Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-05-12
DFNOCRATYC DIFFERENCEs

Our Republican brethren are getting what
OF consolation there is for them in their ship
wreck out of the different opinions of the
Democrats relative TO the tariff. They quote
the conservative Morrison, who represents
those Democrats TO whom tariff taxation is an
Apis, holy and to be revered, and who would
restore a small revenue tax on tea, coffee
and sugar, against the opinions of Waiter.
son, who stands for the advance guard of
the party, and who has his heart set on the
abolition of tariff taxes. Because of these
conflicting views, our sanguine friends draw
the conclusion rashly, that the Democrats
do not know what to do with the white ele,
plant they drew last November.
If our friends were really studying the
situation with view TO get at the real ten
dency, instead of hunting for darts with
which to annoy their opponents, they would
have no difficulty in reaching correct con.
clusion. To get the bearings for operations
from which sound deductions may be made
it will not do to confine the attention TO the
present time. What may now seem con.
fusion and immobility becomes a condition
of progress when compared with minor con.
ditions.
II is only necessary to go back TO the
shameful straddle OF 1884 and set the tariff
plank of that year beside that of the con.
vention of 1892 To see how far In the direc.
ton offree trade the Democratic party has
moved. And not alone the Democratic
party, but the best thought Of the nation.
The declaration Of the National Prohibition
party last year was strongly against taxa.
ton on consumption and the exemption of
wealth. The strong movement out OF the
Republican party of its best material is due
to this.
There can be no question that, had the
civil war not interviewed to stop the trend
of opinion then prevailing and to give a
fresh opportunity TO the selfish interests,
which are continually striving to subordi-
nate the government TO their own gainful
purposes, the country would have long
since been on a free trade basis.
~ AOo'b oiSi Nohbiooo uau IcuuCeu lHt
Walker tariff 10 per cent, special commit
tee OF the lower house, appointed to con.
slider the question, reported in favor of re.
sorting sat as early period as may be
practicable exclusively to direct taxation ="
They declared that "the highest develop.
ment of industrial resources of the country
ia TO be accomplished by the entire aboli.
ton of duties on imports" They recon.
mended an apportionment of the federal
taxes among the States on the constitutional
basis, assigning to each State the collection
of its quota, thus securing perfect equality,
and dispensing with a multitude of federal
ofiiceholders." 1t may not be amiss to add
that the 10 per cent. reduction of 1857 was
made by Congress in which the first Re
publican Speaker N. p. Banks, presided.
1t is always a condition of any great
movement in a party, any forward move.
ment, that there will be differences of opin
ion ranging from the radical to the con
sentative. 1t was so with the Republican
party on the slavery question, and It is so
now with the Democrats. But the con
servatives in the Republican party could not
Tetard the march of the movement In the
direction Of the liberation of the slaves, and
no more can now the conservatives in the
Democratic party check the movement in
that party whose destination is freedom of
trade