Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-05-09
Defeat of the Morrison Tariff Bill.

Defeat of the Morrison Tariff Bill.
The Morrison tariff bill was defeated in
the House of Representatives on Tuesday
by a vote OF 159 to 155, forty alleged Dem
ocrats following Randall in his alliance
with the Republican minority to strike
out the enacting clause of the bill. OF the
Al recalcitrant Democrats who thus be-
came false to their party upon this great
issue, twelve are from Pennsylvania, ten
from Ohio, six fl ON New York, four from
California, three from New Jersey and one
each from Maryland, Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, Louisiana, Connecticut and Illinois
There were only three Republican votes
cast in favor of the bill and these al came
from the State of Minnesota.
1t will be perceived that the majority
of the Democrats who played their party
false in this emergency came from the
great protection stronghold of Pennsylva-
MIA, and the State of Ohio, in which pro-
lection seems to have become prevailing
political heresy, the former of which States
from the cause mentioned, is hopelessly
Republican aud the latter nearly so, ADD
neither of which are essential to Demo-
cratic success i'm the Federal election
The slight sprinkling of Democrats from
other States that made up the obstructing
faction do not serve to give complexion
to the representation Of public opinion
from those States. o. the other hand so
strong is the tariff reform sentiment in the
agricultural State of Minnesota that the
Republican delegation from that State did
not dare to support their party in its pro-
lection heresy.
The result of the vote on the Morrison
bill demonstrates the extent of the injury
that may be sustained by the Democratic
party by taking a firm stand upon the
question of tariff reform. The State Of
Ohio, whose alignment in the Dem ocratic
column in the coming Presidential cleo
ton has only been among the remote pro-
liabilities, would, suppesing her to be pro-
perly represented in Congress, have pro-
badly been alieniated by the tariff reform
sentiment. 1t is notable fact that the
State of Indiana, which it has been claim
ed would be lost by the tariff reform pol
icy, did not furnish single recruit to
the recalcitrant gang, but recorded her
solid vote in favor of tariff reform. II
may be said that from the vote of the Cal
ifornia delegation, that State will also be
lost by the tariff reform policy. 1t does
not appear that this can be said with any
show of probability of New Jersey. So
that OHIO and California may be said to
be the extent Of the probable loss TO the
Democratic party from the stand it has
taken.
Neither of these States are necessary fol
Democratic success, if we carry New York
SO that conceding these losses and tina
they will not be compensated by gains II
Western Republican States. and still th'
Democratic party would be safe. But th'
action of the Minnesota delegation proves
conclusively that the tariff issue wouC
have given that State to the Demscrac!
which would nearly compensate for thu
loss of California. II all the Republican
;afs States had rPp III ask to their con
situenis for immediate endorsement. ,
better estimate could be formed OF tn,
probable gains to result from this issue
They would doutless conspensate for al
losses.
1t is now said that Mr.. Hewitt will pro
badly introduce bill which will propos,
more discriminate reduction of the rate.
of tariff than Mr.. Morrison's horizontal
plan, and that the party will make an
other determined effort to push that meas
ure through. This will probably be tim,
thrown away. The vote on Tuesday wa:
clearly vote against tariff reform and
not against any infirmities Of the Morri
son bill. Such could have been corrected
by amendment. The Democratic party
has placed itself clearly upon record upor
this measure. All that is now required
is TO definitely set forth the principle o.
immediate and thorough tariff reform il
the national platform and go before thu
country upon the issue.