Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-05-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
Congressman w. L. Wilson In
terviewed.

The following interview with Con-
gressman VIM. L. Wilson is taken
from the Washington correspondence
of the Wheeling Register
Mr.. Wilson spoke of the Mckinley
tariff bill as follows: "Why, it ought
to have its title changed. 1t should
be called a bill to bamboozle the
farmer, pay off the Republican debts
of the last campaign, and provide for
the expenses of the next. 1t has no
underlying principle. 1t proposes a
duty of 10 per cent. on hides to
hoodwink the farmer, who will not
get the benefit of it; 80 far as it all
leges to protect the agriculturist.-
Yet it cuts the duty on sugar, which
is blow at the planter. One would
imagine that if the Republican party
really desired to protect any farm la
borer, it would certainly take care of
the poor negro. Itis the negro who
makes the sugar crop in LOUISIANA
When it is question of protecting
him in his right of suffrage, which
they claim is abridged, the land rings
with their appeals in his behalf
But he has no place in a Republican
tariff bill, made to catch votes, or to
SOW tue seed of campaign corrup-
tion fund. They expect to gain with
no political advantage in Louisiana,
and care nothing for the negroes in
that locality. They must make a
show of reduction, so they cut SUI
gar as an interest out of which no
fat can be. fried for the corruption
fund. have read Speaker Reeds
speech, and noted that he said that
the Republican party would pass a
tariff bill which would be satisfactory
to the people. Mr.. Reed speaks in
the very teeth of history. No pro-
tective party has ever passed satis-
factory tariff bill, and none will or
can. Every protective tariff passed
has been followed Immediately by ag-
itation for it's repeal. Protection is
like the drinking habit-the more
you take of it the more you want,
and the less able you are to bear it,
until finally collapse must come.--
A satisfactory protective tariff bill is
an. impossibility. The people at
large are never satisfied with it; all
the protected interests do not get an
equal share, and even those which
get the lions share want more. The
fact is, the only tariff that ever salts
fled the people was the Democratic. +"
Mr. Wilson says he finds among
the young men of the country an in
crcasing interest in the Democracy of
jefferson, and that the party ranks
are being steadily recruited from
young voters; that scores of clubs are
being formed bearing the name of
Jefferson. He cites among broken
pledges Of the Republican party the
promise to reduce postage to one
cent, but Wanamaker has reported.
against it. Instead of reduction pos
tage on certain classes of periodical
literature is to be increased. Ocean
subsidies are to be charged to in
creased cost of carrying the mails.
a service pension bill was promised
on the stump, but the dominant par
ty dare not redeem this pledge. They
will pass limited bill, but not what
they promised, and will pay it out of
the revenues which they formerly de-
clared should be sacred to the sink
ing fund. Even the sacredness of
that fund which the Republicans held
should be kept inviolate to redeem
the nations pledges is invalid for
this year, and perhaps for years to
come. The party in power proposes
to pay nothing to the credit of that
fund. Mr.. Wilson exposed the hY-
pocrisy of the administration civil
service reform pretensions. Besides
the removal of 3d. 900 postmasters
solely for partisan reasons, even
chore-women and negro messengers
and laborers in the departments have
been removed because Republican
Congressman wanted the places for
strikers. Mr.. Wilson believes the
Republicans will pass partisan cleo
ton laws. He says some Republi-
cans may hesitate, but the party lash
will whip them in.
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