Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-09
from the Boston Post.
TOBACCO TAX REPEALERS.
GIVE SPEAKER REED A CHANCE TO
REDEEM PARTY PLEDGES.


THIS Is THE OPPORTUNITY THAT He ONCE
PRAYED For, BUT HE SEEMS TO HAVE
BECOME LUKEwARM-IF He GRANTS
THE PETITION, WILL HIS PARTY VOTE
FOR RErEAL9
WASHINGTON, April 3.-[SPEc1AL. u
Speaker Reed will have until Monday to
decide whether he will recognize Demo-
cratic member of the House to move the
repeal of the tobacco tax. Mr.. ID. st.
George Tucker, the brilliant young mem
Der from the Staunton district of Virginia,
forwarded to HIM to-day petition signed
by all the Democratic Representatives from
Virginia and North Carolina, asking him
20 make the recognition on Monday, which
is individual suspension day under the new
rules. The petition, which was delivered
by Isaac r. Hill, the Democratic assistant
doorkeeper, is as fellows:
The Hon. Thos. B. Reed, Speaker Of the
House of RepresentdtireS-The underSign-
ed members Of the House Of Representa-
tives of the Fifty-frst Congress, respectful
~ ask that one of their number or some
other member of the House of Representa-
tiyes be recognized on the first Monday of
April, 1890 Chat being suspension day nn-
der Rule % for individual members, for
the purpose of moving suspension OF the
rules to put upon its passage bill to re-
peal the internal revenue tax on tobacco.
| Paul G. Edmunds, Charles O'Ferral,
John A. Buchanan, Thomas e. Skin
ner. George D. Wise, w. Fl. F. Lee,
Alfred Rowland, Harry St. George
Tucker, Edward c. Venable, P. g.
Lester, John S. Henderson, B. IL.
Bum, VIM. H. 81. Cowles.
Mr.. Tuck.r inelosed the petition in let
ter inviting Mr.. Reeds attention TO its con-
tents. He desires to put to the test the
professions made by Republicans on the
stump in Virginia, that the Republican
party stands reasy to repeal the tobacco
tax at the first opportunity. 1t will be re-
membered that similar petition was pre-
| sented to Speaker Carlisle in the Forty
ninth Congress, and he refused to entertain
motion to take up such bill. He was
fariously denounced for this by the Repub-
lican leaders, and his action probably con-
tributed somewhat to Republican gains in
North Carolina and Virginia. Mr.. Reed,
at the beginning of the last Congress, de-
clared:
"We are all agreed, at least upon this side
of the House, that the surplus should be
reduced, and we stand ready now, before
the holidays, to make one reduction in
which the other side of the House are
| IL ,iaA1o To- hn toll,
co tax; and hope that an opportunity will
be given US before we separate by the
powers that be and are to be, to vote there
on and show to the country some disposi-
ton proper and suitable in this matter"
When he was mildly admonished that h.
would have an opportunity to vote on rev
enue reduction, he pranced down the aisle
and shouted at the top of his voice, "Why
not now''? Mr.. Reed now has the oppor-
tunity to realize his dreams, but he shows a
remarkable decline of enthusiasm. He
said to the Post correspondent this after
noon that he had received the petition OF
Mr.. Tucker while he was busy about some
thing else, and had not read it. He did
not seem disposed to state whether he
should recognize Southern member, but
animated that it was hardly the rule for
a member TO write a-letter to the Speak I
asking to be recognized unless he belonged
to the Speakers party. He would not state
whether he intends to answer the letter or
not. From tactical standpoint it does
not matter much TO the s uthern Democrats
whether be refuses to recognize one OF
them 10 move the passage of bill Or whe,
) Their he does recognize him and has the
motion voted down by his party. Ia either
case it will prove to the people OF Virginia
and North Carolina the emptiness of Re-
publican promises, and will swell the Dem
ocratio majority this autumn.