Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-07
FREAKS OF ACTION"
a TARIFF LETTER FROM cUsTAvUs
MlLLhISER. or RICHMOND.
How che Color Question Operates In the
south 80 Prevent the Study OF
Economic Question.
RICHMOND. VA. Janunry 3. lsal.

Economic Question.
RICHMOND. VA. January 3, l9h
No tho Editor OF the Dispatch:
THE months of November. 1892, and OF
Y,c,mbcr. IS.3. will ever be conspicuous
,.psn tno pages OF our country's affairs
4, reason OF their recording two remark
,bie freaks OF action--the one by the
,.op.e themselves, the other by the peo-
tlrs representatives.
vho one referred TO as by the people Is
,hc.r declaration at the polls in Noyem-
l,rr lN2 for complete reversal OF the
industrial policy Of the country at time
whoa labor vas never more steadily en-
moved. when wages were never at
,..t.r level, when serious strikes were
nan. EXCEPTIONS when the tide OF immi-
,-.r.n was flowing fun 20 our shores
,..tr.1t its numbers creating a disturb
.u.. i'm the ncid OF labor. when the az
,-.s.iyc spirit In all lines OF manufacture
....i..I quick and profitable channeis
-r tlr employment OF capital, dotled
Oil. face OF the country with new iaC'o-
,. o. swell the figures upon the tax AS
1rs book ana gave 20 honest WORK
r.r ttc feeling Of additional security
fa. ,mlioymcnt ahead.
40 tlr very zenith OF that prosperity
,....h is The aim OF al enlightened ma
t.... there came The verdict from the
u.e for an antipodh change. ! cannot
I.t tauk OF this step as freak oi aC-
THE TARIFF
rro freak referred 20 as by the peoples
rl..nialiyrs is the wilson tar!h pili'
\. 10 was submitted 90 Congress IN De-
..Hor. lS8. in response to Nc'oiy
...h measured its sweeping force only
L. What Jay ga SIS path. a victory Whose
rr.ufI.- kucw no number snort OF an,
..-. whose majoritics were 30 pronounced
t.. counting became but periunctoIy
l.. It'll. a..
Rom such a spring TO drink the
r....n,s az inspiration 1t would seem I'M
possible To fah in the Interpretation oi
d.. language a. the Dem 'crauc pIa'I"'i"'
>n.l not only proclaimed free uaHe'
l.t also denounced protection as uhcoh-
tuHUnral
l.. n the face Of all this. Congress
i4s bod submitted 20 st for digestion a
tlrIq bll recognizing the unconstitutional
feature az protection
For such 70 victory TO bear such uia-
is,ir!cal fruit I cannot but think & IIedh'
SITUATION SERIOUS.
~t. situation is too serious for one TO |
l...h st these freaks and there stop. Inc
l.ty az The hour IS 10 turn the Hsht Oh
,-m and dispassionate judgment upon |
those two Incidents. with the aim hIst % |
ascertain their causes. and then with the
same spirit of Caimness anu dispaSS'o"
I, apply iutclhgently the remedy.
300 ny opinion the frst freak owes i'S |
tfr.lnr question IN the |
south where. in order 10 control the
whites have seen M 10 band together as |
g. unit under the shelter Of the Democfauc |
,.rfr and regardless Of what the parry |
,afl9rm contained 10 vote for IT as their |
,uiy safe refuge. Economic questions
Mere barely discussed, ani when Young |
look place the color question was 'ne
81. controlling influence. ana tne resuIt
t.e,rlinglv was "a solid South SOLD |
On thc color question only, without |
even a coloriug Of expression Of conVlc-
4i.ue upon the economic principles OF the |
Icmocrauc party.
SOLID SOUTH.
In this way the solid South, comprising |
,aar'v TWO nfths Of the electoral coiese'
yorn,d AN unfailing nucleus around Whlch |
~ build up % party in opposition 10 'he
Republican party. IL should be appa-
lput t. every ONE that such hucieus'
while strong inl number was weak III
inherent strength. because the study or
economic principles played no part in It's
formation. and without fixed ond cltaIE
,lrresscd principles No party can survive
,...,rv Tie solid South while weak AT |
-. core. yet presented strong ana IN
..tirr cxterlor-invit.ng to all the us
rYrllut elements in the country as
F.rr. means Of furthcring their Nafied
Irlf. .o,,,,,
Iter. shade OF opinion upon currency
NJ lluiir- OF upon tariff questions |
T..ni 70 nook in the endless folds oil TINS
= .r-au,-tioniug party. The only guam
g.,,Ion for entry was 10 apply. Recruits
,.u.. from those whose study OF economic |
r....Ions begins ana ends with the APP
,r.,al az self Tor office, and from those
whose day dreams run the ganut o,
strange Nacarics about government anu
lastly from numbers ~ voters whose iohB |
,..ffnueI enjoyment of prosperity uhuer
,t. rratecti.c-tarlm laws Of the last thirty !
sears lulled them into a state or ieeihs
NnI.h Tea them to think that they were
,..h and every one. the sole architect OF
(, comforts. that favorable laws played |
D. part in his achievements.
EVERYTHING FREE"
III voters mood was positively an i'm
-iurable one. He was ready 70 be |
came the campaign Of euphony-a stump
3ueeCh symphony with the word free TOT
a. .tcrne-"Free silver" Free Trade
~ Free Country" Everything Free.
- as "a consequence many voters Freely /
Hlt,l away that which they are to-day
CRYING 20 have restored to them.
These different reasons explain TO me
a. enormous majorlues of the victorious
lrty at the polls IN 1882, which was but
b. p1riy ot opposition. sailing uhder the
tIsr0mcr Of Democracy.
THE SECOND FREAK.
The cause ~ the second freak is not
Ueult o. discernment.
Tie Ways ana Means Committee. when
ulufrontcl with the task Of reducing TO
8p.c.Gcd detail the pledges which had been
sheltered under the broad mantle Of gene
lllltts and after more familiar sc-
p.aiutauce with facts which showed the
G,.se relation between tarin and wages
q discovered that the theories which served
well as fuel for the flames OF forensic
PROMISES failed utterly under the unre-
t.nuns demands Of mathematical diyis-
In They found that there were more
fractions than a whole number contains
Upon the heels Of this awakening came
gast Novcmber's elections with voice
90 strong not to be heard. too real not |
T. De felt And then. 70 cap the climax,
The committee was pressed with appeals
f,r protection from districts within It's
own ranks. Free trade breathed but TO
perish. and the committee formulated its |
hytrll hin complete in but one feature,
puI that Is its ylndicatlOn Of the princl- |
PIE ~ protection.
Thus. upon the tariff question Is the
mission Of the Democratic party Tor |
good fulfilled. IL has emphasized the cor
~ ~ tspYofpCLifu
NOW THE REMEDY.
IN View OF these causes. as i have eX-
planned them, the remedy is 10 devise /
iome other means for dealing with the
"color qucstlon"-means which VIII not
Involve al national elections the sitting /
o. a fun and free expression OF opinion
ppou economic questions; means when {
viii not exact for their price paralysis OF
lie business OF the entire country.
Yours very truly,
GUSTAVUS MlLLHISER