The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-07-24
The Fight over the Tariff Plank.

The fight in the Committee over the
tariff plank lasted 'thirty-six hours. A
number OF amendments to the report
of the subcommittee were offered, dis
cussed and voted down by the tariff re-
formers. The tariff plank of the Ohio
platform was rejected by vote of 2 to /.
An amendment by Senator Mel herson, of
New Jersey, to insert the words ''and
must" in Order.to make the plank subject
to a. construction in favor of American
labor, was rejected by a vote of p to IA.
The st. Louis plank also was rejected, re-
ceiving only votes.
Mr.. Hay, of Pennsylvania, moved to
strike out the word exclusively in the
phrase declaring that taxation shall be
exclusively for public purposes, and made
of which he attacked the Democratic plat
form of 1880, and declared that it had
caused the defeat of Hancock.
This speech brought to his feet Henry
Watterson, the author of that platform.
He denied that it caused Hancock's de-
feat, which he said was due to the cow
ardice of the Democratic party, who
abandoned their lines and ran away in
confusion in New Jersey and New York.
Wherever the Democrats stood by their
guns, as in New Albany District. Indiana,
Mr.. Watterson said, they actually made
large gains on the issue of "a tariff for
revenue only''; and if those gains had
been maintained throughout the State, In
diana would have been saved to the Demo-
Gratis in October Of that year.
To this speech General Butler made what
one member of the committee called "a
slang whanging'' reply. He said he had
heard about Democratic gains in the New
Albany District, and had also heard that
they were due to the sudden immigration
into Indiana from Kentucky, about cleo
tion time. In this speech, as in one made
earlier in the day, it is understood General
Butler not only strongly advocated the
platform offered by himself, but abused
and criticised the one reported by the sub
committee, which he characterized as q
bundle of absurdities and negations, which
meant all things to all men, and by which
the plain people of the country could not
be deceived nor hoodwinked. General
Buffers views on the tariff question, it is
well known, do not agree with those OF
the free trade Democrats.
The free trade members of the commit
tee and their allies were in high feather
late in the afternoon. Henry Watterson
said "They have fought the ground inch
by inch, and we have defeated them at ev-
ely puIHt. 1Hcy lIdy lcocHb d HiiollIy
report, but / think it doubtful. Oh, yes,
| presume General Butler will present his
views in opposition to our report, but |
have no idea they will be adopted by the
convention
Congressman Hurd said Il am espe-
cially glad about the defeat of the Ohio
platform. told the State convention
that l would appeal to the Dem ocratic
party of the country. and 1 rejoice to
know that the Judgment is to be in my
favor. We had to be very careful about
this platform. We were determined to
exclude from it the idea of protection, in
cidental OF otherwise. Of course no tariff
can be made which will not in some re-
spects foster or protect certain classes of
industry in spite of it's trainers. That is
inevitable"
Everett Wheeler, the President of the
New York Free-trade Club, is delighted
with the tariff plank. He was in constant
communication with the Committee whilst
in session.