The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-05-03
Washington Letter.


WASHINGTON, April %, 1884
The lower branch of congress is making
n determined effort 10 work, and nightly
sessions are held in order 10 expedite the
tariff debate. The Democratic represents
tives are ON the point of calling IA caucus to
take into consideration the present status
of business, and 10 devise some plan to push
matters along for the remainder of the SEES
sion. Old members, speaking of the tlrdi
ness of business, say they think only such
measures a. are admitted to be necessary
to the proper administration of government
stand much show Of passage.
The leaders in the tariff discussion con
template closing the general debate ON
Tuesday, May 9th. They propose deyoting
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday OF this
week and Tuesday of next week to the
consideration of the measure. Mr. kasson,
of Iowa, will make the closing speech on
the Republican side, and he expects to
make the motion 10 strike out the enacting
clause of the bill A representative from
MARYLAND, who supported Mr. Randall for
the speaker,hip, and has agreed with him
on the tarllI question, said to me the other
day that the house was going 10 pass the
Morrison bill as sure AS fate. "With
amendments" inquired l. They will
pass it pure and simple was the reply;
there have been more changes of opinion
on this question than most people think
Among the notable free trade speeches
of the week was that of Congressman
Wood, of Indiana, who explained the Dem
ocratic doctrine to be, that dutic, upon i'm
ports should be levied 10 raise revenue suf-
ticient 10 support the government and pay
its lust debts. This kind of tariff, he urged,
made sufficient revenue the object OF the
law and protection to home industry the
incident The Republican doctrine, he
said, was that protective tariff makes
protection TO home industries from foreign
competition the object Of the law, and suf-
hcient revenue the incident. Quoting from
the Presidents message the clause, "Thc
question still presses, what Legislation is
necessary to relieve the people Of unneces-
sary taXeS?" he said these taxes existed to
such an extent as 10 call to them "A special
reference even from Il Republican Presi-
dent. The orator cOutended that the great
industries of this country must get out OF
the notion that the government stimulus Is
Il any lasting benefit, Like any other
stimulant, it made for little time "A bril-
liant light, then left desolation, The pro
tective system, he claimed, had made labor
IN auction block around which monopo-
lists gathered, bidding in the chained slave,
buying him and his vote at the same time,
and counting the profit saved, while the
brawny arms implore the mercy of Pr0vi- |
dence for him and his in this land of over
flowing plenty He illustrated what he
called the abandoned wickedness Of the
protective system in several ways, calling
il class legislation to favor one class over
all others. He appealed to the farmers to
unite for their own interest, saying in the
near future stronger laws would be enacted
to satisfy the greed of the protective class
es, that would yoke them down like the
Hebrew children, while their appeals for
fairness and justice would be scoffed at
mercilessly Mr. Woods said if revenue
reform drives old Democrats out of the
party be it so. They ought not remain in
the ranks and stab its vital principle to
death under the cover of Democracy.
The woman suffrage question has as
sumed four phases in congress. From
committee there comes a report made by
the minority which is in favor of extend.
ing the ballot to the fair sex. Another re
port from the majority is strongly opposed
TO the proposition Representative Dor
sheimer's report says it is probable the in
tcrests of society will require that the
woman shall be allowed to vote after II
while, but not now; and Representative |
Poland says, in his own behalf, the duties |
which nature has devOlved upon woman
during the active part of her life make it
impracticable for her to enter into politics.