Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-03-22
SATURDAY. MAR. 22d, 1880.
MEN ANDTHINGs AT WASHINGTON.

Congress is the agreement of the
Ways and Means Committee upon a
bill for the revision and reduction of
the tariff. The bill agreed upon
provides for the abolition of all taxes
upon licenses, a reduction of the tax
upon tobacco, aud repeal of the tax
upon alcohol used in the mechanical
arts. There is also reduction OF
four dollars per ton on lroI and the
same On the steel rails. The most
important change Is the reduction
of so per cent on sugar. 1t is esti.
mated that the aggregate reduction
provided for by this bill will amount
to about sixty millions of dollars. 1t
is a noticeable feature OF the bill that
the reduction on sugar is much
greater than that proposed IN the
Mill's bill which was championed by
the Democratic party during the
last Congress. The Democratic news
papers have been asserting for
months past that the Republicans
were not in earnest in their promises
of tariff reform, consequently their
disappointment at the action OF the
Ways and Means Committee will be
most serious. The Republican party
has always been the advocate Of pub.
lie measures designed for the ameli-
GRAFTON and advancement Of the mas
ses, and hence the step just taken in
reducing the taxes upon the neces.
80 1af,a Ill fn OF 4 n 10 -
its hold upon the people. If Congress
ratifies this action, and there is no
reasonable doubt that it will, the
Republicans will enter the field next
fall with every advantage in the way
of argument, and with UNNECESSARILY
increased chances of retaining con.
troll Of Congress and of electing a
Republican president in 1892.
Another important measure agreed
upon is the resolution to take away
from the Secretary OF the Treasury
the discretion 10 suspend the pur.
chase of bullion, also the adoption Of
the free coinage of silver. This step
is one of vast Importance inasmach
as it will result in restoring silver to
its ancient and honorable position as
a circulating medium. There can be
nokdoubt that the characterization of
silver has had great effect in de.
preciating values, especially in pro.
visions and bread>tufis, and with
silver restored to its proper place the
farmer may justly hope for an APP
probation of values and for a Ieturn
of better times.
Bills to provide for the control OF
federal elections have been intrOduc
ed in both houses. but it is a matter
of great doubt whether or not either
one OF them will become law. The
one introduced in the House by Mr..
Lodge, of Massachusetts, seems to
be the least Objectionable to the
Democrats, and, while it is difficult
to perceive any reason why snch a
bill should not become law, there
is, nevertheless. Il deep-seated hos
tility in the South to the control oil
federal elections, and it may be that
no definite action will be reached
Every good citizen should desire fair
and honest elections in all parts oil
of the country, and any measure to
secure that end should meet with
general appreciation. 1t is vel
known however that fair elections
in the South wOnld reduce the Dem
Ocratic representation III Congress
to point very near extinction, and
hence Democrats will vigorously op
pose any measure of that kind. 1t
is unfortunate that this race question
cannot be eliminated from politics,
as it is q disturbing element which
serves to keep eStranged the two
sections Of the country at Il period
when their commercial intercourse
if left unimpeded would soon obliter
ate all remnants of the strife en-
Uttered by the civil war. 1t has
been suggested that the only pracii.
cal way OF settling this question is
for the gulf and cotton states to rs.
tabliSh an educational and property
qualification for voters. but they are
reluctant to take this step because it
would distranchise great many
white voters. Senators and repre-
sentatives may theorize about this
matter but there will never be any
settlement of the difficulty un:l they
reach a point where they are salts.
fled to deal with conditions as they
find them.
Senator Sherman has reported a
bill aimed at trusts and combina-
tons which seems 10 be so carefully
drawn that these enemies OF the
public will hereafter find it a difficult
thing to conspirc together for the
purpose Of increasing the price of
the necessarles OF life. This is a step
in the right direction, and Republi-
cans propose to follow it ur in n
vigorous and effective manner
The Postmaster General is push
ing his postal telegraph scheme, and
it is only question OF time when a
postal service will be in operation
under government control and when
cheap telegraphy will be within the
reach of all. Another gigantic cor,
poration which should be brought to
terms is the Bell Telephone Compa.
ny. 1t has wrung millions OF dollars
from the people upon patent which
never should have been granted.
Their system involves the privilege
to tax the air and, strange to say,
that monstrous iniquity is protected
by the official seal Of the Patent
Office. Private parties have Gu
deavored to overthrow this monopoly
tut they have always been defeated
in the courts. 1t would seem that
the time has come for the govern.
ment to take some steps in the mat
ter.
AS an evidence Of the benefcent
effects of the policy of protection
maintained by the Republican party
for the last twenty years It is only
necessary to refer to the important
change which is about to take place
in the iron industry. The protec-
tive tariff has always imposed duty
upon iron ore imported into this
country, for the purpose Of guarding
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