Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-03

all we can do is To declare to the coun-
Try what measures we would pass il VIC
had the Senate and Presidency as well
as the House Of Representatives. We
should go as far as we can TO redeem
the pledges which we made to the peo-
pie from one end OF the country to the
other. We can then in 1892 show them
that we have kept the faith and ask
them 10 give us the Senate and the En-
ecutive, and then, fully invested with
legislative power, We can liberate the
country from the letters OF class domi-
nation and restore prosperity TO 4 dis
tracted land.
The first thing TO be done is to restore
to the House the power of legislation
instead of the power of proclamation.
The House is the great representative
body of the people. 10 order that it
may legiSlate wisely and guard with care
the interests OF the people il must have
the power TO deliberate. TO debate and
TO amend every proposition submitted
for its consideration. The cOnstitu-
tiOnal mode OF passing bills by quorum
OF the members present and voting must
be restored. The rights of members to
recognition, TO make motions, TO invoke
the will Of the House, must again find
place in parliamentary procedure. Mi
nOritieS and Individual members must
receive respectful and courteous con-
SlderatiOn.
Having restored to the House its
rightful rules OF procedure, the first and
most important of all measures which
au h.fAra if nd ~ biah tgill no
presented TO aud passed by it will be 4
bill to reduce taxes on imports. The
necessity for reductions of duties on i'm
ports has been 4 growing one for twenty
years. 1t is now more urgent than at
any former time. Twenty years ago
our expenditures for pensions amounted
to SIS, 900, 600; in 1850, $4,000, 060; in
1890, Sl07, 900, 600, and the bill we have
just passed for 1892 appropriates Sl35,-
900, 900, and il is still increasing. We
are to-day threatened with deficit, and
il will be u realized fact at the end of
the next fiscal year The Tariff act OF
October /. 1890, increased duties TO check
imports and reduce revenues, so that
under existing laws receipts into the
Treasury are TO decrease and eXpendi-
lures increase.
The large surplus left by Demo
cratic Administration is gone. The
large revenues from sugar will 20 in
the Spring, and some means must be de-
vised to raise revenues TO meet current
expenditures. II the tariff is not so re-
duced as to admit larger importationS
and thus obtain more revenues from i'm
ports the income tax must be restored
TO supply the deficiency.
1t is not only as Il revenue necessity
that the tariff must be reduced, but the
industrial condition of the country de-
mandS an outlet for our exports, which
can only be done by providing an inlet
for imports. Our labor has reached
such state of Suiliciency that our pro-
duction in all branches is in excess
of our consumption and the eX-
cess is growing larger year by
year. This excess cannot be con-
Sumed in the home market, and it
must find a way TO foreign markets or
employment must be reduced, wages
lowered and the life struggle made
harder. We must not walk Oh tip-toe
around protected combinations and
trusts, but reduce taxation TO the reve-
nue. standard on finished goods and adj
init free of duty all raw materials OF
manufacture. This will open foreign
markets not only for agricultural pro-
ducts but for manufacturers and the
products of our mines and forests.
Another measure kindred 10 this
should receive the attention OF the Dem
ocratic House, and that is reciprocity,
full and complete, with Canada and
MeXico-one lying 5000 miles along our
northern and the other 200 miles along
our southern border. Free trade with
Canada aud Mexico is almost as import
ant TO US and to them as free trade be-
tween our own States. OF course the
House could do nothing more than eX-
press the wish of the representatives, of
the people. But the measure should be
presented and pressed until our own
Government and those of Mexico and
Canada should make 1t an accomplished
fact.
If the present Congress fails, or il IL
passes bill for the free coinage of sill
yer aud il is vetoed by the President,
the Democratic House will pass it again
and give the Senate or the Executive
another opportunity to exercise the
veto. This issue, like that Of the tariff,
will not down. The campaign of edu-
cation has gone far enough TO convince
the people that their interests demand
both tariff reduction and free coinage
OF silver They are both opposed by
classes, one wishing to monopolize
manufactures, the other money; one
wishing to make the price OF manufac-
lures high by making it scarce, the
other wishing to make money high by
making il scarce. This policy has pre-
vailed until the masses are over
whelmed with debt, and they have made
up their minds to reverse it in both
cases.
There are other matters OF impor-
lance that will require consideration
other abuses to be removed-but these
are the chief measures whose enact
ment into law public sentiment de-
mandS, aud to thom the early and earn
est attention Of the House will be given
Very truly yours,
Il. q. MILLS.
WASHINGTON. January 30.