The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-15

advantage OF Inc hepuDllCul party put
il would be serious and almost ire
parable injury to the country; to every
American interest except the sheriff
and usurer it would be an unfortunate
blow-to tho wage-earner an almost ir-
retrieyable loss. For let 1t be remem-
bered that when labor is once reduced
in wage it is hard, very hard, to adj
vance it. This is tho experience oil the
civilized world, and our own obserya-
ton teaches us that when industrial ad-
justments come wages are the first to
fall and the last to rise.
AN UsURPING POWER.
Mr.. President, We do not hear so
much about tho repeal OF this Republic
can tariff legislation as we did before
and Immediately following the election
although that is tho promise OF the
Democratic platform; and II they keep
it, the law must 90. Will they do til
Ianswer, No; they may affect 10 repeal
it, but it will be repeal only in name.
They may ''nibble at it," but will not,
in fact, repeal a single schedule. OBJ
serve tho programme now Is revision
OF the tariti"-not in the usual and
constitutional waY-but through the
agency OF the cabinet OF tho President
That body, unknown TO the constitu-
ton, with no Legislative mower, is to
prepare bill and the Congress is to ac-
cent and adopt it. The constitution
oil the United States gives to
the house OF representatives the
sole power to originate tariff bills
The senate cannot do it. The President
cannot do it. No department Of the
government save and except the house
OF representatives has any such author
lily. Why? Because the theory OF tho
founders of the government was that
the taxing power should be kept as
near the people as possible; that tho
house OF representatives, selected every
two years, fresh from their constItu'
ents, could be more safely trusted in
the interest OF the people, with the
origination Of tax laws, than any other
body. This wise provision is to be set
aside and the executive power OF the
governments to usurp the power given
by the constitution to the peoples rep
resentatives alone. No reason for this
extraordinary course has been sug-
gested except that the house OF repre-
sentatives cannot DO trusted. While
this may be true, it is an extraordinary
proclamation OF Democratic Presi-
dent, made year before its assembling,
that he has no confidence in Demo-
cratic house Just elected by tho people.
What our political enemies may do is
no measure OF our duty. Whatever
they may do or fail TO do, our course is
plain. Whether they keep faith or
break it, let us keep ours unsullied and
in honor. We must stand for Repub.
lican doctrines, and for every one OF
them. The best our opponents can do
will be bad enough; little or much, it
will unsettle business and force in
dustrial changes. Even inaCtion will
produce anxious suspense which will
shake confidence.
There are those who boldly assert that
all fears are groundless; that nothing
will be done by this administration ;
and in support OF their confidence point
to the fact that during Mr.. Cleveland's
first administration business received
no schock, but proceeded uninterrupt-
eddy. That is true for the most part,
but it should be borne in mind that the
political conditions then are not the
political conditions now. Then Mr..
Cleveland and HIS party could do moth.
ing, for Republican senate, undoubted
in its majority, stood in their way. Not
new law OF any public character was
passed, and no law could pass which
did not have Republican sanction. That
we had no disturbance OF business was
because during his entire four years
Mr.. Cleveland administered the
laws made by the Republican party
and no others, for no others could
be enacted. His financial pol
icy was that of the Republican
party. lie did what Grant and Hayes
and Garfield and Arthur and Sherman
had pointed out as tho path OF safety,
and which Republican legislation had
made the only path OF official duty.
The tariff laws which he administered
were protective in every feature. They
were made by the Republican party in
1888 against united Democratic opposi-
ton, and the average rate Of duty was
higher under the act OF 1883 than under
the act OF 1890. He did rs to these great
matters substantially what Republi-
can President would have done. He
could do nothing else. He administered
the laws which embodied Republican
principles because lie and his party
were stripped OF all power to change
them. That there occurred no serious
disturbance to. business was because the
disturbers had their hands tied. That
was our safety in the past. am ono of
those who will rejoice II the United
States senate shall BIO Republican in
the next Congress. Ii so, that will be
our safety in the future.
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