The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-22
THE GREAT ISSUE
Which the Democracy Must Meet in
Selecting a Speaker
IL the Fight to BE Won by
Free Trade or Tariff g---Dis-
cussion of the Subject by
n Correspondent.

crxcINrATI, Nov. y The Washington
correspon lent of The Enquirer telegraphs; 4
The longer-h headed leaders of the Demo-
cratic party now realize that q great mistake
can be made in the organization OF the hexi
Ltuse of representatives, and, II made, VIII
be irreparable. No fair minded man IS ready
TO DENY that the recent election plainly indi-
Gated TO the Democratic party that,
unless its national candidate could
carry New York, there was but
little hone of the Democrats securing the
next presidency The party, too, its critics
and enemies full well realize, is very soon to
be Judged by its acts, and not by its, profes-
sions The one prominent issue before the
peonle is that of Free Trade VS.. the Tariff,
ard the candidate who is chosen to be the
next speaker will, of necessity, commit the
Democracy to one or the other of the two ex-
tremes. .-.
Ii can not be denied that the three promi-
nent candidates for the speakership are all
wise and good men. Each enjoys national
reputation, and neither can be assaulted for
any dereliction Of public duty. Still, on the
vital questions which affect the prosperity Of
the business of the country they are sadly at
variance. They may only appear so in
in theory; but the reflective peo-
pie who are interested judge of the
tree by the fruit that it bears Two
canddates-ndeed, three who aspire to the
place il Springer be included-are avowed
free traders. The three thus embraced are
Carlisle, Cox and Springer If either is elected
to preside over the house and shape its COM
mittee organization, they would feel con-
strained TO so organize the important COM
mittees of ways and means that very early in
the session bill would be reported to revise
the existing tariff regulations.
EThe effect of such bill would be preju-
dcial at the very outset. First, because it
would at once unsettle the business of the
country and thereby seriously reduce the pub
lie revenues; second, it would involve only "a
long and protracted debate and agita
ton, and, no matter what the Demo
cratic house might do, it would not
be passed through the senate Even
stretch the point and say it could, it
would not receive the approval of the presi
dent. The end would be that the Democrats,
with knowledge in advance of being ALSO
Iutely powerless, had opened a very serious
and vital issue to distract business, and
thereby lose the confidence of the classwhoSe
votes, after all, settle presidential elections.
The last presidential election. was, as every
fair minded man will concede, lost to the
Democracy because the business interests of
the country were afraid to trust Hancock after
his wild declarations upon the tariff. and
were likewise afraid that "a tariff, for rev
enue only" meant in fact the abolition of Gus
toms duties and the customs sservice Plenty
of business Democrats marched to the polls
and xrzfa5 fba PAW. lJ,aa y, fioi-at 70
turned the balance and elected the Republi-
can candidate, because of the tariff platform
of the Democracy and its Interpretation by
the national candidate.
If the Democratic party to-day had no hope
of the future, but counted all lost after it bad
elected speaker Of its house Of representa-
tives, it could well afford to elect a free
trader as its speaker, and let him give all the
rope to this class they saw fit to ask. 1t is
because the future of the party is bright that
the experiment is dangerous It does not
follow, indeed, that the party need,
preforce, choose Randall He is avail4
able only because he is far-sighted:
enough first from conviction, and
also from policy-to keep his party off the
very breakers and shoals the Republican
leaders hope it viii strand upon. Z It is
patent here that Randall is opposed not
because he is not an honest man and has
made good speaker, but because he will, if
elected, do all in his power to give questions
which will disturb values rest until the
Democratic party is in possession of the
legislative branches of the government,
when it can deal with it in fact, and not
half way. 5.tEss
Conceal it as the friends of the other can
didates may, the issue presented is no more
nor less than a eommittal of the National
Democracy to absolute freq trade Or Incl
dental protection of American labor and
interests Cox, Carlisle and Springer repre-
sent the first proportion, and Randall the
last Plenty of Democrats who contribute
not only influence but money to the party
say openly that if Carlisle should be elected
the Democratic party in the presidential
election hardly dare hope to carry anorthern
state. This not because of any sectional
bugaboo, but because Of sc are and shock to
the business interests.
SO far as the campaign has progressed, it
is dull and tame Members arrive slowly,
and there are not yet forty in the city. The
candidacy of Springer has nothing behind it
not even the Illinois delegation. Whatever
strength be has will eventually 60 to Carlisle.
1t will be a week yet before the fight is trans
ferred here in such d way that its actual
symptoms can be diagnosed.