The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-09-19
TROUBLES FORFREE-TRAD-
ERS.

While Democrats with free trade pro-
clivities profess to believe, that "the
party" will not shirk the question of
tariff reform. in the next Congress, and
that serious inroads will be in the ranks
of the protectionists, yet the indications
of Democratic harmony on the subject
of tariff reform are not by any means
flattering.
The Philadelphia Times having
mildly remarked that "there can be no
wise tariff revision on purely partisan
basis" and that the President, Mr..
Manning and the Secretary of the Navy
will earnestly seek to revise the tariff
con sound, practical, honest business
principles" The Louisville Courier
Journal exclaims
There are two ways of revising the
tariff one way is by a Pennsylvania
six-inch rule in the interest of Pennsyl-
vania protected industries; the other is
by the rule of the Constitution of the
United States, in the interest of all
classes of people and the conflict be-
tween these two ways is irreconcilable.
There can be no such thing as nom
partisan tariff as long as the Republi-
can party is the protested party of pro-
lection, which has its fortress in Penn
sylvania, the buttress and beethoven of
protectionist ideas. All parties now
agree" says the Philadelphia Times.
Yet only little while ago the protec-
ton leaders were proclaiming that any
interference with the tariff would dis
turb the business interests of the coun-
try. The key to the change Of position
is to be found in the fact that the rob-
Der barons realize that there is bound
to be 4 movement of some sort in
the next Congress and are organizing
to control this movement. No measure
of revision is to be considered the of:
spring of sound, practical, honest bus
mess principles, except such as is die
tated by them. Their first objective
point is the capture of the Adminstra-
ton. Failing in this, they will make
a loophole of escape and set up pre-
text for revolt in the plea that the plan
of the majority is impracticable and ex-
IRENE. In word, it is to be repeti
ton of the old game Of obstruction.
They want no revision at all, but baked
in their purpose to stop revision they
are determined that it shall be stripped
of any and every vestige of reform.
Well. we shall see about that. We shall
see whether a handful of subsidy beg
gars will be able to capture the Admin
istration. We shall see whether clique
of so called Democrats will be able
again to unite with the Republicans in
the control of the legislation of a DEM
ocratic House of Representatives. No
body is dreaming of an extreme tariff
bill, nobody is planning partisan tariff
bill, nobody proposes a revision OF the
tariff on any other than sound, practi-
cal, honest business principles But
who is to determine what are such ?
Here the difference comes in. The
protectionists will have no revision
which does not leave their objects and
bounties untouched. The Democrats
mean to have both revision and reform.
That is the issue as it stands. Let the
friends of revenue reform be of good
cheer. There may be delays, but the
result is inevitable. Those who led the
reform movement in the last Congress
are still true to the people. They are
resolute and sincere men, and, though
they are not so noisy as the robber
barons and their organs, they will not
be found asleep upon their watch when
the time for action comes"
So it appears, according to Mr.. Wat
terson, that despite the imminent pros
pect of Democratic harmony in the
next House, the conflict between the
'tariff reformers" and "the clique OF
so called Democrats" led by Mr.. Ran
dali sis irrecsncilable." 1t may be re.
marked that anybody who believes that
Mr.. Morrison intends to pursue ga con.
servative course" in regard to the tariff
is a most credrious individual. 1t may
be set down as altogether probable that
the House next winter will be the thea
tire of one of the most desperate assault:
that have ever been made by the free
trade Democrats upon the American