The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-02
Defeat of the Morrison Bill.

The discussion of the vote on the
tariff bill in Congress Thursday affords
very fair illustration Of the narrow
ness and illiberality of some persons
who undertake to define the limita-
tions of party fealty and organization.
In some of the newspapers we already
see ana in many others we have ex-
pectations of further seeing Messrs.
Scott, Swope and Storm, Of this state,
savagely attacked and roundly denounc
ed as ''free traders" and enemies of
Pennsylvania's interests because they
voted to go into consideration of the
Morrison bill. We sympathize with
no such assault. There is nothing in
their position TO show that they are
free traders or that they are hostile to
the interests of their party or their
state. They have their indivi-
dual view of the best way OF revising
the tariff, or of way which they
think is the best way to be had, and if
they are honest in it, as we do not
doubt they are, they ought TO vote
with their consciences. Their differ
ence from their colleagues is no serious
matter.
On the other hand it is absurd to
call down Democratic maledictions up
on the heads of the Democratic men,
bers from New Jersey, New York.
Pennsylvania and Ohio, who voted
against the Morrison bill; and to un-
dertake to read them ont of the party.
That will not do. That cannot be
done. At least two of these states are
essential to Democratic success in the
country, and their representatives are
not lightly to be branded as traitors.
Some of the editors and other people
who talk about drawing the lines
dividing parties on the tariff question,
are not good engineers to run party
lines. They are not true to them,
themselves, and they are not fit to sit
IN Judgment upon others. We observe
that some of them make the president g
alleged approval of the Morrison bill
the touchstone of party fealty, and
while they accord with him iD this,
they oppose his views on the civil SER
vice and the silver question, subjects
as near to the presidents heart as the
revision of the tariff bill. Others make
submission to the report of Demo
cratic House committee on the tariff
the test of the true faith, while they
condemn the river and harbor appro-
priations and other jobs reported by
such committee. Mr. Findlay, of
Baltimore, who in short term has
proved an exceptional able and inde-
pendent public representative, is de-
nounced as shalt masked Republican.
because he voted against the Morrison
bill, and yet in its anti-silver and civil
service reform position the Democratic
administration has had no more cour-
ageous and able defender than Mr..
Findlay. Mr.. Morrison and Mr.. Car
isle led the movement for this bill, and
yet on the silver coinage question, we
believe, they directly antagonize the
administration of their party. Mr..
Randall is berated for having his
friends appointed to office, and the
administration is denounced as support
ing spoilsmen for favoring him auG
yet the president is asked to abuse hi
executive position and make his ap
pointments to reward those who may
agree with him on the tariff and pun
ish those who do not, regardless o
other considerations. And this advice
comes from gentlemen who vote tn,
Democratic ticket when it suits them
and oppose its nominees when the,
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