Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-03-06
Democratic Tariff. Dodgers.

Democratic Tariff. Dodgers.
The interview with Z prominent
Chicago Democrat gIst returned from
the Struggle at Washington to bring the
Democratic Convention here that was
printed in The Tribune of yesterday
discloses it to be the intention of the
Democratic leaders to dodge the tariff
question completely. 1t was at first be-
lieved that the party managers would
put the Tariff Reduction bill through
the House and let the Republicans fight
it if they dared. They were popularity
given the credit for that much sincerity.
But it appears that they have not even
the courage to do that They have
shifted the danger that the Republicans
might be patriotic enough in the Senate
to concur In a real reduction of the taxes
burdening all American industry, and
have consequently decided that the
Democratic House shall not give the
Republican Senate and Executive any
opportunity to join in such a good
work.
The National Democratic Committee
have been in session i5I Washington,
and the result has been, according to
Mr.. Oberly, who represents Illinois on
the committee, that the head of Morri-
sons Tariff bill is to be cut off by a
motion to strike out the enacting clause
High-tariff Democrats will unite for
this purpose with high-tsriff Republic
cans, and the old spectacle will be
again presented Of the interests of the
people Being sacrificed to the selfish
piotungs OF interested syndicates COM
manding the answering loyalty of poll
tlcians OF theoretically opposite schools
Persons who imagine that Kelley and
randall, for instance, are of antagon-
istic parties will be undeceived when
they see them voting together for the
contamination of this scheme to nullify
all the hopes of the people for reform.
| Those Democrats who really want
reduction of the tariff and are willing
to sacrifice the vested interests that are
Using the revenue powers of the Govern
ment for their personal enrichment are
optimistic enough to believe that the
execution of this plan to kill off tariff
reform will insure the nomination of
Morrison or some other pronounced
tariff-reformer by the Democrats for the
Presidency. This proceeds on the be-
lief that the party which never does
right this time may still be trusted to
do right next time, and that the Demo-
Gratis who cannot carry out a reform
policy when they have the control of
the House will have the nerve to 90 to
the polls with it, to survive or perish on
the doubtful issue of a canvass. We
have no faith whatever in the willing
ness or the ability of these Democratic
reformers to exert the slightest influence
on their party. If their moral suasiop
with the Democrats in Congress is nil,
that with the Democrats in the conyen-
ton will be of no more. We have not
forgotten that these very men were
easily whipped into the support of High
Tariff Greeley for the Presidency.
Since the Democrats could do that they
can do anything.
! No doubt these unsophisticated. SEN
timental Democrats believe that if in
obedience to the dictates of the Ma.
tional Democratic Committee the tough
party hacks in Congress slaughter Nor
rison's bill by cutting off its head the
resulting wave of moral indignation in
the Bourbon ranks will carry the con-
vention for reform platform and re-
form candidate; but they do not know
themselves nor their party. They will
as matter of fact submit in the tamest
way, and do whatever they are told to
do Tor the sake of the spoils. Party
allegiance is strong In the Republican
party, but it is slavish in the Demo-
cratic. All the motive power in the
only formidable independent move
ments the country has seen for thirty
years has come from the Republicans.
The Democratic party is governed by
its masses, and they are the least intel
ligent, the most passionate, the most in.
tolerant of any difference of opinion, of
any check on the execution of popular
clamor that are to be found i'm the
country. The Democratic party is but
an organized mob, held together by
the appetite for office. 1t has but one
principle, and that is an Unsuitable
hunger for place and pelf, and TO that
it is willing to sacrifice all its old time
principles. Ii the Democratic Convsn-
ton should nominate negro for the
Presidency on a platform of mo State
rights the solid Democratic vote, with
a few exceptions, would be cast for it
if it was believed that he could be
elected.
The Republicans have nothing to lose
and everything to gain by the execution
of this mandate of the National Demo-
cratic Committee, that there shall be
no tariff legislation by the House. The
initiative of tax reduction is with the
Democrats. The Republicans are not
responsible for any failure to pass any
reduction of taxes. Their part is the
simple and easy one of waiting quietly,
and when the canvass comes of refer
ring to the reduction they made at the
last session. That was a reduction that
fell far short of what the Republicans
should have done, but it was something
The Republicans certainly reduced
taxation at the last session when thew
had control of Congress, and they could
ask for no better luck than that the
Democrats should do nothing whatever
at this session. Chicago Tribune.