Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-07
Talking To Buncombe.

What Republican Senator can resist
any temptation, however slight, to
rise in his place in the Senate cham
ber and from that exalted position
make speech to the country? The
Senators of that party, with an unani-
nifty that is lamentable, eschew all
thoughts OF craftsmanship in these
efforts. A backwoods stump-speech
is the acme of their achievement.
Senator Wilson, of Iowa, is the
latest instance OF the man who,
while speaking at the National Capital
and pretending to discuss matters OF
grave moment to all portions
of the Union, really "talks to Bun
combe county," Yet, far as it was
from his mind to be so, he is, in one
of his utterances, a very 'Daniel
come to judgment" He confesses
that the present tariff schedule is
levying taxes above the just require
ments of the Government, amounting
to $60,000,OOO per annum; and he
further says that this should be stop
ped, and that the right way to stop it
Is by some revision and reduction OF
the tariff. When he puts the sum OF
fhe surplus at 100000, 900, and says
this should be cut off by tariff reduction,
we all will quote Shakespeare, and
say, with Gratiano: We thank thee,
Protectionist, for teaching us these
words.
But here the Iowa Senator suffers
gross alteration of mind. He branches
off from finance to railroad land
grants, and says his party only fol-
lowed Democratic precedent in bes-
towing so many millions of acres OF
the public domain on corporations.
Now, will the Senator get down from
the glittering generalities, pardonable,
perhaps, when man is talk
ing to "Buncombe," and, honoring
the intelligence OF the august body of
which he is member, kindly sub
stantiate his bald statements by point
ing out those bad Democratic prece-
dents?"
But here, again, we have reason to
thank Mr.. Wilson for his candor. For,
although he falsely sets up the claim
of following Democratic precedent, he
does confess truly the evil doings of
his own party in a gross betrayal of
public trust when it gave thousands
of poor mems homes to grinding mo-
nopolies, whose increased riches are
used only for further oppression of the
people. Even when talking to Bun
combe county, the statesman from
Iowa has not the hardihood to deny
the crimes Of his party in this respect.
He only dares to palliate them by a
falsehood.
Having made this honest confess
sion, which it is to be hoped will
prove of benefit to his soul, he re-
turns to. his financial fallacies, and
tries his hand at tariff tinkering in
order to reduce the revenue and stop
the surplus accumulations. He, OF
course, says the Mills bill is
free trade, that it will cripple
our industries, injure labor, de.
stroy the farmers, and pay
the mischief generally. Well, what
is Mr.. Wilson's remedy? How does he
propose to reform the tariff? Note, the
Mills bill aims at a reduction Of about
t80, 900 900 rather less than more
than this sum. It seeks to do this by
putting several articles, mostly raw
material, on the free list. These
articles are produced in all parts oi
the Union, North as well as South
They are articles of universal con
sumption and are necessaries OF life
Then on another list Of similar com
modities the present tariff is cut down
IN the case Of manufactures, the articles
ou which the duty is reduced have
had the benefit Of protection for