Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1884-05-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
MAY 2, 1884.

MAY 2, 1884.
The lower branch of Congress is
making n determined effort to work,
and nightly sessions are held IN or
der to expedite the tariff debate.
The Democratic Representatives are
on the point of calling a caucus to
take into consideration the present
status of business, and to devise
some plan to push matters along for
the remainder of the session. Old
members, speaking of the tardiness
of business, say they think only
such measures as are admitted to be
necessary to the proper administra-
tion of the government stand much
show of passage.
The leaders in the tariff discus
sion contemplate closing the general
debate on Tuesday, May 6. They
propose devoting Tuesday, Wednes-
day and Thursday of this week, and
Tuesday of next week to the consid-
Grafton of the measure. Mr.. Kas-
son, of Illinois, will make the clos
ing speech on the Republican side,
and he expects to make the motion
to strike out the enacting clause of
the bill. A Representative from
Maryland, who supported Mr.. Ran
dali for the Speakership, and has
agreed with him on the tariff ques-
ton, said to me the other day that
the House was going to pass the
Morrison bill as sure as fate. with
amendments? ?'' inquired /. "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
speech of the week was that of Con-
gressman Wood, of Indiana, who ex-
planned the Democratic doctrine to
be that duties upon imports should
be levied to raise revenue sufficient
to support the government and pay
its just debts. This kind of tariff,
he urged, makes sufficient revenue
the object of the law, and protection
to home industry the incident. The
doctrine, he said. was
that protective tariff makes pro-
lection to home industries from for
eign competition the object of the
law, and sufficient revenue the iuci-
dent. Quoting from the Presidents
message the clause, 1.-The question
still presses what legislation is nee
essary to relieve the people of un-
necessary taxes" He said these
taxes existed to such an extent as to
call to them a special reference even
from Republican President. The
orator contended that the great in
dustries of this country must get out
of the notion that the government
stimulus is of any lasting benefit.
Like any other stlmulant, it made
for little time brilliant light, then
eft a desolation. The protective
system, he claimed, had made labor
an auction block, around which
gathered, bidding in the
slaves, buying him and his
vote at the same time, and counting
the profit saved, while the brawny
arms implore the mercy of provi-
ience for him and his in this land Of
overfiowing plenty. He illustrated
what he called the abandoned wick
sdness of the protective system in
several ways, calling it class legis-
lation to favor one class over all
others. He appealed to the farm
srs to unite for their own interest.
saying that in the near future stron-
ger laws would be enacted to satisfy
the greed of the protective classes,
that would yoke them down like the
Hebrew children, while their ap-
peals for fairness and justice would
be scoffcd at mercilessly. Mr.. Woods
said that if revenue reform drives
old Democrats out of the party, be
it SO. They ought not to remain in
the ranks and stab its vital principle
to death under the cover Of Dem
ocracy.
The Senate hopes to dispose of
the pleure-pneumenia bill to-day.
The last able assault upon the. meas
ure was made by Senator Jones, of
Florida, who saw in it several con-
stitutional objections.
The woman suffrage question has
assumed four phases IN Congress.
From the committee there comes q
made by the minority which
is in favor of extending the ballot to
the fair sex. Another report from
the majority is strongly opposed to
the proposition. Representative
Dorsheimer's report says it is proba-
BILE the interests of society will re-
ouire that the women shall be allow
ed to vote after while, but not
now; and Representative Poland
says, IN his own behalf, that the du-
ties which nature has devolved upon
woman during the active part of her
life makes it impractical for her to
enter into politics.