The Southern herald., 1888-12-15
Our Washington Letter.
WAsn1NoroN. Dec. Z. 1888.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 1888.
Senator Blackburn, owing to the
wide advertisement Of his recent
misunderstanding with JudgeRuck-
er, has been the center Of attraction
to the visitors in the Senate gallery
this week. He positively refuses
to talk about the matter, but his
friends regard it as ended-at least
that is what they say.
Senator Harris, by a motion to
lay the Senate tariff bill on the
table, brought out the fact that the
republican Senators will vote solid
ly in favor of that measure, not
withstanding the fact that several
of them are known to be bitterly
opposed to certain sections of the
bill. Several explanations are given
for this action by parties who pro-
fess to know. One is that Harrison
has stated that he wants the bill
passed at this session, and that
those republicans that are opposed
to it are afraid to vote against it,
lest they thereby lose their share
Of patronage under the new ad-
ministration; another is, that they
know the bill will not pass the
House and only vote for it to keep
up an appearance Of harmony in
the republican ranks until after
Harrison is inaugurated, leaving
the quarrel that is believed by
many people to be inevitable over
the tariff, until the next session,
when they will control both House
and Senate.
The Presidents message was an
able statement Of the position Of
the democratic party on the tariff
and other matters Of importance;
the ideas expressed therein could
not have been improved. State
ments like the following from the
message are ponderous with states
manlike wisdom: "He mocks the
people who proposes that the
Government shall protect the rich,
and that they in turn will care for
the laboring poor. Any intermedi-
ary between the people and their
government, or the least delegation
of the care and protection the
Government owes to the humblest
citizen in the land, makes the boast
of free institutions a glittering de-
lusion and the pretended boon of
American citizenship a shareless
imposition" 4 ~ "Extrava-
gantappropriations ofpublic money
with all their demoralizing conse-
quences should not be tolerated,
either as a means of relieving the
treasury of its present surplus, or
as furnishing pretext for resisting
a proper reduction in tariff rates. :"
x x x x x "It cannot be denied
that the selfish and private interests
which are SO persistently heard
when efforts are made to deal in a
just and comprehensive manner
with our tariff laws, are related to
if they are not largely responsible
for, the sentiment largely prevail
ing among the people, that the
general Government is the fountain
of individual and private aid; that
it may be expecced to relieve with
paternal care any distress of citizens
and communities, and that from
the fullness Of its Treasury itShould
upon the slightly possible pretext
of promoting the general good, ap-
ply public funds TO the benefit Of
localities and individuals. Nor can
it be denied that there is growing
assumption that as against the
Government and in favor Of private
claims and interests, the usual
rules and limitations of business
principles and just dealings should
be waived. These ideas have been
unhappily much encouraged by
legislative acquiescence. .Relieffrom
contracts made with the Govern.
ment is too easily accorded in favor
ofthe citizen; the failure to sup.
port claims against the Government