The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-08-30
THE TARIFF BILL.

X LII W bSSOAllO q AeAN NlthOdh AAAS
ture. This course will expose him te
much more severe and just criticism
than if he had either signed it or vetoed
it.
He has explained bis course in let.
ter written to Representative Catchings
of Mississippi, in which he attempts to
coin number of catching phrases for
use in the coming campaign, but which
are so irreconcilable with well-known
facts as to lose all their point They
will furnish much more ammunition to
Mr.. Cleveland's opponents than to his
supporters.
This leaves the whole situation in
most disastrous shape for the Tariff De
formers. All the facts are overwhelm-
ingly against them. They made a
vociferous campaign and the most as
tonishing promises. They secured an
almost unprecedented majority in the
House of Representatives, and an I'M
usually large one in the Senate, so that
they had it entirely in their hands to do
precisely as they wished. Never in the
history Of our Government had any one
party more complete control of it. For
two years now the country has been
kept in fear and suspense which have
been terribly destructive to business.
No man had the heart to attempt
anything-to even think of anything
until it could be found out with some
degree of certainty what the wild, in
temperate and uncomfortable Deformers
would really do. Every disastrous,
harmful thing was possible, and wise
conservatism was the only thing not to
be expected. Every day was filed with
conflicting rumors, to the sufiocation of
all of hope in the hearts of men. In
evitably the condition Of things grew
worse from day to day. Factories were
continually closing down, men were
being thrown out Of employment, mer-
chants were falling, and the activity and
prosperity of two years ago were sue
ceeded by the dreaiest stagnation for
everybody, and boundless misery for
millions of working men.
That with such majority in both
Houses this condition of things should
have been protracted nearly two years
was criminal folly of monumental di-
mansions. Not single word can be said
to justify or excuse it. 1t stamps with
indelible distinctness the seal Of i'm
becility and incompetency upon the lead
ing Tariff Deformers. They have shown
themselves by far the most utterly In
capable men ever entrusted with power
by the people.
The final passage of the bill is a great
relief to the aggravated situation, be-
cause it puts an end to the disheartening,
destructive agitation, and shows just the
worst that will be done. The talk of
further legislation in the coming session
is rank nonsense. It is mere blatancy,
for the purpose Of deceiving the Anarch-
lists and Socialists of the big cities and
the Free Traders of the back country
districts, and it comes from men who are
already foredoomed to defeat at the
polls this Fall. This bunkum will not
help them. If they could not carry out
their schemes with such overwhelming
influences in their favor as they have
had since 1892, there is not the shadow
Of chance for them in the conditions
that will henceforth obtain. No one,
not even their own followers, has the
slightest confidence in them or in any,
thing they may say.
NoY, knowing absolutely the worst,
the people will take heart and go for
ward as of old. All they wanted was
something certain to 60 upon. They see,
now that the wild demagogy of Tariff
Deform, like the still-wilder demagogy
Of Populism, has spent its force, and
that everybody is returning to saner
thinking.
We can endure the blunders and
crimes of the new Tariff Bill until
another Congress, elected by the chas-
tened and sobered people, shall repair
and correct them. Everybody has been