Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-01
Settle the Tariff Question.

Even in Richmond may be heard the
voice Of the croaker declaring in every
knot of curbstone politicians that the
apprehensions OF the great manufacturers
of the country Us 20 what the present
Democratic Administration will do with
the tariff nre at the bottom OF the depress-
ed condition Of business which obtains
from Maine TO California. The croaker
here responds to the croaking Republic
cans in the national capital. The object
OF all this croakinG is reversal OF the
decision which the voters made in 1872.
Whether this object shall be accomplish
ed or not depends upon whether or not
the people shall be informed in the
premisea
A specimen u,terance on the tariff
question was that made some days ago
by Senator HAwLEY, Of Connecticut, who
argued against an early adjournment OF
Congress and in favor Of the continna-
ton Of the work, whatever it may be.
which the Democrats propose to carry
on. He said that the Democrats had
come into power on a platform which
pledged radical changes in the tariff /;
that nobody knew what those changes
were to be; and that. representing, as he
did State full OF manufactures he felt
it would be cruel 10 keep the manufac-
tureIs in suspense moment longer
than was necessary. There is moth
ing more iutolsrable than this state OF
suspense to which Mr.. HAwLEY refers.
The people soon become FESTIVE under 1t.
They prefer certainty to doubt. When
they learn what they have got to do
they may accommodate themselves to
the changed circumstances OF their con-
dltion. Hence Mr.. HAwLsY's appeal
is one calculated to sink into the minds
Of the people. They can understand all
that he says. And the only available
effective reply which the Democrats can
make must be early action on tho tariff
question or else a pledge that the tariff
will be left undisturbed until 1898.
So much for Republicans outgiving
as to what Congress ought to do with the
tariff. An outgiving on the part OF a
Democrat, which is even more forcible
than that of Mr.. HAwLEY. was made In
the Lynchburg advance day or two
ago, when that paper declared that the
sooner the tariff can be disposed OF the
better it will be for the Democratic
party and for the business interests OF
the people. "Ihe period Of suspense
should be abridged as much as possible,
because suspense Is always uafavorable
to business enterprises" Finally, the
new tariff should be put into operation
as soon as practicable so that the people
may have time to observe its effects and
decide intelligently on its merits before
the congressional elections OF November,
1894.
The indications from Washington are
that the Committee on Ways and Means
will as soon as possible report tariff
bill to the House OF Representatives. a
reasonable time will be allowed for the
great manufacturing interests and all
other interests concerned in the tariff to
present their views but no time will be
wasted. If the business interests in
volved in tariff legislation can make
themselves felt as successfully as the
"business men" made their views on
the silver question known to the House
of Representatives, the tariff which will
result will be very different one from
tariff not approved by the business
interests concerned in its probable opera
| ton.
Let the people be informed on this
subject. The time for tariff reform has
come. Let that reform be more than o
| pretenSe.