The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-11-21

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G Moon Is p e:1e @MNeoO%n 20 p sG N.
NEW YORK FAVORS TARIFF REFORM.
The recent election in New York
city furnishes food for thought for
every intelligent voter. As is well
known, this city is the headquarters
of all the great combinations of capi-
tai for controlling the markets and
fixing the prices of manufactured
commodities for the whole American
people. To the commercial Metropo-
lis, the effects of tariff obstruction to
foreign trade are more keenly felt
than in any other place. Every
transatlantic steamship gives fresh
object lessons concerning our tariff
system of spoiliation and extortion.
This city gave a majority of nearly
10000 for the Democratic ticket,
and it is a grand and imposing ex-
preston of the popular willuPon the
tariffquestion. The system ofballot-
ing employed in New York gaveevery
one equal opportunity toexpress the
untrammelled will of the populace
and the result was more favorable i'll
the result for Congress than on the
State ticket. In the immense vote of
Greater New York the Republicans
did not elect but two members of
Congress; while in the whole State
delegation they have secured a ma
iority of only three members. There
can be no mistake as to the meaning
of this verdict upon the tariff, and
trusts.
This of itself is one of the strongest
arguments than can possibly be adj
duced in favor of a reduction in the
tariff 1t can readily be understood
that should revision be made, the
first place to feel the results of the
threatened panic, which the Republic
cans claim would be inevitable the
moment that Congress is elected
which would favor tariff reform, is
New York, which is the money centre
of the country and one of the strong
holds of the whole civilized world.
There is nothing so ti1nid as capital,
and the slightest movement which
NAV appear to be detrimental to its
interests will cause furry all along
the line. 1t can easily be seen that
these people would not favor any
thing which would be hurtful to their
own interests and that therefore,
after a careful investigation, they
deem it but right and proper that
changes should be made.
The vote in New York city is not
particularly attributable to the
strength of Tammany Hall which,
since it has been shorn of patronage,
does not cut the important figure
that it once did, and therefore the re-
suit can only be regarded as the
honest verdict of what those people
think of the situation. Heretofore
New York city has elected quite a
number of Republican Congressman
and this turnround shows that it
was not party lines alone, but simply
the result of free and untrammelled
ballot cast by persons who regard
their own interests far above that of
any political aggregation.
In marked contrast with the vote
of New York is the result in Phila-
delphia where 900, 900 ballots were
cast in that city for the machine
ticket. The city of Brotherly Love
is handicapped by a ballot system
which, in conjunction with a spoils
system, makes it easy for the I'M
scrupulous politicians to roll up
fraudulent maiorities to almost any
number that they may deem neces-
sary. In two wards alone, there is
almost conclusive evidence that over
1000 fraudulent ballots were cast
and many other sections of the city
are not far behind them. In this
reek of political crime, detection and
punishment are practically hopeless
since laws have been framed in such
a manner as to render the perpetra-
tors as practically immune. So
great has this moral paralysis gone
on that it has produced a feeling
among good citizens that the task of
reforming their political methods isa
hopeless one and the election is prac-
tically allowed to go by default. The
fault Of the whole election lies in the
ballot laws of the State and it is hard
to say how the future holds forth
any hope to those who are opposed
osuch methods. With Quay strong
1y ensconced at the helm he can con-
tinue to elect Legislatures which are
subservient to his enormous power,
and who would not, even if they
dared, try to oppose ballot laws
which would give the minority any
say whatever in control of State
affairs. Even if such laws were pass