The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-04-15
The Tariff Bill.

lied to-day in laying before our readers
ull synopses of the majority and minor
tv reports on the tariff bill. There is no
subject of more Importance to the people,
and especially the farmers. nor has there
been any measure proposed recently that
more directly affects their individual in :
berests. Now, if never before, the farm
ers and working people should be giving
attention to these matters Of public con-
Germ. They have neglected them too long
and the fruits of that neglect are painfully
apparent. Heretofore they have held to
the opinion that legislation would have
Ii tie effect on private enterprise; that
questions of finance and tariff were but
subjects for political theorizing and had
but little to do with the affairs OF every |
day life. They have learned to their cost,
during the past year, that political theo-
rists and demagogues cannot be safely en-
trusted with the making Of the laws, and
that failure on their own part to look to
their own interests has taken the money
from their pockets and brought business
depression without paralleIin the history
of this country.
Nothing has more forcibly demonstrated
this fact than the course of the majority
on the Morrison tariff bill. But little
more than a month ago, when the original
Morrison bill was framed ,and. its provisions
published to the world, a protest went up
so broad and emphatic from the represen-
tatives of the interests involved, that
halt was called and change Of programme
determined upon. That original bill pro-
vided that iron ore, coal and othef raw
materials should be placed on the free list.
No sooner was this made known than the
representatives of those organized inter-
ests hied to Washington and in vigorous
and emphatic language protested against
such a ruinoIs course. Representatives
of the working classes, whose bread and
meat depended upon the prosperity OF IN
dustries into which those raw materials
entered largely, seconded the efforts OF
their employers, and with force OF argu-
ment that astOnished the w0nld-be states
men at Washington, and determination
that brooked no denial, demanded that in
! the adjustment of the duties the interests
| in which they were so deeply concerned
should not be disturbed Alarmed at the
menacing attitude of the representatives
Of organized industries, Mr.. Morrison and
his fellow Democrats abandoned their
original design Of attacking all along the
| oEo.l ho;r
assault upon the one interest that appa-
rently had no one to speak directly for it,.
| When the miners and manufacturers rose
up to confront them. they turned their
batteries upon the agricultural interest al
most solely. 1t mattered not that the
welfare of the greater number was in
\ VOWED in the prosperity of that interest ;
| it mattered not that it represented the
very business life OF the Nation. These
were concerns of minor moment. The
fact that the farmers could muster no
compact organization; could speak through
no recognized representative. was sufficient
to invite assault where there were none
duly authorized to protest. Afraid to
combat those who were prepared and de-
| termined to meet them, Mr.. Morrison and
his sympathizers lead their forces against
an unorganized mass and seek to make the
agriculturists alone bear the burden of
their cowardice and folly.
The minority report, prepared by Mr..
| Mckinley. and presented in behalf OF the
Republican members Of the Committee,
clearly and powerfully exposes the effect
of this bill should it become a law. Let
4 every farmer and working man in Vir-
| ginia carefully read and study that minor
/ ity report It will well repay the most
careful consideration, FOR it shows the ut
ter incapacisy Of the Democratic party to
deal intelligently with the interests COM
mitted to it's keeping. With ciearness
rarely employed in a public document. it
presents the facts to the public. The claim
of desire upon the part of the Demo-
Gratis to correct the irregularities and IN
CAPABILITIES Of the present tariff, is shown
to find no support in the naaiority's re.
port. Mr.. Morrison says that the rate OF
duty on imported goods is as low as five pei
cent. on some and as high as 300 per cent.
On other articles. Mr.. Mckinley shows
that no attempt is made to remedy these
Irregularities. OF the thirty-one or more
articles dutiable at from 100 to 35S PEI
cent, not !osae is touched in the proposed
bill. Instead Of striking at the very front
of tariff offending and correcting some OF
the injustice that is known to exist, these
so called states men tura a bandaged eye
in that direction and unite in an attempt
to batter down the protection thrown
around those artic les which already need
higher duties to prevent ruinous coupe
tItion. This is especially the case with
/ the wool interest-an interest representing
$500, 900, 000 Of capital, and which has beer
developed to its present proportions by the
imposition of 3. duty that rendered it pos.
sihle to prevent the cheap woods OF Austria
liza, New Zealand and South America from
monopolizing cur home market. Mr.. Nc
Kinley's presentation of this subject is
mastery, and cannot fail to bring the in
telligent wool-growers face to face with
the danger that threatens them.
1t will be remembered that during the
last Congressional canvass, Democratic
ofaJors and organs harped with tiresome
iteration upon the surplus in the treasu-
Fy. and declared that the first step toward
the reduction of thaS surplus should be
the abolition of the Internal Revenue syg-
TEN. Since that party has been IN controa,
the Internal Revenue is never mentioned,
except when collector is to be appointed.
and in seeking to effect the desired reduc-
ton the campaign promise is studiouSly
ignored. Mr.. Mckinley. however, calls
attention TO this significant fact and very
pertinently asks, If g reduction of the rev.
enue is alone desired, why it is that the
/ tax on fruit brandies and alcoholics med
ical and scientific purposes is continued,
when the demand for its repeal has been
widespread and emphatic. In this, he
simply exposes the real object of Morrison
and his party friends. That is. to force
English free trade upon this country and
strike deadly blow at the industries that
have made it the wonder of the world.
Fortunately as long as the Republicans