New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-14
THE TARIFF ISSUE.

Tho Housc is TO decide next Thursday, Mr..
Morrison announces, whether it VIII take up
the tariff bill. Probably the question VIII De
decided, as it ought to be, without direct reRaru
to the political interest of parties. ] he kepup-
licans might gain, in a purely partisan sense
by a prolonged agitation of this question, WIN
the consequent depression of industries ana
disintegraton of their opponents. But MT.
Mckinley, on behalf of the Republicans, Will
move to kill the bill at once, and 1t is probable
that he will be supported by almost every
Republican member, on the ground that III tne
end he serves his party best who serves MS
country best" No measure of Importance ever
had less of public feeling to support 1t thah
this and one has only to glance at the history
of tariff agitation for the past three years TO
realize that the bill should not be permitted TO
prevent attention to urgent public business, or
to disturb industry with apprehension, for
single day longer if it can be avoided.
Three years ago, after exhaustive lnvestlga-
ton by q commission selected for the purpose,
Congress passed revised tariff which is now in
force. Democratic votes defaced and botchcd
the bill as badly as they could while 1t was
pending, and it went into effect embracing
several features which are at war with its main
plan and purpose and have done great harm to
industry. An urgent demand for the change OF
those features was heard at once, and no other
popular desre.for any change of tariff has been
heard during the past three years. The taioIs
of Tooley Street, who get together In smai'
parlors and call themselves the Nations reform
ers, without the courage to face the fact that
they are striving to serve British against
American industries, do not speak Tor the
people in any measure. The papers which pre-
fer to serve as organs of the importing interest
make it their business to msrepresent public
sentiment. The fact stands that there is so
little desire among the people of this country
for change of tariff that the free-trade party
was forced to evade the issue in the Preslden-
tial campaign. in order to escape utter defeat.
For three years. then, there have been con-
slant appeals to Congress for a raising or res
toraton of duties, but no expression whatever
of public desire for further reduction or
removal of duties. Yet the first act OF the pres
ent Democratic House was change in the rules
designed to secure the passage OF free-trade
bill. The election of Speaker and the organiza-
ton of committees disclosed the same purpose,
which was indeed openly ard boastfully avowed.
the Treasury from all parts of the country, and
afterw ard by the Committee Ways and Means,
but the preponderance of appeals for an adj
vance of duties on certain articles, and against
a removal or reduction, was so Dverw heming
that agitators complained bitterly about it, and
solcmnly warned the country that If anybody
wanted duties removed or lowered he had
better speak at once, or there would be no hope.
But nobody spoke.
The country does not want this Dill, OF any
agitation about it. An attempt to secure from
this House by amendment of the measure
restoration of duties unwisely reduced by Dem
ocratic votes in 1883 would be the height of
stupidity. No possible good can be got out of
this House The only good thing possible is to
prevent evil. The sooner the majority rebukes
q measure which has been introduced without
public desire, but in defiance of the public will
and with harm to public interests, the sooner 1t
pitches into the waste basket this bill of which
even its friends are ashamed, and which has for
its cause only narrow fight OF Democratic
factions for the spoils, the sooner the House
will do its duty and the country will get relief.