The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-06

tocsin of their own political death, as vel
az financial ruin to many OF their constitu'
ents. The influences, however, which
made the bill and backed its passage were
stronger than any the objecting Demo-
Gratis could bring, and between the Scyllf
| Of protection of home industries and the
| Charybdis Of free trade at the white house
the measure found and easy voyage to the
senate.
There trouble began In earnest. Strong,
independent aud patriotic men were brave
enough to encounter presidential disfavoI
and party censure rather than acquiesce In
a measure that would surely prove disas-
trous and bring ruin among the people
whom they had been chosen to represent
To save themselves, perhaps, more than to
succor the country, they began adding
protective amendments FOR the dement, OF
their respective constituencies. kepuoli'
can senators were powerless TO mould;
they could but back by threats OF delay
the demands of Democrats for protection.
The people of the country, who came to
lay their petitions and appeals before the
committee, were ignored. The star cham
Der councils of the senatorial committee
were closed against all the country and
their representatives, even the Repnbli-
can members of the committee being ex-
cluded. The south alone secured hear
ing. 1t dominated both committees, alike
in numbers and influence. Most OF its de-
mands were for free trade, because the
plantation system fosters policy which
means poorly paid labor; but where the
south needed protection it got 1t. Sec
tionalism did all it could, and was only
prevented from doing more by the atti-
tude Of a handful Of northern Democratic
senators. who met it's demands with out
spoken protest, as brave az the protests OF
Pennsylvania's patriotic Samuel j. Ran
dali in his successful battle against the
| Mills bill.
DEMAND FOR TARIFF IN SPOTS.
| 1t is safe to say that no protective
amendment would have found lodgment
upon the original bill il a sufficient num-
ber OF senators could have been found in
the body to pass it. Concessions had to be
made In order to secure majority. The
| Democratic demand for a tariff IN spots, in
the face of the declared purpose Of the
party and its chosen chieftain. resulted in
more than 600 amendments--800 spots on
the free trade sum For more than a year
the unhappy Democracy wrangled, while
the more unhappy people OF the country
struggled for bread and butter. When
the measure was presented to the senate,
so changed. and mutilated was its condi-
tion that it's parents declined to recognize
it and viewed it with horror. The presi-
dent himself invoked every influence and
| prerogative Of his great office to force his
own notions upon the senate, and declared
that those OF his party who would not
bow to his decree were guilty, among
other crimes, of party perfldy and dis
honor"
The peoples interests were lost sight of
in the angry contentious between the
president and the opposing factions Of his
own party for supremacy. In that con-
test the victory was against the president
and on the side Of the spotted bill. In.
deed, the earnest and growing opposition
compelled him to lower his colors, while
| his majority in the house made q speedy
surrender, firing a few pop guns by way
Of protest.
The product of the years work on tariff
reform has resulted in placing on the
| statute books measure which satisfies
neither political party A distinguished
Democratic senator publicly declared be-
| fore the senate that he doubted II it gave
satisfaction to q thousand people in all
| the land Twelve months work for free
trade is ended. The people in patience
| and actual suffering have waited for new
| dispensation. which was to bring prosper
ity, happiness, comfort and contentment
to all the land, and all of the people
thereof
We read in the history of earlier times
that there long prevailed q common
thought current through many sras that
in the business Of acquiring money or
property, what one man gained another
lost. No other theory of the exchange Of
wealth was more popular than this
Among the commercial nations dealing
through barter rather than manufacture
or material development, appeared to JUS
| tify the theory. Such q comparison Of
values extended, in the earlier days, to
this country and won somewhat of gen.
eral acceptance, but more recent expert
ences have proved it's falacy.
This controlling thought must have been
in the mind Of Mr.. Lincoln, when he de-
clared in his homely way, that the sim
plest explanation Of American protection
was embodied in the suggestion that, II an
American purchased 500 worth of goods in
a foreign country, America had the goods
and the foreign country the money; but
that IL the American purchased the goods
in America, America would have both the
goods and the money.
Since the events of the past eighteen
months have called a halt upon develop
ment every man and woman in the land
has become poorer than before. The me-
chanic has had to trench upon the savings
OF his previous prosperous years to enable
his family to live. So too has it been In
greater or less degree with the capita'ist,
the operator, the miner and the farmer.
No calling has been exempt from the uni
versal fall, and all have suffered loss Of
substance, the suffered being largely
measured by the ability to bear it,
FREE TRADE NOW UNDERSTOOD
1t is sadly easy to realize this truth 80
universal throughout the country. 1t is
now seen and known Of all men and wo-
men and it strikes from under it the very
foundation of free trade. which looks only
to free exchanges Of goods in the marts Of
the world. The United States desires and
demands more than that. 1t is the richest
in resources OF all lands given to the use
of man. 1t has untold stores of every class
Of material wealth needing only the handi-
work of man to make it contribute to the
uses Of civilization. These attract to them
both population and capital; hence our
great towns and cities distant from every
other avenue Of commerce than is afforded
by great railways and internal water
ways. The highway or the sea is not the
only thoroughfare leading to profitable
markets. Here we seek within our bor-
ders market which should be our own.
market afforded by 10000, 600 of people
who when prosperous ale the best buyers
and the most extensive consumers known
to trade. With manufactures and all other
lines Of industry closed by adverse legis-
lation, the home labor market falls to the
level of the cheapest markets. The power
OF legislation over, nay, the threat Of leg
islation upon, the question will never
again be mistaken by the people. They
see 1t now as they had never seen it be-
fore.
With the belief that the question might
be settled in some form and the agitation
allayed, and with the earnest desire to ad-
just all lines Of industry to the conditions
imposed by the new law, IL was hoped that
business generally would try to resume;
but with the distinct notice from the Off
cial head of the party in power that tue
agitation will again be resumed when con-
gre-s convenes in December next, it is to
be feared that the best we may expect will
be to see poverty not so intense, comfort
modified by careful economies, progress
upon lines shaded to suit difficult sur