The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-10-29

pointed, persons in public employ
should be free from political assess
ment, but | am unutterably opposed to
any rule which will prevent the peo-
pie, at stated and fixed periods, from
changing their public servants.
1t is true also that criticised the
soclllcd ''Australian ballot law as it
was presented to the Maryland Legis
laturc. WAS as earnestly in favor of
Il law which would secure a free ballot
and Il fair count as You. But believed
that the act as drawn net outstanding
the many excellent provisions found in
all election laws, contained other pro-
visions which would facilitate the pro-
cess of coercion and give undue power
for corruption by capital and corpora
tions at the expense of the weak, the
ignorant and the dcfcnsclcss, and that
it would restrict the influence of the
Democratic yocmanry of tue State, an
influence never yet cxerted to the peo-
pies injury. But this question was
long since determined by Democratic
legislature
Ofmy connection with tariff reform"
it seems 4 waste Of time to speak.
Here is mere phrase construed by
each one to suit himself and meaning
only what the individual would have
it mean. That l opposed the Wilson
tariff bill as it left the House in 1894
do not dream of denying. | am too
proud of the fact to wish to obscure it
in the slightest way. The bill came to
the Senate mere measure of bank
ruptcy-a bill to create an annual de-
felt of SIS 100000 or SSO,000,0O0 in
the public treasury. | did not under
stand tariff reform to mean national
insolvency, the paralysis o. private en-
terprise and L dcsolating money panic
throughout the land. do not SO I'M
derstand it Hpw The result was that
| took part in the movement to multi
ply the sources of revenue and to save
the country from an otherwise incvita-
ble calamity Mr.. Clcveland's Secre-
tary of the Treasury, Hon. John g..
Carlisle, was formally interrogated in
the premises, and his official reply is Of
record to the effect that an increase of
revenue was imperatively necessary to
put the treasury upon 4 solvent basis.
The committee had this high contirma-
ton of their views.
may add also that President Cleve-
land, although he said some harsh
things about the amended bill at the
time of its final passage by Congress,
and even permitted it to become law
without his signature, had occasion to
modify his estimate altcrward. In his
last message to Congress, December I.
1896, he said:
II desire to recur to the statements
elsewhere made concerning the govern
ment $ receipts and expenditures for
the purpose of venturing upon some
suggestions touching our present tariff
law and its operation.
This statute took effect on the 2Sth
day Of August, 1894. Whatever may
be its shortcomings as complete
measure of tariff reform, it must be
conceded that it has opened the way
toa freer and greater exchange of COM
moditics between us and other coun-
tries, and thus furnished Il wider market
for our products and manufactures.
= & *
Il suppose it will not he denied that
under the present law our people OBJ
Iaiil lilt HtttSoilit vi cOlllloItiDIc
existence at 4 cheaper rate than former
". This is Il matter of supreme i'm
portance, since it is the palpablc duty
of every just government to make the
burdens of taxation rs light as possible.
The people should not he required to
relinquish this privilege Of their gov
crnmcnt 5 necessity made plainly mani
fest
II, therefore, needed any vindica-
tion of my course with reference to the
tariff legislation of 1894 | should find
it in abundance at the hands of Mr..
Cleveland himself | need none, how
ever. | simply state the facts.
SO mich for the trinity of reform
My action in regard to them was die
tated by my best Judgment. | have
nothing to regret; nothing to excuse
| shall not dwell upon the charge
that | WAS traitor to the cause of the
Sherman act repeal. 1t is false and
foolish charge. There is hot page or
i doori>ccpcr or Il clerk connected with
the Senate who does not know that
wacn t.Ic measure came before that
body there WAS majority against it.
There can he no one acquainted with
the events of that memorable time, in
side or outside the Senate, who does
not know that the committee of which
was member is to hc credited with
having overcome that ma oritv and
made the passage Of the bill possible.
1t is all Of record, open rs the day,
subject to no conceivable miSconccp-
ton. save by those who will not see
the facts. shall waste no time in the
discussion of an axiom. As well point
put the beauties Of Il landscape to the