The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-05-05
PIG-IR0N KELLEY ROARING FOB
FREE WHISKY.
From the Chicago Tribune. Rep.


Western republicans will be unable
TO read the accounts of the opening
speeches on the tariff question in the
house without modification aud
chagrin. Chairman Mills. of the ways
and means committee, was, of course,
put forward as the spokesman for the
democrats, and he made fair general
statement of the reasons why the pres
ent opportunity should be seized to
reduce tariff taxation ou necessaries of
life and lessen the cost OF living to the
people, without depriving the govern
ment of any needed revenues or taking
away the tariff protection necessary for
home industry. Mr.. Mills did not ex-
plain or discuss In detail the bill report
ed by his committee. His silence in
this respect can only be regarded as all
admission that the bill is imperfect and
an invitation tor amendments and cor
rections. There was little In Mills
speech that could be regarded as belli-
cose or calculated TO provoke a party
fight. He seemed rather to invite all
republicans who would consent to a
moderate, needed and carefully guard
ed revision of the tariff to Join him in
amending and pertecting the bill OF the
committee with these ends in view.
met by the republican leaders2 Simply
by putting Pig Iron" Kelley forward
to roar for free whisky, to oppose re-
duction of the sugar tax and insanely
to denounce any and all reform of the
tariff as meaning absolute "free trade.
blight and ruin" No wonder many
western republican members hung
their heads in shame, and others hur-
ried of in disgust to the cloak rooms
before Kelley concluded his imbecile
TRADE.
Pig-Iron Kelley's entire harangue,
covering such folly as his beet sugar
farming scheme and his demand for
tree liquor 10 break up the whisky
trust, while opposing every interfer-
ence with tariff. protected monopoly,
suggests that the old man has sunk into
his dotage, although still cunning
enough to serve the interests oi the
caste II mill bosses and factory lords
who keep him in congress.
The only excuse offered for permit
ting this subsidized, bigoted, chatter
ing old crank to appear as the spokes-
man OF the republican party in congress
was that he is 1.-THE father OF the hoase,"
having outlived all the OF ers,as il that
was due TO merit or talent, and entitled
bv reason of his longevity to the cour-
tesy of making the first speech on the
republican side. The quality of the
speech shows, however, that while his
jabber must be heard, no rule of cour-
tesy required that old Pig-Iron should
appear as the authorized representa-
tive of the republican party. Keley's
tariff crankery is SO great that even
among the bounty monOpolisis In the
house there are not ten men who would
agree with him in demanding free
whisky, opposing any aud all reduction
of duties on sugar and other necessa-
ries, and advising farmers to get under
the shelter of high protectlonism by
resorting to the beet-sugar farming.
The Tribune warns the republicans
of the house that they are getting
themselves into position that is giving
their constituents in the west great
deal of anxiety. None of the prairie
agricultural states have any representa-
tives on the ways and means committee.
1t was sneskingly and treacherously
packed against them. Still the dem
cratic majority reported a bill which,
while faulty In several details, en-
braces a general policy that would be
highly advantageous and beneficial to
western farmers aud western people
generally. If judiciously amended the
bill could be made a great blessing TO
the country and no hardship would be
inflicted on any honest class or any
section.
The republican minority, instead of
suggesting such amendments or pre-
pairing substitute bill ,cOntented them
selves with growing and snarling and
performing the dog in -the-manger act.
Maj. Mckinley, after having the wool
pulled over his own eyes, tried to pull
it over the eyes OF others and make the
country believe that the payment OF
tariff bonnties to the big ranch wool
syndicates of the southwest was more
important than cheapening the prices
of WOODEN goods and clothing to sixty
millions of consumers. Making this
indefensible report and absolutely re-
fusing to aid or assist in any reduction
OF tariff taxation, blunder was added to
blunder when Pig Iron Kelley was
allowed to open the debate IN the house
on behalf OF the republicans by roaring
and ranting tor free whisky and 80 per
cent. sugar duties and denounclng all
tariff reform as "free trade" which
lie should have been rebuked on the
spot.
What do the republican congressman
from the northwest suppose the farmers
sent them to congress for? They have
an enviable and unusually fine oppor-
tunity to reduce taxation on the essen
tals of life and secure substantial ben
efits to their constituents, and yet they
seem helpless and blinded with Mckin-
leyism and Kelleyism2 Will none
among them act and speak on behalf of
the millions of western farmers and
make an honest, earnest effort to pro-
tect them by reducing tariff taxation 10
reasonable limits?