The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-05-10
Defeat of the Morrison Bill.

House of Representatives on Tuesday, the
enacting clause being stricken out by vote
of 159 to 154. This was accomplished by
forty-one Democrats voting with the Repub-
licans The Morrison bill never was party
measure. When caucus was called to con-
slider it, there was an understanding that the
action taken was not to be considered as
binding
The killing of the bill is variously viewed.
The Republicans affect to believe that it
leaves the Democratic party without prin-
ciple; the advocates of the bill believe the
Democratic chances of success next fall have
been lessened, while the Democratic oppo-
ncnts profess to believe quite the reverse.
All these opinions are hasty, written and
printed upon the first receipt of the news.
We cannot conceive how Democratic pros
poets can be affected either by the passage or
failure of the measure. Had the bill passed
the House, it would have been killed in the
Senate. 1t could never have become law
so long as Republican majority remains in
the Senate. Even if il had passed the Senate,
q Republican President was at hand to fix his
j
Democrats sustained the bill, and if ma
jority counts for anything, the Democratic
party is on record as favoring reduction in
taxation. To rid the treasury of large an
nual surplus is why the people changed Re-
publican majority in the House into an over
whelming Democratic majority To make an
effort at carrying on. the object of their cleo
ton is all that could be expected. The peo-
pie knew that an expression in the matter
was all that could be hoped for, when it was
seen that Republican Senate and President
stood in the way of reform. Ii the people are
really IN earnest, and we believe they are,
they will vote to get rid of these obstacles the
coming fall, and then something practical will
result in the way of reform.
Seeing that n tariff reduction bill could not
become law, by reason of the opposition OF
a Republican Senate and President, it would
have been better, perhaps, not to have under
taken to pass one; yet rs a majority of the
Democrats believed otherwise, the Demo
cratic opponents acted unwisely in defeating
the Morrison bill. Mr.. Randall and his fol.
lowers should have let the bill come into the
House, and not voted to strike out the enact
ing clause. Had the bill not been killed, it
could have been amended, no doubt, so as to
have been acceptable to all Democrats and
been passed, as embodying the Democratic
position upon revenue reform.
The Democratic party is not divided upon
the question of revenue reform-only upon
Al g IF ba
men would first reduce the tariff; the Randall
men would first abolish internal revenue.
Had the Morrison bill been permitted to stand
in the House, compromise bill, command
ing unanimous Democratic support, might
have resulted.
We are of that class of Democrats that
would first abolish the tax on whisky and
tobacco. We would do so, first, because the
government does not need the revenue arising
from such tax; second, because these pro-
auctions can stand large tax which couldbe
appropriated by the states respectively; and
third, because the people would then get rid
of IL large army of officials, who, by the laws
under which they act, become spies into the
private affairs of private individuals. A FUR
thcr reason is, that too many government Of
ficials are dangerous to popular government
1t has now become to be thought by govern
ment officers that they owe allegiance to the
appointing power or to the administration
under which they act, and their interference
in political affairs is growing evil and one
of threatening aspect. President Arthur to-
day has received the most of his support from
government officials But few of his dele
gates were chosen by IL free expression OF the
will of his party, and are mostly machine men
chosen by federal office holders. Still fur
Their. too much patronage is source of weak
ness to party. We believe that the Demo
cratic party is about to take charge of the
government, and the less patronage there is
to dispense the less cause there will be for
complaint and the stronger will be the party.
The party is now n party of principle 1t
has contended for principle, not spoils,
for tvs nty-odd years, and has gradually grown
in public estimation. On the other hand the
Republican party is party of spoils solely,
held together by the cohesive power OF public
plumber. They violate every principle OF
honesty and decency to maintain power, gained
at first through a fraud. In 1876, when fairly
beaten at the polls, they resorted to political
juggIery, bribery and manipulating the votes
of sovereign states When threatened with
overflow in 1880 they resorted to corruptng
and purchasing voters or as Garfield, Arthur,
Dorsey and other shining lights termed it, by
the use of "soap.'
1t is true that an abolition of tue whisky
and tobacco tax would not have lessened the
cost of the necessities of life, but the state tax
everywhere could have been reduced. Alter
that had been accomplished, the work OF
revising and reforming the tariff eonld have
been accomplished later, when there would
have been chance of doing so. 1t is not
worth while to contend for principle, when
it is impossible to put that principle in prac-
tee. Free trade is a principle all men act
upon, even if they do not profess to believe in
it. The manufacturer, who is protected him
self. carries it out whenever he can. lie buys
his supplies where he can purchase the cheap
est, and sells where he can get the best price.
1t is the natural right of man to do so, and it
is his natural inclination. 1t is an abridge-
ment of that right when the government pro-
hibits its citizens from doing so, by laying a
tax greater than its needs in order to build up
private enterprises. The very government
that boasts of the protection of its manufac-
lures by prohibitory tariff, endeavored re-
Gently to induce Mexico to believe that free
trade between that country and this would be
advantageous to the people of that country.
Mexico has few manufactures, and this gov
ernineut hoped to stimulate home industries
by opening market for our over production.
Large profits here. by reason of prohibitive
tariffs, have produced over production, and
our manufactures to-day are iauguishing for