Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-07
The Tariff Policy of the Democratic
PARTY

Party.
Our esteemed contemporary, the Tele-
gr0pb aud Messenger, IN an article hear
ing upon the tariff question, says: ''The
time has come when the South should die
tate thepOlicy of the Democratic party"
Our esteemed contemporary, we under
stand, refers to the policy of the party
with respect to the tariff. To the average
observer of events 1t looks as if the South
had about as much TO do with shaping the
tariff policy OF the party as any other
section. Indeed, glance at the vote on
the motion to strike out the enacting
clause of the Morrison bill would seem to
justify the conclusion thatith has had little
more to do with shapingit than any other
section. The Southern Representatives
voted almost sOlidly against killing the
bill. There is no doubt that Southern sentl-
ment shapes the tariff policy of the Demo-
cratic party, and that it shapes 1t IN the
direction of reform and reduction. III we
are not mistaken, however, our esteemed
contemporary means that the time mas
come when the South should direct the
tariff policy of the Democratic party to-
wards protection. That is quite another
question We do not think that our
esteemed contemporary will have the
pleasure soon of seeing the Democratic
parry Of the South demanding the con-
tinuance Of high protective tariff. The
people understand their interests too we'll
to demand anything of that sort. Why,l
with her great sugar interests there was
only one member of the Louisiana delega-
ton who voted against the Morrison bill.
What is the situation here in Georgia:
All Of the Georgia Representatives eX-
cept one are tariff refOrmers and want the
tariff reduced. The people want reduc-
ton of the tariff, and are sustaining those
of their Representatives VINO supported
the Morrison bill. Notwithstanding the
protests Of our esteemed Atlanta cOntem-
porary, the people of the Fifth district
have decided to return Representative
Hammond. Our esteemed Augusta con-
temporary has certainly about as much
to say in favor of the protective system
| as any other paper in the country, and
| saws it about as strongly, but there is no
/ doubt that Representative Reese will be
| renOminated. OF course no one doubts
the ability of the protection arguments OF
| our esteemed Macon contemporary, but
| will not Representative BlOUnt, one OF the
ablest advocates of the Morrison bill, be
| renOminated and reelected? OF course
| he will. Our contemporaries may talk
/ about the beauties Of the protective sys-
| TEN until they are tired, but they will not
| convince the people of Georgia that their
| interest REQUIRE them to sustain a tariff
that builds up mOnOpOlies and widens the
| gap between the rich and the poor.
Notice what took place in this district.
The only Georgia Representative who
| opposed the Morrison bill was from this
district, and his name was not before the
Congressional Convention for renOmina-
| ton. "A candidate was nominated who
stands squarelv on the National Demo
cratic platform, and who viii he found
acting at all times with his party and not
with a small faction of 1t. 1t is worthy
of notice that the News voices the senti.
ment of Georgia on the tariff question SC
accurately. The sentiment Of Georgia
is the sentiment of the South, and il
is getting 10 be the sentiment Of
the West. Why, even Mr.. Converse
of Ohio, who moved to strike out
the enacting clause of the Morrison
bill, as able a Democrat as he is
failed to get a denomination. His pun
ishment for failing to stand BY his party
at a time when it greatly needed his hell
was severe, but not too severe. If the
Telegraph and Messenger, instead of say
ing that the South ''should dictate" had
said sis Debating the tariff policy of the
Democratic party, it would have come
nearer hitting the nail on the head.