The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-03-29
UPPER MARLBOROUGH MARY LAND MARCH 80 1885,
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

MIR EDIToR:-Thc object of the com
, munications that | have addressed to your
valuable paper, has been to review the acts
of the present Democratic \ administration,
and to meet, by an array of facts, the
many adverse criticisms and charges that
have been hcapcd upon it hv the Republi-
can leaders and press of the country. |
have endcavorcd to show that the Demo
cratic party il not responsible for the fail
ureS, in what was expected of them, and
at the same time to place the blame where
it properly belongs The Democratic par
tv came into power AT an unfortunate
time, considering the fact that it had been
Il minority party for the period of thirty
wears and in all that time had no chance
or opportunity to pass or even inauyurate
any single act of legislation. A crisis in
the affairs of the country had been reached.
The Republican party had been rcpudia
ted by IA vote of the people in two general
elections, and their entire policy in the
administration of the government had
been rejected. The defeat Of that party
was postponed, by the passage of the Sher-
man silver purchasing act, because the law
after all was onl compromise measure.
and was enacted to keep the silver men
quiet. The Democratic party came into
power pledged to repeal the law. which
were opened to the struggle between gold
and silver. The reform of the tariff.
though a momentouS question in its i'm
port To the interest of the people, as
an ant hill to a mountain. Here was
most of the trouble. The reform tariff
bill was passed after months of delay and
debate, and it can be said that it is a meas
sure that carries with il the fultillment of
pledges made the people. as far as it was
possible to do so. And why, the expenses
of the government had been increased to
such an amount. by the last Republican
administration as almost to forbid any re-
duction of the tariff. This was one of the
resorts of that party to defeat tariff reform
by Congressional legislation Now right
here, let us consider and appreciate the
undertaking of the present administration
The expenses of the government had to be
PROVE ed for. and to do this Il revenue must
be reapcd Now il has been objected.
that the tariff bill that did become Il law
| Is not such Il measure rs was promised by
the platform of the National Convention.
nor such was advised by the admins
tration The enemies of the present law
condemn certain Democratic Senators, be
cause they were instrumental in so amend
| ing the Wilson bill, as it passed the House
as to substitute the Senate bill. Let Us
! form the tariff act was one thing, to secure
sufficient revenue by the operations ofthat
law was another. The Republican party
stood pledged to protection. and at every
| step they fought any reduction in tariff
| rates. If they had been in power they
would have amended the Mckinley law.
| but it would have brought little or no re-
| lief to the people The Wilson bill with
its free schedule enlarged to an almost in
| definite extent. could not have met the
| expenses of the government. Amend
| ments to that bill were absolutely neceS-
! sary, and they were made freely. Now
| let us see what has been the result. The
Senate bill restored to duty many articles
that were upon the free list in the House
| BILL and also increased the rate upon 9TH
| erS. 1t kept in the bill the income tax
| feature, and yet it is a fact, that there are
| scarcely sufficient revenues for the needs
| of the government, and indeed we have
seen the Treasury compelled to borrow
money to meet demands. But this will
| end. when the law goes into full effect
| Now then suppose the entire Wilson bill
| had become the law. is it not easy to see
| that it could not have afforded sufficient
money to supply the Treasury by many
millions. Then it must he admitted, that
what was done was the part of wisdom.
|
| financial condition of the country What
| better argument could have been wished
| for by the Republicans, when advocating
| a return to protection rates. which they
will do. than TO show a failure of the re-
| form tariff law: These were the immense
| difficulties that confronted the Cleveland
| Administration but SO far it has outlived
its traducers, and will yet disappoint and
disprove their criminal charges. This may
be called transition period No party in
the country to-day is in the entire supre
macy. Both of the old parties are badly
| divided upon the silver question. which
after all is the overshadowing issue i'll
American politics. That the Republicans
| have the House, and may have the Senate,
is of little consequence in a national point
of view. 1t is of course annoying. and is
to be deplored. that the Democrats will
not he enabled to formulate any legisla-
ton, or carry out any distinctive Demo
cratic measure during the remainder of the
present administration, but this by no
means proves that they may not succeed
| in 1896. By that time the silver question
NAV be settled by an international agree
mcnt. and with that ont of the way. the
legislation of the Democratic adminstra-
ton will be upon full trial, and will receive
the approval of the people II