Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-26
The Republican Papers and the
Tariff.

The Republican Papers and the
Tariff.
The question OF the tariff is again be-
ginning To trouble some Of the Republic
can papers. They are not satisfied, ap-
parentIv. whether the President fayOrs
tue Randall view Of the tariff or the Car
Isle view. They are inclined TO think
that Mr.. Randall, and those who are in
sympathy with him, have the most in0u-
ence with the President, and that they
viii control the tariff policy of the adj
ministratIon. 1t may be that these pa
pers hope, rather than expect, that the
Randall wing Of the party will get more
attention from the administration than
the Carlisle wing, which includes about
three-fOuFths Of the party.
These Republican journals pretend to
think that the appointments thus far
have been largely suggested by Mr. H.
dali and his immediate friends, and that
when the time comes to speak plainly it
viii be found that Mr.. RandalPs tariff
views have been adopted by the President.
Whether Mr.. Randall has influenced
any amendments at all is only matter
Of conjecture. 1t is true that il is claimed
that pretty nearly all those who have
been appointed were suggested either by
Mr.. Randall or Senators German and
PAYNE. but this claim doesn't rest on q
very secure foundation. 1t has been
denied quite as emphatically as IT has
been asserted that Mr.. Randall had any
thinr 10 do with most OF the appointments,
AMI the denial is worth about as much as
the assertion. II Mr.. Randall had any
thing 10 do with the Cabinet appoint
ments. the fact hasn't leaked out. He
NAV have had something to say with Ie-
sDect TO the appointment TO offices OF sec
ondary importance, but not more than
some other party leaders. 1t is pretty
certain that he did not select those who
have been appointed TO foreign missions.
III the real sentiments with respect TO
the tariff Of all of those who have thus
far been appointed could be obtained, 1t IS
probable that most Of them would
favor the kind Of tariff reform that is adj
vocated by the great majority OF the
Democratic party.
There can be no question that nearly, II
not all the members of the Cabinet stand
lust where Mr.. Carlisle does with respect to
the tariff. Mr.. Manning is classed as a tariff
reformer. ami in a late interview he said
that the Democratic party was pledged to
a ssrevisiOn OF tho tariff" From this ln-
terview the Republican journals draw
the inference that Mr.. Manning
is not much Of a tariff retOrmer.
They conclude that he is politician, and
that if he thinks that the chances OF party
success are better without convictions on
the tariff issue he will not be very en-
phatic for or against reform in whatever
be may have to say.
This view of Mr.. Manning is doubtless
unjust. lie may be anxious for party
success, but he is enough of a Statesman
10 know that an earnest adherence to a
straightforward policy is much more
likely to win success than the adoption OF
an uncertain and shifting policy.
Ii NAV be accepted as certain that the
majority Ofthe members of the Cabinetwill
not. on any question of Importance, permit
their positions to be misunderstood. When
the time comes for the administration TO
speak on the tariff, the issue will not be
lodged. There are at least three men in
the Cabinet who would resign, doubtless,
rather than have the country understand
that they had suppressed their conVic-
tions on great national issue with the
hope Of gaining a temporary party success.
The Republican papers which think
they see Mr.. Randalrs hand guiding the
administration, will, no doubt, tnd out
their mistake in the near future.