Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-25
Notwithstanding Is. 1886
Congress.

OOuRTcSc.
All the indications point TO an early
adjournment of Congress. Although
The weather has not yet been so OPP
pressivsly warm as to influence the
votes of members upon the question OF
adjournment, yet that they have in
their own minds determined to DO at
home before the dog-days come upon
them is manifest. They will not be in
Washington . month hence.
An early adjournment means fail
urs to pass some bills that ought to be.
come laws. If the House Of Repre-
sentatives were body Of one hundred
members, and if the Senate allowed the
previous question to be demanded,
great deal of legislation could be done
in tho next four weeks. But with q
House Of Representatives Of three hun
bred and twenty-five members, and a
Senate that places higher estimate
upon the dignity Of its proceedings and
upon senatorial courtesy" than upon
the welfare Of the people, there is not
much reason for hoping that the few
remaining weeks Of the session will
witness the enactment Of many laws OF
national Importance. Another obstruc-
ton to legislation is the different polit-
zeal or party compilations of the two
houses. A Democratic House will not
give its assent to partisan Republican
measures, nor Republican Senate its
assent to partisan Democratic measures.
We may assume that for one or an
other of the reasons just mentioned
the BLAIR bill will fail to become q
law during the present session of Con-
gress and failing this session, it will,
We fear, never show hereafter as much |
strength as it has shown again and
again during the last three years. There
is danger that it will become less and
less popular in the North, the majority
section, as it becomes more and more
popular in the South, the minority Sec
ton. The bill, as it passed the Senate,
authorized the money appropriated I'M
der it to be expended in proportion to
the illiteracy in the several States
thus dealing literally with the
southern States because Of the immense
mass Of illiteratc negroes in this sec
ton. Having also large number of
illitsrate whites, the South would re-
csive perhaps twice as much money
rs she would be entitled to If the mo-
ney were distributed in proportion to
population. Millions and millions Of
dollars are annually disbursed in the
North in the payment of pensions, to
the impoyershment of the South, which
has to pay her full share Of taxes IN
ternal and tariff, and gets little or none
Of it back in the shape Of pensions. The
operation Of the BLAIR bill would
have been to correct in some measure
this inequality in the bearing Of the
burdens Of the National Government.
For this reason, we repeat, we fear that
the msjority section will never again
prefer 80 liberal q measure to their
brethren Of the South. For this rea-
sen, too, the southern congressman will
probably be held, as undoubtedly
they ought to be held, to q strict ac-
countability for their course in regard
to the BLAIR bill. They must make
it appear clearly that the failure to pass
that bill was no fault Of theirs. Notice
that the Republican State Convention
Of Alabama has already declared in
favor Of the BLAIR bill; the Republic
cans Of that State, as in Virginia, hope
to make votes by inducing the people
to believe that the BLAIR bill owes its
defeat to . Democratic House of Repre-.
ssntativcs.
Tho House Of Representatives being
Democratic and the Senate Republican,
We have at no time during the present
session hoped for the passage Of any
bill which proposed to make q general
revision Of the tariff. Therefore, we
do not now expect either Mr.. MoRRI-
SONS or Mr.. RANDAIL's tariff bill to
become . law this year. Mr.. MoRRI-
SON is q strenuous advocate Of the tax
upon manufactured tobacco. Mr..
RANDALL is in favor Of the abolition
Of that tax. On this question of taxing
tobacco Mr.. MORRISON represents
most of the northern Republicans, and
We fear We might add most Of the north
.srn Democrats. But surely Mr.. RAN
DALI represents all southern congress-
men who hail from tobacco-growing
States. II tho question ss between
the RANDALL bill and the MORRISON
billwere practical one, We saould, asat
present advised, vote for the former.
When We look over our own advertising
and other columns, and note the extreme
~ low prices Of all kinds Of imported
goods, Is well as Of corn, wheat, flour,
and tobacco, We are forced 10 the con-
clusion that the abolition OF the existing
tax Of eight cents per pound on to-
bscco would constitute the most effect
i've measure Of relief 10 our Virginia
planters which Congress has 1t in its
power to adopt. But We would not
sneouTsgs In anybody tho expectation
lat that measure Of relief will be &C.
,osdsd Us 20 long IS the Republicans
control the United States Senate.
a. nj ~~~~f.~s~- - H. -tnfa mat