Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-02-14
The Republican Ally.

just at the present time the Republl-
can party is having a firm ally in the
Democratic members of the House of
Representatives. The silly work being
done on the tariff measure, by the ma
jority in the House, is doing more to
strengthen Republican principles than
many would think. The bill introduced
by Mr. Morrison is one which the people
should sean closely. In it they will find
that the great champion of tariff reform
indicates his pleasure at the work done
by the preceding congress, which was
strongly Republican. Mr.. Morrison
does not attempt to disturb the changes
made by the previous congress, but con-
tents himself with a twenty per cent. re-
duction all round-with the exception,
perhaps, of the one article of WOOL
The loud protestations of tariff re-
form, with which the Democrats went
into the last election, and with which
they endeayored to catch the votes of
the people, was purely buncomb, a
profession of principles which they
had no idea of ever carrying out. They
knew that the condition of the country
would not warrant the radical changes
they proposed. They were also well
aware of the fact that the sweeping re-
ductions in the tariff they proposed to
make, would never be accomplished;
for the reason that too large debt still
hung over the nation, and it would have
to be met in some other way; perhaps in
way more pressing upon the people
than the existing tariff laws.
Again, it is plain to be seen that the
Democratic party is not unit upon the
tariff theories brought forward by
Speaker Carlisle and his chairman of
the Ways and Means committee, Mr..
Morrison~ While the western members,
to large extent, agree. with the speaker
and his chairman, the eastern members,
to as great an extent, disagree with
them. So long as the Democrats in
Congress use the tariff question to build
for themselves popularity with the
people, just so long will they continue
to disgust the masses. Look at the
situation to-day. Through this tariff
agitation, thousands of the laboring
classes are thrown out of employment
by the shutting down of manufactures,
caused by the uncertain condition of
things. There is not manufacturer
who cares to run his establishment and
get ahead of his orders, for the reason
that he knows not at what time his
wares will be deprecated IN value; and
for this condition of affairs the laborers
thrown out of employment have to
thank the free trading element in con-
gress.
There has not been so unsatisfactory
a business period for years as has been
experienced since the present congress
commenced its labors, and all may
safely be laid to the agitators of the
tariff, who, for the purpose of making
political capital, are continually brawl-
ing about tariff reform. The Republi-
can party have record, already made,
upon this issue, and it is one of which
no member of the party need be
ashamed. If the tariff amendments
adopted by the last congress were not
about as near perfect as the condition of
the country would warrant, why does
not the present reform congress" do
something that will better it? The bill
! already introduced by Mr.. Morrison, in
no particular, betters matters On the
contrary, the same feeling of unrest
pervades the people and manufacturers
are aS much at ~ra ~ eyer
well III
l,s.pu III the labors of tue - a..
cratic House. The result will be largely
Facnr