The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-08-03
The Senate and the Tariff.

Imprisonment not exceeding SIX months.
The Senate and the Tariff.
The conference of Republican Sem
ators held at the residence of Senator
Evarts, on Wednesday evening last,
decided, after long discussion, that
the Republicans must present a tariff
bill to the Senate and country and a
bill is likely to be prepared by the Re-
publican committee, sitting in secret,
just as the Democratic committee of
the House sat, submitted to a party
caucus. and then passed by the Senate
Congress has now been in session
nearly eight months, and this the first
time the Republican leaders have had
the courage to say that they must pay
some respect to their public pledges
for tariff revision and revenue reduc.
tion by presenting a revenue bill The
Republicans of the House skulked
from the issue because they could not
hsrmonize their free traders, moderate
proteotionists and monopoly protec-
tionists, and the Republicans of the
Senate finally accepted the responsible
lity OF formulating a bill only when
supreme political necessities demanded
it. The Press Of yesterday gives the
following report of the decision of the
party leaders and the reasons thereof:
The conference adjourned at mid
night. No one. not even members of
the finance committee, venture to
guess now at the length of the pre-
sent session of Congress. Senator
Quay was not at to-night's conference.
He was wearied by much travel and
remained at home. Senator Quay,
however, was among those who advo-
Gated the postpoDement of the tariff
question until the next session. He
said, however, that it was for the
doubtful States to decide what should
be done in the matter. 1t is therefore,
evident that those States which are re-
garded as pivotal States in the next
election favored the course decided
upon tonight.
With positive Republican pledge
given to the nation in the platform of
1884 that tariff revision ard revenue
reduction would be favored by the
party, this is the first attempt of the
party leaders to fulfil that pledge, and
then it is done because they dare not
longer shirk the issue. Instead of
considering it as business question or
a question of craftsmanship, it is kick
ed from post to pillar and finally sub
mitted to 'the doubtful States to de-
eide what should be done in the mat
ter"
And how is party tariff revision to
be propoledi Sugar is grown in
Democratic Louisiana and It is to be
cut so per cent, which will not reduce
the cost to consumers, as importing
combines would modify or repeal the
present rebate of taxes on sugar for
export. Rice is grown only in Demo-
cratic States and it is to'be cut so per
cent. McKinley's proposition to in
crease the woolen schedule 80 as to
largely increase taxes on many neces-
saries is abandoned and the duties on
woolens and worsteds are equalized as
they should be, but when that is done
our woolen industries will remain
practically unprotected, even when the
people are taxed 68 per cent. above
actual cost abroad, because the high
tax on wool and raw materials is con-
tinued.
Instead of meeting this question as
statesmen should meet great econo-
mic question, the demoralized Repub.
lican leaders are struggling to find
some sort of tariff that can't pass the
House, and that will quiet the demand
for tariff and tax reduction until after
the perils of the campaign shall be
over. In the meantime they will
deceitful.y cry free trade against the
House bill that gives the highest pro-
tective duties ever before known in
time of peace, and the people will be
taxed hundred millions or so for an
other year to cripple commerce, op-
press industry and paralyze our mills
and factories.
In order to recall the Republican
Senators to their plain duty on the tar
if as they and their fellow party lead
ers have taught. on the subject, we re.
print the admonitions of three Repub-
lican Presidents and two Republican
Secretaries of the Treasury against the
injustice and oppression Of taxing raw
materials and maintaining high taxes
on the necessaries of life. With these
patriotic admonitions we give the man.
y speech of one who died a Republi-
can Vice President on the subject of
free wool. These expressions were all
given in honest devotion to the bust.
ness and industry of the country and
not inspired by the necessities of a
party contest; but they are as wise
and patriotic now as they were then,
and are we'll worthy of sober consider
alton. Al the Republicans must now
move in tariff revision and revenue re-
duction, why not make an honest re
vision and reduction in ac cord with
honest Republican teachers and trust
an honest cause to an honest peoplei-
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