Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-08
AT Last.

The final passage of the tariff bill at the
very close of the FOrty-seveilth Congress,
enables some people, we suppose. to draw
a long breath and exclaim, AT last we
have reduction of the tariff" But what
says Mr.. Carlisle in his badgering OF Mr.
Kelley during the debate? That so lar
from reducing the tariff, or even attempt
ing any reconciliation of the differences
between the House and Senate bills, the
conference committee, TO whom 1t
was entrusted at the last mo
ment, took advantage of the
situation and in violation Of all prece-
dent and self respect, outraged the will
and sensibilities of the people, by actually
increasing the tariff on at least tive arti-
cles-earthenware, iron ore, steel rails,
bar iron and glass bottles-abOye the
rates previously agreed on by
both houses Of Congress. This
is not Mr.. Carlisle's language, but it is
the substance, and it is to be regretted
that he did not more pOintedly expose,
then and there. the maneuvring, the ny
pOcrisy and deceit which has character
lied the course of Z, the pro-
lection Republicans throughout their
connection with the measure.
As predicted in these columns when the
measure was first presented to Congress,
that party never meant to vote for any
bill reforming the abuses Of the tariff, and
the measure finally adopted shows upon
its face that it was but the stub TO the
whale,7 in the vain hope of modifying the
storm OF indignation that would ineyi-
tally sweep over the country upon the
adjournment of Congress without some
attempt to correct the evils so uni
versally complained of. But the party
was on the down grade and doomed. 1t
could not correct its abuses for want OF
vitality and virtue. 1t chung to its steal
ings as the miser clings to his gold. Tariff
reform meant the disgorging of millions,
the distribution of the profits of trade and
manufacture among the many, in
stead Of boarding them i'll
the Golfers of the few. 1t meant
the cessation of unlimited monOpolies
which have ruled the country, Quilted the
Treasury and hedged in their bOundless
fortunes against their victims, the people,
by charters and statutes and precedents
that whole generations will not be able to
| check or overcome.
1t could not be expected that they would
| ,cillinqly disgorge. 1t could not be ex-
pected that they would willingly, on any
| terms, yield up the purse-strings they had
held for over twenty years, and now have
| their exclusive privileges cut off of plum
dering the whole country, rObbing every
| industry, and subordinating every power
/ to their all-deYouring, Unsuitable greed for
power and pelf. But they acted "wisely
as serpents," and ''made for themselves
| friends of the mammOn of unrighteOus-
ness" The fiat had gone forth in the
| fall elections that they must give an ac-
count of their stewardship. Sudden re-
formation OF the tariffs; sudden yielding to
| the inevitable, would precipitate dis
| aster. They We're still in power, though
under condemnation, and they could
turn the interval to their advantage.
The Forty-eighth Congress would ineyita-
| bly, reform the tariff as demanded by the
people. but that would give year for
the adjustment of trade in anticipation
of the change-a year for prOtectiOnists
| to let down easy-tO secure to themselves
and their children their proceedings.
Meantime, since their hands were in,
the halter already around their necks,
it could be no wOrse-and they would
| take little more.
Accordingly, they increased the tariff in
the aggregate, though some articles are
| lowered, and to such tariff reform the peO-
pie are doomed for another year, in spite
of their unparalleled reputation of the
| party and its methods last fall.