The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-23
THE DUTY OF THE HOrR

1t was with entire truth that Mr.. Cleve-
land said in his speech at the Manhattan
CLUB last Saturday night. "They (the
American people, are considering vastly
greater questions than they were ten
years ago. They are giving Importance
to party policy rather than party spoils."
This is entirely true, and the American
people owe the fact in large measure to
Mr. Cleveland himself. 1t was what was
then thought, by many, the unwise inter-
lection of his tariff message into party
politics that has mainly caused the ele-
walton Of American politics to q pIane
upon which a discussion Of principles
and measures has superseded discussions
colored mainly by the passions Of the war.
With the death and burial of the Force
bill at the late election, we believe the
last issue or the war was relegated to
the dead past, and that henceforth all
public discussions will be addressed TO
questions supposed to affect the public
good. The country owes Mr.. Cleveland
a great debt Of gratitude for getting II
nothing else whatever to thank him for.
This naturally brings us to a considera-
ton of the duty of the hour, and the
most pressing suggestion that meets US,
then. is the demand which all branches
Of business are already making for an
immediate solution of the questions that
the late election has raised. The election
is declaration by the people that Gus
toms duties shall be lowered. Thousands
Of business transactions are brought to a
standstill until definite KNOWLEDGE can be
obtained Of how this lowering of duty viii
be made. One can hear clamor about
1t in any business house he chooses to
enter that is in any way affected by the
tariff. The complaint is general that
business is killed until such action a s is
contemplated shall be taken. The an
preaching session Of Congress should
take this matter up at once, the House
should Immediately pass an act revising
the tariff, and II the Republican Senate
is really patriotic body, it will, in re-
Spouse TO the peoples mandate. pass II
also. and the President, If patriot Will
sign II. But the House should pass such
bill at once. and cast upon the Republican
Senate and President the responsibility
of defeating it ii they are willing to
fiaunt their theories in the face Of the
overwhelming body Of the people. But,
whatever course the Senate and the Presi-
dent may see fit to take in this matter.
the Democratic House ought to act, and
act promptly. The interests OF commerce
demand that they shall know results.
The condition Of unrest is fatal TO them.
The Pension roll is a subject, too, which
should receive the fullest and freest dis
cussion, though Southern journal Is
necessarily more or less handicapped in
discussing 1t. But even Southern Jour
nal may say that 1t is simply absurd TO
pay a man a pension merely because he
was soldier. The means OF many who
were soldiers are ample for their support.
and many others are entirely capable of
supporting themselves by their own ef-
forts. IL Is preposterous to pension such
as these, though the size to which the
roll has grown proves conclusiyeIy that
many such are on It. The roll sbould no
criucaiiy scanned, and all should be
stricken on who are not really disabled.
measure for purging the rolls has
been suggested to ~, and we think II