The Washington critic., 1886-06-23
WASHINGTON, JUNE e3, 1886.
THE TARIFF soUABBLE.

The Revenue reform Democrats OF
the House will gain nothing by the
promulgation Of q formal address to
the country, as has been proposed.
Their position, the position of Mr.,
Randall, the attitude of the Republi.
can Members of Congress, are well
known to the country; or II there had
been lacking any light on the sub.
iect, 1t will certainly be supplied by an
examination of the House proceedings
yesterday.
AS general rule, no party or cause
is profited by publishing vindications
or defenccs of itself, especially when
none are needed and so far as we have
been able to observe, the course of the
revenue reformers has thus far been
fair and aboveboard, honest and cour-
ageous. They have done what they
could to get their bill up for considers.
tion. There is no particular cause for
discouragement in the fact that they
did not succeed; nor is there any ne.
cessity of making apologies or explana-
tions for what is well enough under
stood by all who care to have any un'
derstanding about it.
In the opinion of The CRITIC the
less said from this time on the better.
There is danger in q multiplicity Of
words; and how strikingly it was illus
trated yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Nor
rison's proposed amendment to the
rules with regard to general pension
bills, authorizing the attachment
thereto of provisions for raising the
revenue necessary to meet the expendi.
ture involved, commended itself at
once to Democratic support, as q just
and business-like proposition. 1t en-
listed the cordial Endorsement of Mr..
Randall; yet the moment Mr.. Bragg
jumped into the scrimmage with fire.
brand in his hand and an attack on the
friends of Mr.. Randall for honest diff
ferences Of opinion from himself on the
tariff question, fresh family quarrel
was precipitated and the afternoon was
wasted.
The great mistake of thes Democrat:
in the House is their constant harping
about the Democratic National plat
form, as though IT imposed upon then
some penal obligation to pass a tariff
reduction bill before the adjournment
of the present session of Congress
Revenue reform is necessarily of slow
growth; it cannot be forced by hot
house processes. 1t has got to tax,
its time and 1t Is doing very well
There is no necessity for crowding othe
much more important business asidt
now in an attempt to pass any kind o
atariif bill.
AS for the apparent failure of thu
Democrats to carry out their pledges il
this regard, it is no greater than that o
the Republicans who have failed t.
propose any legislation whatever
though equally committed to revision
Both parties are under bonds to reduc
the surplus, to reconstruct and revis
the tariff. The difference betwee
them is that the Republicans do no
allow such a little thing as Nationa
Platform to stand in their way, n
more than Hon. Tim Campbell woul'
permit SO small an affair as the Consti
tuition to stand between gentlemen
while our Democratic brethren appea
to be rent with remorseful self-accusG
tion because they can't pass Mr.. Moi
rison's bill, and they will make bi
mistake if they go whimpering to tn
country with addresses and excuses t
show how 1t all happened.
The appeal can best be made to tn
polls this fall. The people who war
revenue reformers to represent ther
will so vote; and vice versa. 1t is
local issue.