The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-12-11
Tariff Reduction.


a majority in the 49th Congress, un-
less some of the Democrats who are
now classed as tariff reformers prove
to be protectionists and follow the
lead of Mr.. Randall.
It was generally understood in the
recent campaign that the Democratic
party would make an effort to reduce
the tariff to a revenue basis. There
is hardly an intelligent Democrat or
Republican who will deny this. There
is small faction of the Democratic
party that fayors protective system.
Its representatives in Congress are
comparatively few. There were
enough of them, however, when act
ing with the Republicans, to defeat
the Morrison bill. Gov. Hendricks
talked tariff reduction during all of
the campaign. Gov. Cleveland said
little about the tariff, but it is sup
posed to be well understood that he
is a tariff reformer. The next
administration is certain to be in
favor of reduction of the tariff
The whole country understood the
position of the Democratic party and
its candidates for President and Vice
President with respect to the tariff
during the campaign. The party has
been successful, and the government
will soon pass to the control of the
Democrats.
The conclusion is irresistible,
therefore, that the country is not
frightened at the prospect of a reduc-
ton of the tariff. The three great
manufacturing States are New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut. They
all gave their electoral votes to the
Democratic candidates.
In the West the tariff reduction ar
guments of Mr.. Hendricks had good
effect. Indiana, which gave Repub-
ican plurality in 1880, gave this year
much larger Democratic plurality.
Popular sentiment is moving in the
direction of tariff reform, and there
is a large preponderance of the same
sentiment with the Democrats of the
incoming administration.
Mr.. Carlisle will be reelected
Speaker. He was very popular be-
fore he was elected Speaker of the
present House, and his popularity
has steadily grown. To secure the
position again he vii have much less
trouble than he had on the first oc-
casion. His reelection will mean
that the tariff fight will be renewed.
Indeed it is difficult to understand
how it is possible to avoid it. The
revenues of the government must be
reduced, and there are only two ways
of reducing them. One is to abolish
the internal revenue system, and the
other is to reduce tho tariff.
This Congress ought to do some
thing towards reducing the reve-
nues, because the sooner the receipts
of the government are brought down
to about what the expenses are the
better it will be for the country
There is not much chance, however,
for tariff Legislation by this Congress.
The Democrats will, in all probabili-
ty, prefer to wait until there is a
Democratic administration.
It viii be seen that the people OF
the West are wondering just now
how they are to meet the actual ex-
penses of living with wheat and corn
at present prices. That they are be
ginning to realize the necessity fol
cheaper clothing, agricultural nipple
ments and the other supplies they are
compelled to have, is shown by the
tremendous falling off in the usual
Republican maiorities in Western
States. When the campaign is calmly
reviewed it viii be seen that Messrs
Hendricks and others, by their tariff
speeches, wrought a remarkable
change in public sentiment in the
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