Huntsville gazette., 1892-02-20

of exceptions to it. Mr. springer
knows this and he soon will know tina;
people are too intelligent to be d.,
ceived by the trick that he has devised.
The principle of protection must
stand or fall as whole. 1t is quite
possible that in dealing with seven
hundred and sixty-one articles some
misapplication of the principle may
have been made. Something may have
been made free that should have been
protected; something may have been
protected that should have been
made free. The discovery Of any such
error will be welcomed by protection
lists, for their purpose is to have the
principle applied fully and truly.
Taken as whole, the tariff act of
ls9O-the Mckinley bills the best
that ever was enacted. That some de-
tails Of it may be amended, as expe-
rience sheds light upon them, is more
than probable. The tariff act of 1854
underwent amendment in every year
of its existence. The same is true Of
the act of 1860, and of every one that
preceded it.
The democratic party gained ma
jority in the house of representatives
on two propositions and two promises.
The first proposition was that the
tariff act of 1890 is infamous" The
first promise was that they would re-
peal it. The second proposition was
that the existing coinage laws are in
famous. The second promise was that
they would repeal them. Now that il
has majority in the house, has elect
ed the speaker, and has full control OF
the order and length of debate, the
democratic party must demonstrate the
truth of both of its propositions or
stand convicted of obtaining a verdict
at the elections by misrepresentation
of facts, and when it has demonstrated
the truth of its propositions it must
perform both of its promises or be adj
judged guilty Of obtaining power by
false pretenses.
Already the majority in congress, by
Mr.. Springer, its counsel, has begged
leave to withdraw its promise of repeal
of the Mckinley bill and to substitute
promise Of amendment of it. This can
not be granted. For if the bill be
wholly bad, Infamous, as Springer
and others asserted in their infiamma-
tory appeals to the people, it cannot be
amended; it must be repealed And
the democrats in the house must re-
deem their pledge of voting for it's re-
peal, and of raising distinct issue
upon the refusal of the republican SEN
ate or president to sustain them. On the
other hand, if the democrats in con
gress confine themselves to resolutions
or propositions for the amendment of
the tariff law they confess that its gen
eral structure is good which is a de-
nial Of their campaign proposition.
And If its general structure be good
certainly amendments of it, if amend
ments be needed, will be made more
wisely, and more cheerfully, too, by
those who constructed it than by those
who obstructed it.
Mr.. Springer has, as the lawyers put
it, confessed and avoided" the guilt,
cowardice and incapacity of his party
as ''rcformer" of tariff and coinage
conditions. The democratic party is
to-day, yesterday and forever the
same" body of tinkers and trimmers
in national policy. 1t originates moth
ing, completes nothing, strengthens
nothing; it NEEDLES with everything,
disarranges everything, confuses every
thing, disturbs commerce, checks man
ufactures and leaves deficits behind it.
-ChicaUO Inter Ocean