The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-04-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 3, '84.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., April ., "a.
THE MORRISON BILL.
To the Editor Of The Morristown Gazette:
The party caucus or conference
on the Morrison bill, has effect
ually killed that measure in its orig
inal obnoxious shape. The best
vote developed the. fact that fifty
seven Democrats, almost one-third
of the party strength, were unalter-
ably against any such legislation.
Concession after concession has been
made in order to gain supporters
until the bill as it now stands is es-
sentially different in many features
from that first proposed. Article
after article has been taken from
the proposed free list, and one in
dustry after another has been eX-
cepted from the general change,
until it is now so patched and bat
tered, that it's original warp can
scarcely be distinguished. The con-
clusion reached in the caucus was
that each member should be gov
erned by his own convictions, and
the Watterson- Carlisle attempt
make fealty to this measure test
of Democracy, failed. When it
comes up in the House, if it ever
does, it will be open for all amend
ments, and the fifty-seven protec-
ton Democrats voting with the Re-
publicans can defeat any obnoxious
features. The country is to be con-
graduated that this puts it past the
power of any faction to seriously
disarrange the existing system, and
the business interests which have
already suffered from uncertainty,
will now recover.
THE EFFECTS OF FREE TRDE.
The destructive effect offree trade
upon our industries cannot be better
illustrated than by the recent action
of a Philadelphia manufacturing
firm. In 1879 Congress took the
duty off quinine, placing it on the
free list. In that year we imported
22S,965 ounces. Our importations
at once increased, until last year we
bought abroad 1,O55,S61 ounces,
without the consumption being ma
terially increased. Our largest
manufacturers were Powers and
Weightman who turned out more
than half cur product, and gave en-
ployment to a large number of per.
sons in their establishment. A few
eeks since their works were de-
stroyed by fire, and instead of re-
building here, they have transfer
red their capital to Germany, and
are going into the same business
there, to supply this market. Their
reason for moving, as stated by
themselves, is that being compelled
to compete on equal terms with
English and German manufacturers,
they are compelled to go where
they can obtain labor at the same
price. As with quinine, SO would it
be with our iron steel and wOolen
industries under like free trade.
PROJECTORS AND vIslONARIEs.
The number of enthusiasts and
men with schemes that eongre-
gate here is something wonderful.
Inventors and projectors naturally
drift here, often with the idea of at
tempting to interest the govern
ment in their visionary schemes.
Perhaps the last, most astounding
project, urged with apparent good
faith, is that, of an sx-army officer,
Geo. p. Shier. He is trying to or
ganize a company for the connee-
ton of the Northern Pacific rail-
road with Alaska. The Russians
are now building roads through ST.
IBERIA, he says, and an all rail con-
nection with Europe might be es-
tablished, crossing the narrow Beh-
ring strait with huge ferry boats
while the water was open, and using
immense sledges in winter. There
is great mineral wealth to be devel-
oped in the regions thus reached,
and Gen. Shier thinks the freight
and passenger traffic would be
heavy. Through Pullman cars
could thus be taken for st. Peters
burg and Paris at least six months
in the year. All this now looks
visionary, but thirty five years ago
the man who talked of railroad
from New York to San Francisco,
or an ocean cable to Europe and
Asia, would have been equally
laughed at. Perhaps the present
generation will live to see such
schemes carried out, and the old
and new world, united with bands
of steel. There seems TO be almost
no limit to mans progress; the i'm
possible of to-day is the reality of
tomorrow.
PERSONAL.
Han Taroa II, Pamnrc 0f TaAare0r,