New York, and Rus
sell. Mr.. Randall is chairman of the
appropriation committee, which is as
follows: Randall, FOrney, Ellis, Hol-
man, Hancock. Townsfiend, Keifer,
Cannon, Ryan, Colkins, Hoar, and
Washburne. The above names are a
guarantee that strict economy will be
practiced in the way of government
appropriations. Mr.. Anderson, of Kan
sas, is placed on the public lands COM
mittee, and the appointment is an eX-
cellent and well deserved one. After
the holidays the real work of the SeS-
sion will begin, and it will then be seen
that the committees were wisely made
up. If democratic blunderso keep on
leading to a purer government, the peo-
pie will not be satisfied until the party
''blunderS !" into complete power.
The leading papers of the East are
bewailing the disappearance from the
high seas of the Yankee sailor, the syn
onym of bright intelligence, boundless
resource and unapprOachable courage.
1t is a fact that he has disappeared.
Where, twenty and thirty years ago, the
CHEEKY presence of hundreds of them
! could be seen, not more than one exists
to-day. But, twenty and thirty years
ago, American shipping covered the
seas, and merchantmen, flying the stars
and stripes, were seen in every port.
Now, the number of American carrying
vessels is humiliatingly small, and the
Yankee sailor, the best sailor in the
world, has turned his talents in more
profitable channel. With the decline
of American shipping, came the decline
of the Yankee sailor. What has driven
American commerce from the seas? One
word answers the question: Protection.
As an illustration of the truth of this
answer: During 1860, the elimination
of democratic free trade era, the value
of goods carried by American vessels
amounted to 1907 ,247,7 During
1877, after II years of republican high
tariff rule, the amount had fallen to
1916, $40, PSI; and for 1888 the value of
goods carried by American vessels will
not be worthy even of mention. The
United States, by reason of her posi-
ton and her progressive population,
should lead the world in all things
But high protection has pitiably reduc-
ed her to a standing not even re-
spectacle. 1t is time for the voters of
this country to look at this tariff ques-
ton intelligently and free from party
bias and prejudice.