Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-07
TARIFF BILL TACTICS.

The Republican leaders in the House
declare that their only true course is to
fight the Mills tariff bill, section by sec
ton, and clause by clause. They will,
therefore, reject the proposal of the Demo
Gratis Of the House to send the bill to vote
on the 14th inst.
There are several views to take Of this
matter. If the Republicans have only
partisan concern under consideration, it is
obvious that their best course would be to
let the bill come to a vote and go to the
country with all the imperfections they
claim exist in it, as an entering wedge of
free trade, as they insist it is
They could then fight out the party
issue Of Protection vs.. Free Trade before
the people with this bill as party weaponry.
But, on the other hand, if they continue
TO antagonize the bill by clauses, and to
shear it of its more Objectionable features.
they conserve home interests, according to
Republican doctrine That is to say. as
Senator Edmunds puts It, they check the
tendency of the Democratic party to in
crease the consumption of articles of for
eign production, and correspondinglv di-
minish the consumption of articles of home
production, and consequently effect "a
corresponding diminution in the indus
trial employments of every character of
the people of the United States.n As
country must stand before party that
then, is the course duty dictates.
The Democrats on their behalf-if sin
cere in insisting that the Mills bill is not
free trade, but an effort 10 accomplish that
which the best interests of all the people
require, reduction of the revenues bv
Tightening the tax upon imported goods
necessary to the sustenance and industries
OF The people"-can afford to let the bill
have full and free debate in the House
and throw the burden of any shearing and
clipping OF its alleged virtues upon the
minority Or, if the bill is not materially
amended, they car appeal to the country
that the delay in passing it was chargeable
to their political opponents. Ii, however.
they are sohcitous merely to use it as
campaign weapon, careless of the fate of
the bill, their policy should be to force it
to q vote early And this is the course
they have resolved upon. For, as Senator
Hiscock says, they know that with the
free-wool clause retained, it cannot lass
the Senate with it eliminated ait is not
much OF a bill" 1t is, therefore, evident
that the Democracy propose to make i'm
mediate campaign capital out of the bill.
and take no care of what becomes of the
measure ultimately, and hence are anxious
to close the debate in the House, and leave
the bill to lis fate in the Senate. This is
precisely what the Republican leaders
will not consent to. Their position is best
for both the country and the Republican
party. If the bill is to become law, then
it shoald have long and careful discussion
and discreet amendment and this is what |
the Republicans propose. If ii is being !
pushed with no hope Of finding place !
upon the statute books, then the alleged |
'insizcerity" of the Democracy should be
put to the test of deliberate debate, and be
deprived of the campaign value of a pre-
mature vote upon it.