Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-11-19
rAR1FF REFORM BIZ SEPARATE i BILL. /.

3 80 Fats
The demand Of the country for
tariff reform, SO emphatically ex-
pressed in November, 1890, and re-
iterated this week, must be met by
decided action in the Democratic
House Of Representatives, and in no
way can the democrats of the house
do so much to force the republicans
o. the senate to terms as by separate
reform bills, each dealing with a
single item or with several items IN
the same schedule. The Republic
proposed this plan in November,
1880, and it was extensively dis.
cussed, not only in the democratic
press, but by democratic congress.
men-elect, the majority Of those ex-
pressing opinions on it at that time
being emphatic in its favor.
Its advantages over general re-
vision bill are obvious. No general
bill that the majority of democrats
would indorse with their ballots IN
1892 could have the least chance of
passing the senate and being signed
by the president. After a general
revision bill had passed the house,
it would be the last of it as far as
congress is concerned, but the dem
ocrats would have to defend it in
the campaign instead of attacking
the Mckinley bill, and when party
out of power fights a defensive cam
paign, it stays out, no matter how
successfully it defends itself. By
forcing separate bills on the senate
and the president, the democrats
can force the issue on the trusts
formed under the Mckinley bill,
and with this opening can keep the
aggressive throughout.
The barbed wire trust, for in
stance, has recently been reorgan-
lied. Barbed wire on the free list
will open the market to competition
and destroy the trust.
The Carnegie Steel Rail Trust is
supported both by the monopoly
tariff and by patents. The repeal
of the tax on steel rails would make
it impossible for it to control the
market, and the building and repairs
of railroads would be cheapened
with a consequent increase in facili-
ties for marketing tarm produce.
Free coal and free iron ores
would greatly stimulate manufac.
lures on the seaboard, and the res
toration Of silver-bearing lead ores
to the free list would revive the
Mississippi Valleys trade with Mex
leo, which the Mckinley bill has
done so much to crush.
Free white lead and paints and
free lumber would greatly increase
the activity of the building trades.
Free wool would so cheaper the
cost Of producing all forms Of wool
lens that reduction Of from Is to
80 per cent. could be made on wool
lens and worsteds to the advantage
of home production and without de.
creasing the revenues.
A reduction of rs per cent. in the
duties on window glass would prob
ably increase the revenues, and il
wonld certainly help the glass trust
to realize that competition is the life
of trade.
A dozen separate bills, each drawn
to illustrate the difference between
1.-The interests of Pennsylvania trusts
and the interests Of the country
would put western republicans in
the senate in a situation full of diff.
culties from which they might learn
to sympathize with the difficulties
Of their constituents.
Some Of these bills would certain
II pass to the president, and, if he
vetoed them, it would cost the re.
publican party thousands Of votes
a republi veto supporting the
barbed wire trust against a bill put
ting barbed wire on the free list
would do great deal to educate
| the republican farmers IN flla nrairiie