Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-04-27
is WEST VIRGINIA SAFE
DISSATISFACTION WITH EX-SENA-
TOR CAMDEN FOR HIS STRANGE
FLOP ON THE TARIFF.


FLOP on THE TARIFF.
From the Baltimore American.
PARKERsBURG, April 20.-The
flop OF tx Senator Camden on the
tariff question, 3 contained in
letter oyer his signature, is receiv.
ing general comment throughout
the State. In 1881 Mr.. Camden
was elected to the United States
Senate by the aid of Republican
votes, for the reason that he was
known to be a tariff advocate, and
the Republicans felt sure that, no
matter how he might vote on other
questions, the industrial interests
of the State would not be injured
by any vote Of his on the tariff.
During his term Of six years he
was true to this trust, and justified
the actions of the Republicans,
who brought about his election
when an element OF his own party,
on account Of his protective tariff
views, sought hard to defeat him.
A year ago Mr.. Camden's term ex.
pred. and in that long fight he
made, with unsuccessful results
last winter, to 90 back to the
Senate, he had the aid Of the Re.
publicans solely because Of his
past tariff record. He made
personal appeal to the Republicans
to help him, on the ground that If
he was not elected a Demo ca. with
free trade prOclvtles would fiji
one of the seats from West Virginia
IN the Senate. Col. Whittahue of
Ohio county, an iron manufacturer
and prominent tariff Republican,
voted for Mr.. Camden on every
ballot after the first because he
thought his interests would be safe
with him.
Mr.. Camden was defeated, as is
well known, and now, scarcely
year after, he expresses over his
own signature views on this ques-
tion Numerically opposed to his
past record in Congress and his
past public utterances.
The circumstances in which
these new views were expressed
are as follows: A short time ago
a correspondent Of a paper in New
York and also in Cincinnati re.
ported an interview with Mr..
Camden, in which he was made to
say that President Cleyeland, by
his tariff message, had lost West
Virginia for himself; that he
should not be nominated that he
would oppose his election, and
that the effect of bis message
would be to give his State to the
Republicans on the State, Congress
and legislative tickets. The Re
publican press throughout the
State copied the message generally
and commented on it, showing that
Mr.. Camden was still true to West
Virginian's industries. The Demo
cratic press, in part, especially in
the rural districts, copied the in
terview, and most of the publica.
tiOns were very severe on Mr..
Camden, several of them saying
that with such views he should
not be sent to st. Louis as a dele
gate. Mr.. Camden is very anxious
to 60 to ST. Louis, and, these com.
ments reaching his ears, he wrote |
letter, signing his name to it, in
which he expressed his views on !
the tariff question afresh.
In that letter are the following
expressions 81 think President |
Cleveland's message is able and |
practicable, and the Presidents |
manner of presenting the one great |
question of vital interest to Con-
gress and the country is original |
and fOrcible. Whatever differences
Of opinion may exist in relation to
the details of tariff reduction, all
must agree in the urgent necessity
of such tariff reform as will reduce
the revenues to the necessities of
the Government economically adj
ministered. | fully endorse the
Presidents able, honest, and cOur-
ageous manner of presenting this
subject to Congress. The real
question is the limitation of the
revenue to be collected to the
Legitimate wants of the Govern.
ment."
Upon the position of the Repub-
lican and Democratic parties, he
says: "The Republicans favor a
tariff for protection, without re-
gard to revenue, while the Demo-
Gratis favor a tariff, limited to a
revenue required
These expressions are all directly
the opposite to the course of Mr..
Camden while in the Senate, and
had he announced such views
seven years ago, the words "Unlted
States Senator would never have
been a prefix to his name through
any Republican votes. The letter
continues IN this strain, closing
with this statement: "What the
country needs is the immediate re- ,
turn to circulation of the large ;
surplus now lying idle in the
Treasury, and such reduction of
the tariff and internal revenue as !
will meet the demands of the Gov. =
eminent, and no more. This is +,
plainly the meaning of the Presi- =
DENTS message. This Is the aim
Of the Democratic party, and it is
willing to go before the country on =
this record" =
Such are Mr.. Camden's present I,
alleged views. Here, these state. .
nents are not regarded as sincere, 6
but uttered simply TO buoy up the +,
Democracy tor the coming cam. =,
laign. The tariil question will y
play prominent part in the West q
Virginia campaign, and fears are .
by the Democracy that y
I will lose them the State. y
Responsibility of Railroad. p