The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-21
CARLISLE AND MORRISON

Will Lead an Aggressive Free-Trade Move
mcnt-The Conservative Democrats Or
ganizing for the Battle--To skirmish in
Caucus and Fiaht.
Especial dispatch from The Editor Of the Times.I
WASHINGTON, March 19.--All hope oil
Democratic unity on the tariff in Congress,
or of ANYTHING approaching Democratic
unity, has persisted, and both wings OF the
party are arming and organizing for the
conflict. The ringing order for free
trade advance sent out by Watterson two
davs ago was the result OF a deliberately de-
termined purpose on the part OF the free
trade leaders to force the fight, and Waiter
sons brilliant rhetoric employed 10 inspire
and rally the followers Of the Democratic
domination in the House did not over
state the aggressive feature OF the new
policy. Speaker CarIlsle's visit to the New
York Free.Trade Club was made after ma
ture deliberaton, and 1t was the first step
in the departure TO force free trade as the
positive DO icy OF the Democracy. His ut
terance made there was carefully studied
to outline the new policy with as little
shock as possible to the party and the
country, and his plain intimation that he
was prepared TO act politically with any
men who are ready to make war upon
every form OF protection was not an in
considerate remark.
FREE TRADE BEFORE DEMOCRACY.
1t is now clearly apparent TO all-indeed
it is distinctly ayOwed by the free trade
lcaders-that they will desert Democracy
to follow free trade. They have been
resting like an army in winter quarters
since the organization OF the House, but
the order has now been given for an adj
vance, and-Carlisle and Morrison will force
the fight not only in caucus but in the
House. They now mean to capture the
party by declaration in caucus, then force
the passage OF the Morrison bill, and thus
make the issue for the Chicago Convention
IN July. II the Convention shall refuse
to accept free trade and fall back on
the Ohio platform as the policy
of the party, IL is now openly declared by
Carlisle, Morrison, Watterson, and others
OF their persuasion that they will 90 out
side the Democratic organization to battle
for their free-trade theory. They praeti-
caly confess that their tariff policy would
defeat the Democracy this year, but they
are willing TO let defeat come, il necessary,
to establish free trade as the clearly defined
faith OF the party. On this point there is
now no room for misunderstanding. They
positively reject even incidental protection,
except as It may be an unavoidable acct
dent in levying taxes for public purposes,
and they thus present the naked prin-
ciple OF free trade as adopted by Eng
land. England raises much money by
a few tariff duties, although her policy
is free trade. and here more varied duties
would be levied for public expenditures,
but on the English free-trade basis. To
this theory Speaker Carlisle, Morrison,
Watterson, and their followers are reso-
luteIy committed, and they now manfully
declare that the Democratic party must ac-
cept their policy, with confessed defeat
this year, or be rent in twain by a free
trade secession. They have the majority
of the Democrats of the House either
squarely with them or inclined to prefer
gong with them to breaking against them,
and they mean to strangle the cOnserya-
tive Democratic protectiOnists and mop up
the party floor with them.
IColonel A. X. Mcclure. the author OF
the above, dined with Messrs. Watterson,
Morrison, and Carlisle, the day before he
wrote it,