The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15
THE END OF THE FIGHT.

The tariff struggle has at length
reached a termination. and we fear it is
the worst termination that could possi-
bly, have been reached for the democratic
party and for the country. Doubtless
the democratic conferees from the house
have done what they honestly believe
To be the best that could be done, but
the conclusion cannot be escaped that
they have been forced to an humiliating
surrender to the senate traitors. No
more impressive statement of that could
be made than in Mr.. Wilson's words:
We have been confronted by a senate
with closed ranks while we have had
divisions from the beginning that have
been fomented from the senate, and the
growing Impotence of members to get
back To their districts win anything that
might b. called a tariff reduction Dill.
has made them unwilling to stay unless
promise could be given Of assured or
most probable victory. We could not
honestly give such promise. and a man
cannot continue battle with his army
ready and eager to break away
And if anything were needed to en-
phasize the fact that the house regarded
it's action as a surrender the resolution
for separate bills for free sugar, free
iron and free coal furnishes 1t. We be-
lieve that If the house had thoroughly
understood the sentiments Of the people
it would have risked the threatened &C
ton of the senate and made its appeal
to the people for Endorsement Of its
course. It cannot so well appeal to them
now. of course if the separate bills pro-
posed should become laws the result
would be as satisfactory as If it had
been attained in the general bill but I'M
Ii. they become laws it is useless to talk
of them. They may serve TO throw re-
sponsibility on the senate. but the SEN
ate cares nothing COR responsibility, and
it has made the house shoulder so much
of the responsibility that the question Of
responsibility becomes only one Of COM
parison To have resisted the senate to
the last would have left the house free
from any part of the burden.
As the matter now stands we fall back
on the undeniable proposition that this
bill is better than the Mckinley bill
Undoubtedly it is. Nothing could be
worse than that aggregation Of atroci-
ties. And it is much better. In 1887 and
1888 the democratic fight was practically
for free wool and nothing more. This
bill gives free wool, free lumber free
flax and jute and free hemp. with COM
-. ,,s.,,,. ., ra5,,c+io, On tho Goods made
from these materials The right of the
president to levy taxes under the re-
ciprocity system is removed. The in
come tax is added. These are great steps
the reduction of the duty on coal and
iron by almost one-half. If such a bill
could have been passed in 1887 or 1888
il would have been considered a phe-
nomenaI triumph. But education in
tariff reform has outrun the widest
dreams Of six years ago. and the peo-
pie are now set on radical action. Pos
sibly the sober second thought may re-
concile them to accept for the present
the gaining of the outpOsts Of protection,
and proceed as rapidly as possible to
reduce its remaining strongholds- A gen
eral tariff bill will now no longer be
necessary. and the remaining tariff
barons can be attacked singiy. The
Sentinel has made the strongest fight it
could to secure other results. 1t has
nothing to retract or apologize for. 1t is
still for tariff reform. and will continue
to be so until the last vestige of pur-
chased legislation is wiped from the
statute books