The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-03-30
TARIFF PROSPECTS,
WILL THE FIFTY-FOURrH CONGRESS
ATTEMPT A REViSlONf

Republicans In No Hurry TO Proclaim
Their Purpose-win Probably Dodge tho
Carin and Beat the lingo Tomtom.
Safer but More CowardIy Course.
Ono reason why the Republicans in
Washington have shaped their course so
as to avoid tho necessity for an extra
session is because they are in no hurry
tograpple with the tariff question again
There was brave talk for timo of
forcing an extra session and examining
Mckinley tariff down the throat of
tho administration undor u virtual
threat to shut off supplies, but that soon
died out Tho Republican leaders WISE
~ concluded that bulldozing tactics
would not be popular, and that if it
should DO attempted tho people would
servo them i'll 1896 as they served tho
Democrats in 1894.
And now it is intimated that they
will not bo quite ready to tackle the
tariff even in December 'Thero seems
to DO general agreement, says
Washington correspondent, 'that a
comprehensive revision Of tho tariff will
not be attempted next winter" And
there are reasons for an agreement of
What kind. If tho Republicans fornu.
lato law on Mckinley lines, they will
probably run up against public opinion
with. fatal violence, and if they will
formulate ono on other lines they will
give mortal offense to tho tariff Bone
iiciaries from whom most of tho Repub-
lican campaign fat is extracted
Take the wooden schedule for illustra-
ton. If they put duties Oh wool, they will
have to put higher duties on wooden
goods throughout tho list. If they stop
short OF Mckinley rates, tho woolgrow.
ers or the manufacturers, or both. will
be disgruntled, TO the great hurt of the
campaign fund. Bat if they put back
the Mckinley rates public indignation
viii ovcrwhelm them. And so of NIL 9th.
er schedules. A comprehensive bill.
showing item by item just what the Re-
publicans would ii they could, and this
just before a presidential election, would
he as dangerous to them rs the revision
of 1894 was to the Democrats
If the Republicans do not mako a
comprehensive revision, what will they
do! Aftor sneering ut popgun bills will
they pass popgun bills Of their own?
Aside from the matter of consistency.
which may not trouble them much,
there Is tho danger that if they take
care of ono interest or two or three all
tho others will BIO offended There will
not be that chang together" which Mr.
Blaine declared was necessary if the
protected interests were to avoid hang.
ing separately.
And besides the more experience the
people have with comparatively low
tariff the better they will like it The
| chances arc that by tho time they como
to vote for presidential electors in 1896
they will want lower tariff, not IA
higher ono. They will not flock to the
standard of IA party which promises
thom dearer lumber, dearer salt, dearer
iron, dearer clothing
No wonder tho Republican brethren
are III no hurry 10 proclaim from the
housotops what they propose to do with
the tariff No wonder they talk about
setting up tho plea that there is no use
80 i'i Aslti4A HUM w lnNtT W.
cause tho president would veto any tar
III bill they might pass. From their
point Of view it may DO better politics
10 find fault with the Democratic tariff
and abstain from framing ono of their
own until after the next presidential
election. 1t may be tho safer course
but it will not 10 brave, and the people
sometimes say when thoy go TO tho polls
that they hate political cowardice
ON the whole. the prospect seems 20 be
that tho Rcpubican politicians will
dodge the tariff and beat the lingo tom
tom with might and main until after
election day i'll November, 1S96.-Chi.
cago Herald.