Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-11


The completeness of the sway of the
South in government affairs under Demo-
cratic rule is strikingly illustrated in the
makeup of the msjority Of the conference
committee appointed for the purpose of
agreeing upon and reporting tariff bill.
As the Democratic party is in control of
both the executive and legislative branches
of the Federal government the supposition
is that whatever measure they may bring in
will become the law of the land. The Re-
publican minority of the conference COM
mittee will have absolutely no voice in the
draughting of that bill. Their posi-
ton simply gives them the privi-
lege of submitting a minority re-
port. So far as results are concerned the
msjority of the committee is supreme. The
exceptional powers which it yields would
certainly indicate the unfairness of making
it up upon sectional lines. But such con-
siderations do not weigh with Southern
state smen. They are arrogant and dicta-
torial. They cannot tolerate opinions that
do not coincide with their own-and per-
haps not wholly without reason. Feeling
that they possess pretty much all the brains
in the Democratic party they have con-
stituted the majority of the conference
committee as follows:
Senator VOORHEES,. ............. Indiana
Senator HARRIS ............-. 80. Irnnessee.
Senator VEST. .Mlssouri'
Senator JONES. -.................. ArKahsas.
Congressman WILSON. ....,....-..Wes Virginia
Congressman MCMILLIN.. Tennessee.
Congressman TURNER ............ Georgia.
Congressman MONTGOMERY. kentucky. i
Who will venture to say that the South is
not in the saddle. Every one of the MEM
bers of this important majority is South
ern man, with a single exception-and he
from state which, on its southwestern
boundary, joins Kentucky, and consider
able portion of whose people are Southern
ia their sympathies. The business inter-
ests of 60, 900 of people, the residents of
the A states of the American Union
are absolutely in the keeping of the
elRut DemOCTats VIM Sohohlueo ehe
majority of the conference commit
tee, seven of whose eight members
are from Southern states. 1t is sectional
ism run mad. The New England states
with the il immense manufacturing interests,
the great Middle states with their extensive
productive enterprises employing enormous
capital and millions of intelligent workers,
the great states of the Northwest with
their manifold interests, the powerful COM
monw ealths of the vast Pacific slope, are
all absolutely without representation
on the majority of the committee
which is to frame tariff law
for the American people. The great
West itself can claim but a single member
of that august body, while the little Southern
state of Tennessee is accorded two! This
is situation that should be carefully con-
sidered by American citizens outside of
the South. Is bigoted sechonalism
to rule our land? Are the representatives.
to six Southern states representing consid-
erably less than sixth of the population
of this great country to absolutely dictate
the terms of the most important law
upon its statute books9 Are there, no
| Democrats ia Congress from New England,
| from the Middle states, from the Northwest
or from the Pacific slope with sufficient
brains to be intrusted with a part in the
| framing of so important q measure
Is it absolutely necessary that practically
the South alone should be represented
in so important work? Such would GER
tainly seem to be the opinion of the South
ern masters of the Democratic party and
one alone of the Democratic members of
Congress representing the four great Sec
tions of the country that have no represen-
tation on the majority of the conference
committee, has had the manhood, the self
respect and the courage to utter note of
protest sgainst such an astounding condi-
| ton of affairs. Under Southern leadership
the great industries of the North have been
ruthlessly destroyed VIII lie those of the
South have been looked after with scrupu-
lous care. In this fact the Northern far
mer will find the reason why in the Will
son bill, Southern oranges are am
ply protected while Northern apples
are put upon the free list; why
Southern rice is given forty per cent.
protection and Northern potatoes but ten
reduction of ten per cent. in the pIotec-
ton accorded them by the Mckinley law !;
why sugar is protected and lumber made
free why peanuts are given ample protection
and peas put upon the free list; why South
ern marble is given protection of 40 cents
per cubic foot, and Northern granite but 20
per centum al valorem. and SO on through
an extensive list. A sectional committee will