The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-09
This One Great Issue.

In the brief speech which Judge Crisp
made TO the caucus after he bad been nom
mated for speaker he referred 70 only one
uolitical issue. He said: 81 beg TO say to
Won now. as speak TO you my first words,
Since am your selection for speaker, that
nv election means no step backward in
tariff reform. 1 beg to say to you that
there is in our party to-day no man who
more earnestly believes in the democratic
doctrine OF tariff reform than do"
During she speakership contest it was FREE
duenLly said by those who were opposing
| Judge Crisp that he was nos a tariff re-
| former, that be was protection democrat,
and that IL chosen speaker tariff reform
would receive a set baok. It is evident
from what Judge Crisp said in his speech
that be knew that he had been misrepre-
sentsd, either purposely or ignorantly. and
he took the very first opportunity which
presented itself TO put himself right before
the country.
There is no doubs that the new speaker
believes that tariff reform will be and
ought to be the great issue in the national
contest next year. Undoubtedly he will do
ell he can to make it so, Il is
safe to say that the majority Of the ways
and means committee will be COM
posed Of those Of the democratic members
who are known to be heartily in favor Of
reforming the tariff. Mr.. Mills will be
offered the Craftsmanship of that committee,
and there are no reasons for doubling that
he will accept the offer. The present House,
so far as it can, win show the country that
the Democratic party does not intend to
cease agitating the tariff question until a
thorough reform of the tariff is secured.
That the House will pass a tariff bill that
will be in striking contrast to the Mckinley
tariff there is no doubt. The bill will not,
of course, become law because the Senate
will not approve It, but it will call the at
tention of the people strongly to the heavy
and unnecessary burdens which the present
tariff system imposes upon them, and will
be the basis of the democratic campaign
next year.
Doubtless those who had been asserting
that Judge Crisp was not a tariff reformer
were greatly surprised that he so promptly
and emphatically contradicted them. The
course which he followed in the matter,
however, was the right one. He could not
afford to permit wrong impression to exist
with respect TO his views upon so important
a matter. II there was any doubt as to his
position on the tariff there is none now.
There are other things which the selection
of Judge Crisp will bring into prominence.
He led the democrats in the last House
against the force bill and against the arbi-
trary assumption Of parliamentary power
by Speaker Reed. He will endeavor to SO
shape legislation in the House as 10 bring
these things into prominence in the national
campaign, and also to bring clearly before
the people the reckless extravaganza of
the last congress. In his caucus
speech he said that he pledged himself to
devote whatever Of industry and ability he
possessed to the advancement Of the real
interests Of the Democratic party. As
speaker, therefore, while serving the coun-
try faithfully and honestly, he will do all he
legitimately can for the success of his party.