The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-18

Washington, Sept. II. - [Special.] =
chairman Babcock, the gold bug, who
presides over the present Republican
congressional committee, and is there
fore conducting the campaign for the
Iparty of pelf and plutocracy, is bound
Ito make for himself either fame Aor no.
toriety-in all probability the latter,
as he has contracted the very bad habit
of getting himself interviewed on every
possible occasion. One of his latest en-
Ideavors, however, has attracted great
deal of attention, as revealing pro-
fundity of economic knowledge on his
part that was never before suspected.
With great display of superior wis
dom he elUcidates the fact that there
Jean never be any permanent prosperity
in this country-that the business men
lcannot settle themselves down without
fear of being disturbed by political
tchanges-until there shall be a final
settlement of the tariff question. What
he says in this instance has long been
known as one of the more simple I'M
iderlying principles of revenue tariff;
Ibut the Democrats are not inclined to
lQuarrel with Mr.. Babcock because he
has with great pomp and circumstance
lclaimed the child as his own. On the
CONTRARY they welcome his paternity of
1.-THE idea and have great hopes of the
salvation of the father.
But Mr.. Babcock has been trained too
long within the ranks of the party of
lpelf and plutocracy to take anything
more than homeopathic doses of the
true medicine. He is apparently afraid
that if he drives the protective ideas
lout of his system too suddenly there
will be a relapse and he will be worse
than before. And in pursuance of what
seems to be his idea he has followed
up this great truth with a further dec
laration that there can never be a
final settlement of the tariff tinkering
$50 long as the Democratic party stays
in power, and that only a return of the
Republicans will effect the consumma-
ton so devoutly to be desired
In this connection the Democra tic
leaders are anxious that the people
shall look into the history of tariffs.
shall look into the logic of the ques-
ton, and answer for themselves what
system is the most likely to be per-
manent-one that is founded on the
principles of nature, on the natural
trading instincts of mankind, or one
that is founded on a statute which can
be changed in few months time by
any Congress that wishes to make
changes.
History shows that under the protec-
tive tariffs there have always been fire.
! quent changes. Under them there has
always been off years during the presi-
Dental campaigns. The reason for
these off years is not far to seek The
cause is so simple that it is almost alb
surd that the merchants of this coun-
try, with all their reputation for shrewd-
ness and business foresight and saga
city, should have been so long kept in
total Ignorance Of it.
How can a merchant who makes no
secret of his contempt for politics and
the politicians who are put up to run
the government consent that the gov
eminent run by these politicians shall
have a partnership in every business
interest of the country, such a part
nership as will allow it, by simple
change in the law on the statute books,
to change the whole Industrial aspect
of the country and compel every mer-
chant to prepare to meet new condi-
tons?
Take the present Congress. It is
composed of some 444 members in both
houses. The large per cent of these
are lawyers and there are but few men
with practical business training in
either body. If every merchant asks
himself the question whether he would
be willing to let these men run his
business the answer would be short
and sharp mo" Yet these merchants
will go TO the polls and vote to allow
these Missionaries, some of whom trade
their votes, some of whom do not care
others who are competent for
nothing. to run the business of the
country and settle all the affairs of
leverv merchant and manufacturer
therein.
Shown even that way the case is
black enough for the Republicans, but
that is not the worst view of it. These
444 members do not have their COM
bined wisdom as to the industries of a
country brought into a bill. They can
never have it under any conditions, be-
lcause many members are elected on is
sues totally foreign from the tariff and
profess to know nothing about. But
lit is even worse than that, for this is
mot government so much of Congress
it is one of committees.
In the House the rules make 1t DOS
sible for the speaker to become a ver-
! liable car. He appoints the commit
tees and can so make them
that the majority will absolutely obey
his will. But he has even more power
than that. He has the appointing of a
committee of rules. which at any time
can bring in a special rule limiting de-
bate. and under that special rule the
. speaker may recognize whom he likes
! and take no cognizance of any amend
ment that may be offered.
Under such circumstances the wis
dom of small committee in each
house must be relied on to settle the
business affairs of the entire country
when the average merchant or the
board Of directors of an average bank
find their hands full looking after their
own interests. These few men in com
! mittee are ruled by prejudice as much
las men in business life. Their minds
: cannot grasp the needs Of a millionth
part of the people. They probably have
never seen more than tenth of the
acreage of the country. not to speak OF
the industries.
. 1t is to such that is to be given the
J power of changing the business systems
of the country whenever they shall
!. take it into their heads to do 1t, and
lit is to such men that the business OF
making a tariff law will always be in
trusted. Can it be expected that they
will draft a bill that shall SO exactly
! meet all ideas and contingencies which
NAV arise as to obviate any necessity
for changes in the future!
Mr.. Babcock must have received his
, inspiration up in the Maine woods
jOnly from there could such brilliant
combinations of the logical and illogi
Ical emanate. Nevertheless he is wrong
THE Republicans can never make tar
Iiff bill that will form a sound basi.
flor the business men to build upon
Their creation will always be a house
Iof sand, and If the winds and wave!
do not tear it down they will always
be mending it and changing it in ordel
to suit the whims and manifold idea!
lof its inhabitants.
Even that bill, lately buried by ths
democrats, the deceased which owned
1.-THE paternity of the great, the Napoleon
Mckinley, 8 admitted to have beer