The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-27
TELlEGRAP1:HIC
VOTE AS YOU PLEASE"
TIE Message of the Democratic Cau-
Gus to It's Members
MOrFison's Tariff Bill To Re Taken
Up, and a Reduction of the
Internal Revenue To
Re Added.

Democrats hell prolonged caucus to con-
slider the vexed question of tariff. Not q |
single member who attended the caucus who
was opposed to the Morrison bill saw any
reason for changing his opinion. The dis
cIssion was a quiet one, as the differences
declared a. the outset were plainly |
seen to be too irreconciable to be
overcome. Morrison and Randall made |
the opening speeches, These were the
keynote5 of the discussion Morrison pre-
sented his resolutions indorsing this bill. lie |
made plain, straightforward speech. lie
disclaimed any intention of bulldozing any |
one, and particularly denounced the foolish |
talk about reading Democrats out of the
party who happened to be opposed to him |
The majority of the house had been
elected on the basis of a reduction
of the tax for revenue, and to fail
to accomplish this duty would show the
party was recreant to its trust and unworthy
of further confidence. The bill reported by
the ways and means committee was not what
the tariff reformers had expected to accom-
plish 1t was in itself compromise. He
thought it but fair that this bill should be
taken up and discussed 1t would be open to
amendment There was no disposition to
bill he believed, was the best one attainable
under the circumstances He thought the
caucus could not do differently than in
dorse this bill. The members who should
afterward desire to oppose the majority of
the caucus would do so upon their own re-
sponsibility. United the party had a certain
chance for success. 1t was grave responsi~
blity for the minority to take upon itself to
Al Eb.O,, rnf
party and thereby insure national defeat
Mr. Randall followed He offered no sub
stitute as it had been promised he would, as
he had learned that his proposition would
not be accepted. He announced at the out
set that he would not vote for the Morrison
bill under any circumstances, no matter what
was the action of the caucus. He should
oppose the measure. He represented a con-
stituency that was sohdly opposed to the
bill. He alone was responsible to his con
| stituency for his acts. He did not intend to
oppose consideration of the bill or to place
any faction bars in its path, but he would
oppose it in every legitimate way. Randall
said that he would not support the bill if the
whole internal revenue system should be
tackled on as an amendment.
A free discussion followed Randall's talk.
| Dorsheimer made speech of fifteen minutes
| in length advocating harmony. He said that
the Democrats had come here trying to ac-
! complish something in the way of harmony,
! but from the outset compromise had been
! apparently made impossible What he
wanted was to have the Democrats face the
necessity of reducing the tariff. 1t should be
made the policy of the party He opposed
| any reduction of the internal revenue taxes
| until the tariff was cut down Carlisle made
! ifteen-minute speech, the five minute rule
which had prevailed in the speeches of the
other gentlemen being extended in his case.
He said the constitution allowed every man
to vote as he desired, and that no man could
be bound to vote except as his convictions
dictated. Blackburn, however, took the
ground IT, at the action of the caucus should
be binding.
The st. Louis members proposed that a Sc
lect committee of five be made to prepare q
new bill to submit to another caucus, but
| Blackburn asked what could be gained by
such an act Mr. Randall had announced
himself as opposed to any tariff revision at
the present time, and with a new bill the
members would be in no better position than
| now. The debate continued at great length.
incidentally a number of propositions were
suggested, among them one to refer the
whole subject to committee consisting OF
one Democratic member from each state.
Soon after 10 o'clock the Morrison resolu-
tion was put upon its passage. 1t was first
amended, however, by an amendment from
Hopkins, of Pennsylvania, which provided
that the resolution should not be binding up
on the individual member against his oWn
convictions beyond the influence that natu4-
ally resulted from formal party action in
caucus. The resolution as amended was
passed by vote Of III to 81.
The resolution of Morrison as adopted is as
follows:
Resolved, That the bill commonly known
as the Morrison tariff bill shall be taken up
for consideration at the earliest practicable
day and a reasonable time for debate al
lowed thereon, and after such debSte that a
bin be passed for the reduction of duties and
the war tariff taxes.
Resolved, further, That the adoption of
this resolution shall not be considered bind
ing in controlling the individual action of
the Democrats except to the extent that
each member may feel he ought to bf in
fuenced by the expressed opinion of the
ma jority of his asso ciates.
Carlisle offered the following resolution
which was adopted-sS to 81:
Resolved, That in order to reconcile con
fictings opinions and secure legislation reduc-
ing taxation, the plan for the reduction OF
taxes at the present session of congress shall
embrace provision repeating all internal
revenue taxes on tobacco, snuff and cigars,
| and special taxes connected herewith; and
also reducing the tax on brandy distilled
from fruit.to 10 cents per gallon; provided
that such repeal and reduction shall not be
made except in connection with reduction
in tariff duties
Although he has fifty-seven votes
against him upon the general PROPOSE
ton, Morrison expects and hopes that
caucus action will bring in half Of
the fifty seven votes, but it is uncer-
tain. The protection Democrats are
perfectly certain the bill is beaten, while the
Morrison people believe they have gained q
solid step. They say that it is better to fight
the tariff fight out in congress and lave il
settled some way than to carry it to Chicago
Morrison will, under the caucus vote, bring
up his bill in the house for consideration al
an early day. He may let the matter rest
for the next eight or ten days in order to per.
NIT the fifty-seven Democrats time to settle
their minds, but when he does get to the
time he proposes to move to take up his bill
every day, until the end of the session if need
be, until he gets it considered.
The result of the caucus is the absorbing
topic of discussion at the capitol. Each
party claims the victory. The general senti
ment appears to be that Randall carried the
day and had it in his power TO defeat any
tariff legislation at this time A Pennsyl
vania member who enjoys the con.
fidenee of Randall, in a conversation
said: 'The Morrison party yielded
gracefully, pulled the chestnuts out oi
the fire and laid them at our feet
1t said: You may vote on the bill or not
wouldn't be surprised if the bill be amended
until 1t will not get even the support of the
majority Of Morrison's party" Considerable
criticism is indul7ed in in respec,
to CarllslsS speech. Eaton say
it snacked Of Henry Wattersol
and was intended to drive men to supper
the bill Converse says: "We are in no cite
shape than we were The cautus demon
strated the single fact that no tariff bill cal
be passed by the house Dockery says tha
the vote of 81 against the bill cannot b