The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-14
An Attempt at Tariff " Reform"

By vote of one hundred and fifty.
nine to one hundred and fifty-fve the
Morrison tariff bill has been rejected by
the house of representatives. In the pres
ent congress one of those freaks of public
sentiment which manifests itself in dis
position to change the political complexion
of governments, legislatures and con-
crosses, merely for the sake of change,
gave the democrats majority of seventy
in the national house of representatives.
The existence of democratic majority
in the house gave special interest to its Or
ganization. This interest conferred in the
election of speaker, and the position of the
democrats in relation to tariff revision
was the issue between the factions of the
democracy which were contending for the
control of legislation. The issue was
sharply drawn between protection and
free trade. Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania
and Mr.. Carlisle of Kentucky became the
champions of these opposing camps within
CduPy duu unO ihbtOl bCCuICO
triumph in his election to the speaker
ship. A revision of the tariff was deter
mined upon. A measure that was all
crudeness and imperfection was presented
to the house early in the session, by Mr..
Morrison, and referred to the ways and
means committee, of which he was chair
man, and which had been made up with
special reference to overhauling the tariff
aud cutting down the duties. The prin-
cipal feature of the Morrison bill was a
proposition to reduce all duties on all
articles twenty per cent-in political par
lance, horizontal reduction of twenty
per cent. The measure was complicated
and its intention obscured by reference to
rates imposed by the Morrill, tariff, and
by provisos that rendered its meaning, in
many places, quite unintelligible. The
utter folly of the measure was only
slightly mitigated by concessions with
difficulty wrung from the chairman of the
committee. The proposed horizontal re-
duction was adhered to, method of re.
form that made no distinction between
industries which are barely holding their
own against foreign competition under
existing duties, and those which, by &C.
quired strength and by favoring circum-
stances, need in less degree the shield of
tariff rates for their successful prosecu.
ton. The remedy proposed was the
slashing kind of pruning which the rough,
unskilled and inconsiderate backwoods.
man would apply, axe in hand, to the
fruit tree which required the careful fin
gers, the matured judgment, and the keen,
discriminating blade of the expert hus
bandman. By bare majority this meas
ure, which was, practically, confession
of the incompetency, or insincerity, of the
majority of the committee to frame well
adjusted tariff bill, was taken up for con
J sideration by the house. After full debate
in which many able speeches were made
the democratic faction, which in Decem
Der was exulting in the victory it hst
: won, was unable, Notwithstanding thu
! great majority of the party as whole, Il
secure the. adoption of the measure which
| should signalize the completion of its vic
7 tory. This measure was stoutly opposes
: by the republicans and by forty-one dem
+ ocrats, under the effective leadership o
r Mr. Randall of Pennsylvania. The fins
+ triumph is with Mr.. Randall. The bri