Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-21
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 81, 1893
The New Tariff Bill.

The New Tariff Bill.
.rbn new tariff bill reported to the ma
,ionl House OF Representatives on Tues
dav by the Committee OF ways ana
Means had been previously reported 70
tho country by the cnterprising news
nsner-men. and therefore attracted much
less attention from either the people OF
Congress than II would otherwise have
done.
The Committee az Ways and Means con-
eists NJ Messrs. Wilson, of West Virginia;
McMnn. Of Tennessee: Turner, or Geor-
eia: Montgomery. Of Kentucky Whiting
Of Michigan! Cochran, of New YORK. SIC
yens Of Massachusetts,; Bryan. OF Ne
braska; breckenridge, ~ Arkansas 9y-
mum. OF Indiana; Tarsney. Of Missouri
Reed. OF Maine: Burrows OF Michigan'
PAYNE. OF New York; Dalzell. OF Penn
svlvanla; Hopkins, OF Illinois. and Gear
OF Iowa.
We are glad that the bill has been re-
portod TO the House of Representatives,
for n promises soon 10 occupy the a'leh-
ton Of the businessmen Of the country
inst as a few months ago was the case
with the bill for the repeal OF the SheT-
man sllver-law.
II win be recollccted that Mr.. Morgan
Of Alabama, stated in the United states
Senate not long ago that. not one single
senator had said or believed That 'he
sherman law was the cause OF the nara
times. But. all the same. the claInor l'r
its repeal was kept up. The public waht'l
a victim. and were determined to have
one Congress yielded TO the popular de-
nond laving the blame. if any WAS
laid anywhere upon the men at nome
who we're holding public meetings ana
meetings Of businessmen 10 demand plal
action be taken TO repeal the Sherman
law.
Rut the hard times refuse TO take their
departure. The financial depression con-
tlnues It's work of causing failures IN
the business community. alarming uma
depositors. and producing sirinsency III
the money market $50 far as the general
public is concerned. and no one knows
whence help is to come.
Under these circumstances. the new
tariff bill appears in the national House
Of Representatives. Could any measure
az projected relief have come before me
people under more unfavorable crcum-
stances The new bill assumes that the
voters decided In 1892 by al overwhelming
ma iority In favor Of tariff reform DIT
the REPUBLICANS reply that the verdict OF
1850 was reversed in 1898. And so the Will
son tariff bill win have to run the gaun'-
LET of a continuous fire In both houses or
Congress. and possibly come to an I'M
timely end.
1t is not TO be expected that the ne"
hill will become a law in the shape In
which il was reported TO the House OF
Representatives. Indeed. 1t would seem
from present indications that the bill Will
hardly be made a party question at all.
Mr.. Wilson may be willing to do So ana
70 run the risk of being left at home next
wear. but the average congressman, sena-
tor or representative, will think twice
before he agrees TO sacrifice himself upon
the altar of his party.
The bin must be disposed of as soon as
possible. We repeat that the Republicans
I'm and out Of Congress-the newspaper
organs of that party. and the Reeds ana
Boutelles, and Harrisons-are industrl-
onslv nj work. and will soon have the peo-
ple convinced that the new tariff bill, ana
not the Sherman silver-law, was the cause.
OF the monetary panic which still hoids
the country In its deadly embrace. the nu-
merous Industries which were represented
before the Committee Of Ways and Means
will engage In the same work Of giving
n dog a bad name" I'm order 10 iatuce
somebody to kill II.
IL required much courage on tha part
Of the Committee of Ways and Means
TO induce that committee to report sich
tariff bill at such a time. The members
were none too hasty in making that re-
port. II 1t could be disposed of this week
n would be a God-send TO the Democratic
marty: but OF course this is an impossl-
billy. Tho Republicans in the Senate
ARE the masters OF the situation. and,
having no closure rule. will take care That
the new bill shall not become law II
AT all, In time TO enable the Democrats
TO convince the voters that 1t Is q good
biIi-that is, before the elections OF 1891.
Yes, as we said yesterday, 1t is the fear.
well or ill-founded. of the ills which may
result from tariff legislation that readers
Il so important that the new tariff hill
shall become law as soon as possible.
OF be consigned to the tomb OF the Capu-
lets. The Democrats have nothing TO hope
for from continued or renewed agitation
OF the subject In fact, 1t Is in
dispensabie 10 the future existence OF the
Democratic party that the Democrats in
Congress shall not furnish the Repubh-
cans with tariff club wherewith TO beat
out the brains OF the genuine Peoples
party"