Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-03-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Interest in the Tariff Question Before
the Democratic Caucus.
The Irreprcssiblc Conflict In the Party
and the Probable Outcome.
Biair's Educational Bill Texas Ought
to Reject tho Donations.

Special correspondence OF the Gazette.
Washington, March 2j.- Public In
terest ia directed, with rare earnest
ness TO the action of the Democratic
caucus to be convened to-day or to-
morrow. The impression obtains that
Gen. Rnsecrans' method of quasi
compromise will be approved, and
that each Democrat will simply tie
clare his opinions and that voting for
or against the Morrison bill
will constitute no test OF ie-
atty to the party. IL IL,
after all, difference about an imprac-
ticable proposition. Frectrade il inn
possible. While the vast government
debt subsists, and the pension bureau
and the bondholder, direct taxation
would not be tolerated. People love TO
be cheated, even as they love TO be
humbugged They prefer to pay "
vast sum indirectly aud unconsciously
to n smaller SUM directly and con-
sciously. There are those, no far does
this feeling extend, who would prefer
to have their pockets picked, thus
losing ten dollars, to the open honest
payment of an honest debt OF five dol
lars, and on this theory of human ma
ture the tariff system Is based.
RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
Therefore IL is true that nobody con-
templates the possibility OF the subs,i-
tuition of free-trade aud direct taxation
for the present revenue system. Uni
veIsal free-trade can only he brought
about indirectly through the universal
application of such treaties ~ that
operative between Mexico and the
United States Ii Republican party
leaders did not ioresee this result of
these quasi free-trade contracts with
foreign countries The cost of living In
this country would he infinitely les
seneu and producliveness of popular
toll Infinitely enlarged. Free-traders In
the house do not therefore insist that
their "impractlcable theoriesn shall be
injected into the Democratic platform,
and the enactment of Morrison's hoii.
zontal sealing process Is only "A planning
mill product designed to constitute one
ready-msde, smoothly polished plank
for the Democratic Chicago platform.
In other words, the Democracy, AZ rep
resented in congress, il not legislatibg
and only president-making. Demo-
Gratis representing w0ol-gTowing dis
tricts and Others whose
constituents produce silk,
and Others whose eloquence
is linked saccharine sweetness long
drawn out, think that wool and silk
aud sugar should be ''protecled.n IL
is only very modest development OF
human selfishness, winch, invested
with power, will always rob Peter to
pay Paul ~ takes one mau's money
without his consent, and in this case
without his knowledge, to pay an
others debts. OF course those plum
dered are felcltatei ON account Of
their submission TO the outrage, and
made TO believe tina. great prosperity
ensues and that poor laborers are thus
enriched aud that industry ia diversi.
fled, and Spaeish sugar kept out uf
the country with Australian wool.
But IL happens that steamships
and relegrnphs have made unit
of our race. The seas are bridged, and
the United States at this hour is not
practically broader than was the Old
Dominion where Andrew jackson
came on horseback from the Hermitage
to take his place in the White House,
There il no tariff to protect toll.
NbbiitS fbblltN' Niih h'Bt'tn ti Fh6hA
fields, and augmentation of the price
iof sugar does not augment rewards Of
labor in mills or mines or sugar-iields,
hnd the tariff code only makes dona-
ton TO capital, enabling II TO import
cheaper labor. IL thus robs the
many to enrich the few.
But the South has the cheapest labor
Of any competing country on the
globe, ard no Southern scheme Of in
dustry, as Southern cotton mill owners
itoniess, demands, save from greed
rather than necessity, governmental
In lis behalf
SENATOR BIAiK's BfLL.
For this reason, Us a citizen of Texas
mud because Senator Blairs school bill
Is violatlye OF the counlry's organic
law and thus morally indefensi-
bic, / would advocate the
rejection by the people of Texas of any
sum proposed 20 be given The com.
mon wealth under its lawiess and thus
wrongful provisions. ! do not think
hat an aoDest people should accept "A
loon wrested by wrong from the rest
II our countiymeu. And there IL this
additional reason, Texas Is amply able
,nd does well provide for the education
If the children of the state, and as
uch they should be educated. The
,reatest boon that blesses the child |
mould be given by the parent; the
,arent failing, IL should come from
lie state, and not from the giIded |
,and OF remote imperial power. Pa
like charity, should begin ut
ZONE. The homestead law of Texas is |
ounded IN this principle, which Is OF
he essence of true Democracy.