The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-05-16
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eupcrcilious tone in which the iiepub-
lican organs Of tho tariff rings discussed
the Dem cratic efforts to reform the
revenue system i've years 9 Tho
Democratic members Of the ways and
means committee-Mcssrs. Mills. Breck-
inridge. Hynum and othcrs-deyotcd
~ a tariff bill. and the Republican
organs rcproached them for their dila-
torincss. The organs poked all sorts Of
fun at these gentlemen because they
did not report a bill within a week or
TWO aftcr they had taken up the ques-
tion, and declared very broadly that
their failure to do so was due to their
lack Of general intelligence and ability
to do such work. as well as to their
shocking ignorance Of practical BUSH
ness conditions and their want Of famil-
iarity with manufactures. The Journal
OF this city. taking the cue from the
Eastern organs OF monopoly. printed
the figures showing the insigniicance
OF the manufacturing interest in the
Mills and Breckenridge districts, and
insisted that as Mr.. Mills and Mr..
Breckenridge represented farmers prin-
cipally. and Southern farmers at that,
IL was monstrons ~c.Irontery for them 70
assume 10 know any thing about the
principals OF taxation. or to have any
thing to say abontthe amount Of tribute
that the protected interests should be
allowed TO levy upon the masses OF the
people.
The Democratic members OF the ways
and means committee two years ago
agreed upon a bill before submitting II
TO their Republican colleagues. For
this they were iercely denounced by
the New York Tribune. which charac-
terized the Mills bill as "a dark-lantern
bilr'-a phrase which was echoed and
rc-echoed by all the other organs Of the
tariff rings.
When the Mills bill was reported the
Republican papers. before their able
editors had had time 70 read it, assaulted
IL in unison in an attack upon the bust
ness interests Of the country. which. IL
successful. was certain to throw the
whole commercial world into confusion,
close mills and factories all over the
country. throw thousands of working
men out Of employment, reduce the
wages " the rest and play smash gen.
orally. There were some people scat
tered around the country whose uncon-
scionable dividends the Mills bill would
have cut down. Some OF these people
called themselves Democrats and they
hurled i~mprecations at Cleveland. Mills
and the rest OF the tariff rcformers.
w%hcreupon the monopoly organs shouted
in chorus: Behold how the Democratic
party IS torn up and likewise split wide
open. 10, ii is demoralized and rent
with internecine strife. Tariff tinker.
ing has lone The business for IL. The
Democratic party always was an ass.
That is why it tackled the tariff. There
is nothing like being a grand old party
and possessing all the wealth, patriot
ism and intelligence in the country, and
being led by friends Of protection x
American industry Grand old parties
like that know enough not to tackle thu
tariff. and that is why they are always
or almost always-on top"
We are led to indulge in these rcmi
niscences by q survey Of the spectacle
now presented at Washington. The
majority Of the ways and means com
mittee-composed Of friends Of thu
tarif~-"students Of markets and not o
neutrality-suspicious. with highly-pro
tected potteries and such things in thei
districts, and therefore familiar will
the business interests Of the countr.
and competent TO make scientific tariG
after working on a tariff bill twice q
long as poor. ignorant Farmer Mills ans
his associates worked IN their bill
have finally produced an abortion. The.
thought they had q bill several times
but they changed their minds, and no
until a few days ago did they know wha
they were going to do with sugar, wool
hides and q dozen other things. Thei
bill Is a dark lantern" bill, becaus
they did just what the Democratic mem
beers OF the committee did two year
agO-framed their measure withou
consulting their Democratic assc
ciates. And what a plight the,
are in! The leather, wooden an
iron manufacturing interests Of Me-
England have been up in arms 70
weeks because OF the additional bul
dens sought TO be placed upon them
the carpet industry OF the country pre-
tests that the Mckinley measure, II
becomes q law, will involve 1t in abst
lutte ruin; the sugar planters Of Loui
lana and the beet root theories OF kar
sas and other States are in a condition
! bordering on insanity; the canning II
terests are paralyzcd. The g. o. p.
, utterly demoralized throughout the cour
try; the President doesn't seem to knc'
: whether he Is 'afoot or a horseback;
! Blaine. Butterworth and Hit are tall
; ing free trade. while Crazy Horse M
! Kinlcy is vainiy striving to apply HI
! absurd protectionist theories TO actua
! business conditions.
In view OF the assumption Of superic
Intelligence and capacity to deal wit
revenue questions, in which the Repu'
lican leaders and newspapers indulge
: two years ago, the existing situatic
would be inexpressibly absurd, II
we're not fraught with such dire peril I
the country. indianapolis Sentinel