The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-01
sEcTIoNAL1sa AND sELFIsHNEss.
There have been many petitions for


warded to Congress in relation to the
Wilson bill. Most Of them are purely
sectional. That is to say they are
wholly selfish. The general welfare is
not held in view. There is no pretence
in them of anything but the particular
good of some special industry or limit
ed locality. That is indicative of the
genius of protection, which is embodied
in legislation for the classes rather
than the masses.
This spirit of sectionalism is mani
tested in much that is being done, or
attempted, or clamored for iii our own
Legislative Assembly. 1t has far too
much effect upon the men who are
framing laws and resolutions and me-
MORALS as the peoples representatives
They have been elected from particu-
lar districts, is is true. But they are
sent to the legislature TO act for the
benefit of the whole territory. One
political party is dominant there. But
its members are not chosen to bolster
up that party They are expected to
place the public needs and progress
above all mere party considerations.
The tariff notifications and special
provisions asked for by the various
manufacturing and other institutions,
in consideration by the Senate Of the
Wilson BILL would if all complied with
entirely destroy the very purpose of
its preparation and the effects intend
ed by its enactment. They are various
and conflicting and all founded in indi-
vidualism instead of the greatest good
to the greatest number.
But the general desire of the mas
ses of the people of the United States
is that the tariff question shall be dis
posed of without further delay. It is
the unsettled condition of affairs that
is doing DANCE to business and contin-
uing the depression throughout the
country.
A petition was presented from large
body of Massachusetts people, a few
days ago in the Senate urging the
speedy passage of the Wilson BILL re-
ference to which has been made in the
regular press dispatches. Accompany
ing the petition was q letter to Sena-
tor Voorhees, from which the following
is copied:
This petition has been circulated
without expense and the signatures
have been obtained without effort and
without intimidation. Many of the
signers are working men; others have
large financial interests in the so-called
protected industries There are mer-
chants and capitalists; lifelong Demo-
Gratis and men who have been in times
past towers of strength to the Repub-
lican party An analysis of the names
will probably show that both in num-
berS and in character of business in
terests involved the petition is more
of the manufacture,
trade, and labor of Massachusetts
than any which has been sent from
the Bay State to Washington for many
4,
the petition has been signed by those
to whom it was presented, makes it en-
tirely clear that the general mass of
Democrats of this state, as well as
large numbers of Republicans, look
forward with hope to the wider mar
ket and the quickened industry which
free wool, free coal, and free iron ore
will bring, and then they welcome the
relief from oppressive and unjust tax
81 &c NV
tariff"
The New York Post says there were
nearly 1000 signatures to the petition.
One of the manufacturers of Roehdale,
in Worcester county, a Republican,
has taken much interest in the matter
and other Republicans who have man
ufactures among the protected indus
tries have been ready to sign, believ-
ing that as soon as the Wilson bill
passes there will be a revival of bust
ness. A Republican wooden manufac-
turer said, when signing this petition,
that he believed that his branch of
manufacturing did not need further
protection and that he was ready to
take his chances with free wool; that
if after century of protection the
wooden industry could not stand alone,
it was time they went out of business.
But it is also claimed that money
has been raised in large sums among
other Massachusetts manufacturers, to
be used in delaying as long as possible
the passage of the bill if it cannot be
defeated. Every weeks delay. even if
it is to be followed by the final passage
of the bill, only increases the general
disgust at Democratic delay, and there
fore it is considered good policy for
the Republicans, from narrow party
point of view, to do what they can to
promote delay.
Thus, with the selfish interests of
certain classes and localities and the
partisan desires of Republican poll
ticians. the welfare of the country is
thrust aside and made subordinate to
those really inferior matters
So far as the bill is concerned, the
proper thing to do is to press it to an
issue as rapidly as feasible and relieve
the country from the present uncer-
tainty. That is possible of accom-
plishment As to the spirit of thor
ough selfshness, either as to personal
profit or party interest, that lies deeper
down than the other consideration, and
it will require a complete change of
heart among the multitude, as well as
in the political leaders of the country.