The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-02-18
TIE DYING CONGRESS-.

We do not mean by this heading
that the legislative branch Of the
government is in a perishIng con-
dition, but that the forty-seventh
term of that body is drawing to
close; this naturally causes those
who are affected and controlled by
its acts to look lack in contempla'
ton of its achievements, its fail
ures and its intentions. To give
either in detail would involve more
of research, labor, time and space
than the subject is worth, so pass
ing mention Of some of the more
conspicuous points will have to suf-
fee, and these even will be con-
fined to the work of the present
session. This should go down to
history as the best illustration of
how not to do it yet unfolded to the
American people, the most Of
the time having been spent
upon a tariff bill - for rev.
enue without the "only" - and
which, IN their ardent desire to make
it comprehensive and minute to the
last degree, the lawmakers have
already caused to be so ponderous
and perplexing that nobody will
read the bill through when it is
finally passed, unless perhaps the
President may see fit to waste some
of his time in so doing.
1t will readily be understood that
a measure which attempts to emu
nerate every article passing or
likely to pass through the custom
houses, would be weighty and
tedious document even if it did not
also embrace within its vast sphere
Of verbosity the customary formulas
and time honored phrases peculiar
to that kind of thing; but when the
two are placed together in erte1lsO,
the result can be but family
if at all imagined by the IN
initiated. Everything conceiv-
able, from a steam engine to a
darning needle, and from a bale Of
cotton to a ball of Irvine, is pro-
vided for-or rather against
in language fully elaborated and
amplifed. Sometimes grave and
reverend Senator will arise in his
seat and, and with due formality of
style and dignity of expression,
move to make a reduction of one
hundredth of per cent. Gd pazorem
in the duty on chewing gum, upon
which learned and lingering de.
bate arises upon the necessity of
protecting the American gum in
dustrY from servile competition
with that of the cheaper labor Of
the old world; and finally, a com.
promise is effected by means Of
which the reduction is made t.
read the one-fftieth of l per cent
and thus it goes.
All this tends to give renewed
impetus to the efforts of those WhC
claim that protection does not pro
tect, and that more things are pro
tected than necessary even if i
does. AS between extrem,
high tariff on one side anC
absolute free trade on the other
there should certainly be happ,
medium not merely as to the sums
agreed upon but the articles them
selves-some being taxed and other
not-but Congress is either unabl
or unwilling to occupy such ground
Those comprising its two house
are, as a rule, either radical higl
tariff men or radical free traders; i
, is impossible that both can be right
, while it is not only possible but Pre-
bable that both are wrong. Mean
: time, the pickering and sputterinI
over the bill goes along and ma
continue till the end of the session
This may be a slightly exaggeI
: ated, but it is not an unjust, epi
> tome of the work of the second ses
sion of the Forty-seventh Congress
1t will die unregretted, the onl.
probable cause of sorrow being tina
the date of its demise was placed s
far along in the year.
NASAL INJECTOR free Will
Zach bottle of Shiloh's Catarrl
Remedy. Price soc. Sold by 2. c