The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-03-10
ADJOURNMENT OF CONaREss.

| lDOugu IL WOuiO pcIHhpe NC w s"ecPiue
10 call il the "mennest congress that evel
met ia AMERICA" this at least may he sale
tina, its acts will not I'LL a very creditablt
page IN the country's history. 1t certalnly
met in 1881 under exceptionally favorable
auspices. For the first time IN half cen
tury there was Il total extinction Of the
Southern or sectional question, few bitter
party anlmosities renamed, and the field
was singularly clear for the wise and care
FIJI handingof purel ybusiness questions
The first of importance OF these related tC
tariff and revenue reform; another TO the
reduction OF the mischievous surplus
revenue; another to reform Of the civil ser
wee; another to the reduction Of public
Expenditures and reforming OF abuses IN
the army, navy, Indian and land depart
ments and IN the diplomatic service; and
so on.
HoT were these great practical Ques.
lions met and dealt with! On the subiec,
Of tariff and revenue reform the first SEES
sion Of eight months contented itself with
Sinking the question by the appointment
of the superfluous rowing tariff commits
sion; no taxes were rtmittod; no attempt
was made TO reduce the surplus revenue
no abuses were reformed; no useless OK.
pcndilurcs Topped off; but on the contrary
appropriations IN all directions were heap.
ed up the most reckless and cxtravagant In
the Country's whole congressional history.
Then came the fall elections Of 1882 with
their crushing condemnation of congress
sional delinquency. The second session
has ended and what Is the result? \ sort
of civil service reform Law, proposed and
championed by democrat, was erudglng.
ly allowed to pass, and two cent postage
law o. doubtful expectancy has been
adopted. That Is all. No taxes have been
RENTED to rid the country OF its mlschicv
Gus surplus revenue; no expenses have
been Topped off; and no abuses in army,
navy, Indian, land or diplomatic service
have been touched. True, it adopted
tariff and internal tax law, the latter so
framed as to remit some taxes but TO retain
in office the whole army Of tax collectors,
assessors, gaugers, inspectors, &c, and the
other part so cumbrous, complicated and
full OF confused and confusing provisions
tina, even the manufacturers whose interest
is supposed to have been chiefly consulted,
are protesting against II and declaring it
the worst tariff the country ever had
The viciousness of the new tariff con-
slsts in the fact that its main features are
piece of jobter In the interest of the east.
Urn wooden manufacturers and Pennsylva-
mia iron men. The reform called for by
the manufacturing interests of the country
was heavy reduction or entire Topping
off Of taxes on raw materials-on coarse
woods, pig irons. dyes, chemicals, SC, &c.
Instead of this the change In the wooden
schedule is a job between the wool grow.
ers and manufacturers; and while there is
o reduction in iron bars and steel rails, the
reduction is so contrlved that IL enables
eastern mills to defy European compe,i-
ton, while the western mills are In danger
of being crushed. For example: The east.
ern rolling mills can make steel rails at a
profit at $42; the western mills cannot pos.
sinly live and get less than $47 ton The
price in England now Is SIS q ton and the
tariff is reduced from $2S TO SIT. This
brings English rails up to sac, with the
freight say 49, as = margin in favor of the
Pennsylvania mills; but no margin 70 pro.
the western mills The result vii be
that the eastern mills will get all the or
dcrs, and the western must ruinously re-
duce wages or go under. Nearly every
change IN the new tariff. So far as Penn.
sylvanla and New England interests are
affected, is of this tricky and shameful
and as surely rs time Will make
this fact PLAN so surely will he tariff of
the late congress become memorable us the
most Internationally vicious that was ev |
Or enacted by an American congress.