The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-12-31
THE DUTY OF CONGRESS.
Measures Necessary to Democratic suc-
cess Next Year.

Measures Necessary to Democratic suc-
cess Next Year.
The great democratic majority in the
new house of representatives was
elected on the issue of tariff reform.
The people have sent these men to con-
gress to make laws for the peoples re-
lief. II the people had had chance
when this congress was chosen they
would have created q democratic SEN
ate and democratic executive. It
would then have been the duty Of the
democratic house to frame and pass q
general bill, carefully considered in all
its parts, for the reform and recon-
struction of the tariff law upon just
principles and in accordance with the
requirements Of the public welfare.
Such bill, in such case, could have
been made law.
But the people had no chance to do
this The senate remains republican
by virtue Of its deliberate packing. and
a republican president has the veto
power. No general tariff bill framed
to fit broad conceptions Of tariff reform
is likely to become law while these
conditions exist.
But the fact does not relieve the
democratic house of representatives of
its duty. It was elected to give to the
people the fullest measure of relief
that is possible under existing condi-
tions. Its imperative duty is to do this
in the most practical and practicable
way it can devise, and not merely to
frame ideal bills which are certain OF
defeat in the senate. 1t may wisely,
perhaps, frame and pass a general bill
as declaration and protest, but it
should also do something for the actual
relief of the people.
The practical way under the circum-
stances is the detailed way. Congress
should pass bill to put binding twine
on the free list. with no encumbering
provision. The senate would not ven-
ture to defeat that, though it would
pretty certainly defeat q comp-ehen-
sive tariff-reform bill of democratic
construction including that provision.
1t should pass another bill making the
raw material of iron manufacture
free: another doing the same. or some
thing like t, for the woolen-cloth max
ers; another repeating those extra du-
ties on woolen cloths which were i'm
posed avowedly as compensation to
the manufacturers for the duty on
raw materials, and perhaps some 9TH
erS
II bills of this kind are passed by the
house the senate will pretty certainly
accept them. The republican majority
there is small and Is difficult to hold
together for high protection even when
. comprehensive bill is under consider.
alton. 1t could not be held together il
opposition to measures of relief like
these. involving the vital interests oi
the northwestern farmers in the one
case, OF New England manufacturers
and their workmen in another and
OF the great mass Of the people in 9th
ers-
The senate would almost certainly
pass such bills and the president would
sign them. To do otherwise would be
to invite defeat in next years election,
with the certainty that the invitation
would be accepted.
Is it not the perfectly clear duty oi
the house of representatives this year
whatever it may do in the matter ol
q general bill-to seek in practical
ways the accomplishment Of the pur-
poses for which it was elected? Is not
that also the wisest political policy
". Y. World.