The Washington critic., 1888-07-26
WASHINGTON, july 20, 1855.

lHk hEPUBLtCAN Senatorial caucus
last evening decided that it would be
expedient to report n tariff bill This
action is wise, politically speaking
1T Is not out of accord with the Chi
cago platform. II may be to some
extent a concession to the revenue
reformers of the Democratic House,
but u is at the same time Il concession
to the growing and imperative de-
mand Of the country that something
be done by Congress toward revision
of the tariff and reduction of the sur
plus.
The action of the Home Market
Club of Boston is warrant enough for
the proposed legislation and may be
accepted as general expression vi
Republican sentiment, Their tele-
gram to Senator Hoar is an earnest
request that the Senate pass "a bill re-
ducing the surplus and revising and
simplifying the tariff in the interest
of protection and the suppression of
differentiation.
Certain Senators are reported as
saying that the House, having made
the issue, should be left to stand
alone in the defense of It, and that
for the Senate to undertake legisla-
ton on the same subject produces an
obscuration of the issue. Admitting
that the issues are thus partially OBJ
scured, which is the better course for
"a 10 oh 60
sether evade and ignore the Ques-
ion?
AS the matter now stands, the
House undoubtedly occupies the van
tage ground, Shall the Democrats be
left in the undisputed enjoyment of
the position thus gained, or shall the
tenability of their position be con-
testedr Good politics certainly sug-
eests that the Senate report bill if
II is in their power to do so? If, as
the Republicans assert, the Mills bill
is in the interest of free trade, which
is q very broad assertion, let them
agree upon some different bill which
, shall be more in the interest of pro.
lection.
In that'eve it will be found as
the campaign progresses and the con-
tention opens all along the lines, that
the issues are after all not so much
obscured as 1t is feared in some quar-
ters they will be. Thus will the fight
be made between tariff for revenue
only, with incidental protection, and
tariff for protection only with Incl
dental revenue.
TIE coLoRED politicians at Indian
apolis are evidently an inharmonious
body, which is but natural. They are
feeling their way to the future with a
yearning akin to that Of their Cau-
casian brethren, to be on the winning
side, and sooner or later the colored
vote will be split wide open, to take
its independent chances
THE OUTCOME of the investigation
of the immigration question, which
was entered upon in New York yes
terday by the House Committee des.
ignated for that purpose, will be
watched with good deal of interest
and the hope that its results will fur
nish new and additional data for leg.
islative action.
1t will probably be found that many
thousands, from all parts of Europe,
are annually brought to this country
on false representations; that highly
exaggerated inducements are held out
to them as to employment and wages,
and that certain parties, in greater
or less collusion with the steamship
companies, are making great deal OF
money out of the deceptions that are
thus praeticed.
Mt will be found in some cases that
srn organized system exists for coloniz
ing poor immigrants in this country
who are afterward left to shift fol
themselves, and that the greatest oI
the faults TO be remedied lies with
the agents OF New York bankers and
other spectators in steamship tickets
rather than with the poor victims of
their fraud.
Evidently there will have to be
enacted some very stringent regula.
tions TO break up the nefarious busi-
ness. Not only the principle Of self
interest, but fair dealing in behalf Of
intending immigrants demands mu,
tually protective legislation,
So far as opposition TO foreign i'm
migration is concerned, it cuts but q
small figure in the case,
Every man who comes to this
country, no matter whence, is wei
come, provided he has at least TEN
porary means of subsistence, the am
bition to make himself a useful cit
iscn and some definite prospect oI
future support.
Upon the other hand, to tolerate
the importation of persons who are
known to be paupers and wholly
ignorant of the laws, the social con.
ditions and the business chances oI
the country, is not, only the most
egregious folly ON our own part. but
the height of cruelty and wrong to
the unfortunates who have been in.
weighed into an unexpected snare.
REv. SAM. JONES says the Demo
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