The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-06-10
LET TT BE DONE QUICKLY.

II, says the Inter Ocean, Mr.. Cleve-
land is to slay the protective tariff he
had best act in Macbeth's style:
eff it were done when tbs done. then 'twere
Well it were done quickly"
The reproachful ghost of murdered
National Prosperity will walk after
the murder, and the murderer will
have to make expiation by ignomini-
Gus and permanent retirement from
public life, The latter of which events
is not 10 be deplored. But because
the unaccomplished crime, so long as
threats of accomplishment are rife,
"makes countless thousands MOURN"
because it frightens capital, disturbs
public and private credit, aud so les
sens the demand for, and the compen-
sation of, labor, it were well that the
first catastrophe were fastened, so that
the recovery may follow quickly.
But perhaps Mr.. Cleveland neither
will murder the protective tariff nor
permit any of his thralls to slay 1t. If
so, 'twere we'll that he should quickly
make confession of his intent to abjure
the minatory clause of the Democratic
platform. For, as we have said, be-
lief, nay, even suspicion, of his intent
to destroy the protective system of the
country endangers the prosperity of
the country.
Edward Atkinson, who is one of the
gentlemen who are radical free-traders
in theory, but somewhat conservative
reformers in practice, and who has
been in consultation with Mr.. Cleve-
land and his secretary of the treasury
relative to "tariff REFORM" so called, is
reported as speaking thus of the re-
suit Of their deliberations:
"We (Mr. Atkinson used the word
"we" in referring to the administra-
tlon) are compelled to face the sltua-
tion in which more revenue and not
less is needed. The result is that it
will not be possible for the admins
tration to present bill which will
make any very radical changes in the
tariff, or be a serious blow to the pro-
tective system. The fact is that in my
opinion the administration will do
very little, indeed, with the tariff, for
the very good reason that it will not
be able to do so. There will be some
changes in the articles which yield
comparatively little revenue. Prob
ably many of them will be put upon
the free list. This will be true of
those articles as to which the cost of
collection very nearly approxlmates
the amount of revenue collected from
them. The details have not yet been
worked out. Enough has been dis
covered, however, to make it very
clear that comparatively little will be
done with the tariff by the administra-
tion. 1t will not be possible to do
much"
This is assuring, SO far as it goes,
bat time should not be lost in inform
ing the country as to which of the
"many articles will be put on the free
list" 1t may be true, as Mr.. Atkin-
son says, that most of these articles
belong to the class from which little
revenue is produced, but no great
number of articles can be added to the
free list of the Mckinley bill, which
itself is the largest list of articles ex-
empt from duty that ever was tackled
on to tariff bill without considerable
ulSbuTUduc6 W tu0 luuuSIElcS VI luO
country. The measure of the change
contemplated should be revealed as
soon as possible.
1t will be happy though some
what ridiculous outcome if the election
of a Democratic president, supported
by Democratic majority in both
houses of congress-, shall leave the
country in enjoy yment of Republican
tariff policy faithfully administered by
Democrats who came into power on
loud pledges for its destruction. But,
whether the Republican policy of pro-
lection to home industries is to be af-
frmed or reversed by this Democratic
congress and president, the fiscal policy
of the government should be outlined
clearly and quickly. This Is not
time In which uncertainty can be
borne patiently.