Huntsville gazette., 1892-01-16
THE DEMOCRATIC PLAN
Tariff Tmkerers Putting Up a Big Job on
the People.


the People.
With the Crisp-Springer faction in
the ascendency in the house of repre-
sentatives, it is not probable that a
general tariff bill will be passed. Mr.
Springer, whom common report assigns
to the craftsmanship Of the committee
on ways and means, favors the propo-
sitlon to pass separate bills for each
article it is desired to put on the free
list, thereby gaining favor in sections
where an increase of good will toward
the democracy is desirable and at the
same time avoiding the criticism which
| general bill would inevitably pro-
woke.
The advantages of this course from
the democratic point Of view were out
lined recently by prominent demo-
crat to the Washington correspondent
of the Chicago journal, thus:
| 1t is proposed to put such articles on the free
list, il possible as are wanted by the great mass
| Of people where those articles are needed. In
| New England for instance, they want free
| wool for their factories free coal to run them
with and free iron ore. We will offer them this
in the shape OF small bills that can be voted
on separately. OF course they will pass the
house, and as the senate is pretty closely di-
vided, the vo tes of the republican senators
from those New England states, il they were
taken off the republican side and transferred
to the other column, would easily pass these
bills Therefore, we going to have them in
o very unpleasant dilemma any way you fix it.
If they vote against the bills. and thus defeat
them they will create intense dissatisfaction
| among their constituents; ii they vote for them
and pass them we get the credit OF having
forced reduction in these articles.
In order to capture the northwest,
free salt, free binder twine and free
barbed wire will be proposed in sepa-
rate bills, and the democratic idea is
that if a senator from any state in that
section votes against the propositions,
he will not only have hard time get
ting back into the senate, but will
arouse such indignation that the state
will 60 democratic. If they vote for
the bills they will pass
In other words, it is proposed to at
tempt removal of the duty from such
articles only as in the democratic opin-
ion are favored for the free list in the
republican states. In this way it is ex-
pected that an advance will be made
toward free trade, or the responsibility
for failure to do so will rest with the
direct representatives of the sections
most interested. The scheme is very
clever one, but it is not likely to sue
ceed, for the reason that it IS founded
upar, falee tI,5,rnr ptiUH. Ihe people
Of the sections referred to are not as
eager to enjoy the alleged benefits of
free trade as the tariff reformers" ap-
pear to imagine, and they are not as
ready to swing into the democratic line
as the plan assumes. The republicans
viii be content to abide by the result
of such policy on the part of the
house majority.
That the democrats themselves be-
lieve their scheme is one to deceive the
people instead of to bring about re-
sponsible tariff reform is shown by the
excuse they are preparing to give for
their failure to embody their free trade
idea in a general tariff bill Several
small committees are to be sent
through the country, ostensibly to in
quire of the people what they desire in
the way of tariff changes, and these
committees are to find their labors so
perplexing that they will not be able to
report until near the close of the season
too late to permit of the preparation
of general I'LL before the presidential
election. In this way it will be possible
to please many by promises Of legisla-
| tion in their special interest while it is
thought no one will be displeased, be-
cause nothing will be done to cause dis
| pleasure.
| In short, it is a great bunco game
which the democrats in the house Of
| representatives are preparing to spring
upon the people. Unfortunately for the
| free traders and fortunately for the
| country, popular intelligence is not at
the low ebb necessary for the success
of the scheme. 1t will not prove as
| much of ''heads / win, tails you
lose" plan as its promoters be lieve
But they won't be happy till they try
| it; SO let them go ahead.-Troy Times.