Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1892-12-01
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.
Let Their Will be oboyed-some
Reasons why an Extra Session Of
Congress should be called early
After cleveland's Inauguration.
Cor. Birmingham (Ala.) News.]


Since 1876 the issue more earnestly
pressed than any other by the Ma
tional Democracy has been "Tariff
Deform %; indeed, those words have
been the war cry of the party for
nearly twenty years. Whatever may
have been the tariff plank in each
successive platform its substance
has been tariff reform, until that
demand has become the crystalized
principle of Democratic faith.
The fruits of partial victory have
been practically lost, aud the will of
a large majority of the people, as ex-
pressed in four successive elections,
has been thwarted by Republican
Senate or epublican President, and
not until now have they achieved a
complete triumph by securing full
control of both the legislative and
executive branches of the Federal
Government. Not until now has the
Democratic party been in position
to redeem its pledges to the people,
made and reiterated through
five consecutive Presidential cam
paigns. Why should the fulfllment
of these promises and the execution
of the trust so recently and so
fully conhded to the party be un-
necessarily delayed? If "Republican
protection" as embodied IN the Nc
Kinly law passed by the flfty-frst
Congress, was thing fit and proper
to be denounced by the Chicago
convention as "a fraud-the culmi-
mating atrocity of class legislation"
it surely oanpot be fit thing for
the Democratic party to daily or
temporize with in the face of the
pledged repeal of that odious law,
as one Of the benefcent results that
will follow the action of the people
in intrusting power to the Demo
cratic party.
The argument that the call of an
s1tra session IF Cougle ess for the
special purpose of retoi ming the
tariff will create such state of dis
trust and uncertainty in the busi-
ness affairs and conditions of the
country as to produce and precipitate
stagnation and trouble, is hardly
tensble. 1t has been fully realized
throughout the length and breadth
of the United States, and the world,
for that matter, for at least sixteen
years, that when the Democratic
party secured full control of this
Government, there would necessarily
be reformation of the tariff along
the lines of conservative reduction
and fair equalization, and be-
cause cf this conviction and
for this purpose, more than any
other perhaps, the voters of this
country, by majority of more than
half million, determined on the Sth
of this month, to commit the admin
istration of its affairs to the Demo-
cratic party. 1t is as we'll known
now as it will be twelve months hence
that there must be material change
of our tariff laws. The only question
of concern is: What will this change
be, and when will it take effect? It
will scarcely be contended that un-
certainty on these points will tend to
quiet any unrest or nervousness that
may be felt by interested parties on
the contrary, the opposite result will
follow, and long continuance of
doubt as to what the changes will be
and, when become operative might,
and probably would, occasion more
disquiet and lead to more business
disturbances than the work of an
extra aession of Congsess on the tariff
laws. The sooner all doubts concern
ing these mattere are put to rest by
law, the better it will be for the
country in all departments of busi-
ness enterprise and activity.
The Democratic party is pledged
to wage no war of determination or
destruction on any of the business in
terests of the country, and the peo-
pie know it. This pledge has been
abundantly emphasized by Mr.. Cleve-
land. Had he not given assurance
in so many words, his sterling hon
esty and great craftsmanship, tested
and proved by four years of able and |
patriotic administration. would he a |
sufficient guarantee that no legisla-
tion, disastrous or harmful to the
country, would meet his approval.
1t seems to us that an extra ses-
sion of Congress called in May or
June, for the special purpose of
revising the tariff and passing a
dill to take effect January 1, 1894
earlier or later as prudence might
dictate-would be good party pol
icy and wise craftsmanship. The
preliminary work, such as organir
zation of all necessary committees,
etc, of the Fifty-third Congress
could be speedily done and the ma
tional Legislature get down to
earnest action at once. This fact
alone would strongly impress the
with the belief that
Mr.. Cleveland's will be strictly a
business administration, and in
spire the confidence of the people
that the Democratic party will be
faithful to its trusts and attend tol