Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-12-02
The House and the Tariff.

Senator Sherman remarked In a
recent interview that the Democrats
in the House would, of course, frame
and pass a general tariff law as it
stands, would make the issue on that
subject in the canvass of next year.
He also said that bill for the free
coinage of silver would be passed and
vetoed by the President, and that,
with the law of 1890, would make the
issue on that subject, which would be
the more important. Mr.. Sherman
is an old and experienced legislator
and politician. In this interview we
fear he spoke in the latter character
rather than in the former, and told
what he hoped would happen rather
than what he thought would happen.
The Democrats in the House are not
likely to crafty him. Their attitude
on the tariff is perfectly well known,
and no general bill is needed to make
it any clearer. IfMr. Sherman thinks
that he or any other voter requires a
bill to contrast with the present law
in order to decide how to vote, he
can take the bill passed by the House
in 1883. That might be modified in
detail if it were taken up now, but
the principles would remain the same
materials of industry and the nee
essaries of life made as cheap as pos
sible, and no interference that is
avoidable at any point with the in
dustry and commerce of the country.
Mr.. Sherman's prediction as to free
coinage will not be accepted by any
one with fair knowledge of the stu
alton. But it is quite as safe and
quite as likely to be verified as his
prediction regarding tariff legislation.
Since no general bill is needed to
make up a perfectly clear and distinct
issue before the country for the cleo
ton of next year, the Democrats are
not foolish enough at this juncture to
undertake legislation which there il
no hope of enacting. The Senate
would reject any comprehensive bill
from the House, and the House would
not only have its labor for its pains
but would needlessly put itself at {
grave disadvantage with the Senat,
in proposing one. When the Senat
shall haye majority of Democrat
and Independents, and Democratic
President shall be in the Whit
House, the work of revising the tarii
can be taken up deliberately, careful
ly, and in order. 1t will then hav'
the cooperation of all the tire
branches ofthe Legislature, as the Cor
J stitution means that such work shal
have. It will be deferred until tina
time Meanwhile, there are a fe'
J points on which the House may YER,
. properly propose action, and if it
propositions are rejected by the Ser
ate the issue already made by tn
Republicans will be emphasizes
{ Bills to repeal the provisions of I'll
, Mckinley law as to woods and WOO
l ems and as to tin plate, one putin
; binding twine on the free list, anotht
! abolisbing the duty on iron ore an
E steel scrap and on coal and coke, an
reducing the duty on pig iron to I'll
{ nd yalorem equivalent Of the old dut
e these would be not only entirel
) proper but highly desirable. The
: have been distinctly demanded b
! public opinion among those most il
e terested. They would be in the d
D rect line of tariff reform and the
{ would confirm the confdene
D of the country in the purpo'
! Of the Democratic party with refe
s ence to that reform. There are not
! hundred men in the United Stat,
whose business involves the use of til