Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-11-08
Congressional Campaigns
The Landslide of 1890


The Republicans hailed the advent of
the Harr son administration i'll 1889
with great JOY. for it gave them COM
plete control of the executive and leg
islative branches of the government for
the first time since the middle of Grants
second administration. They were re-
solved 10 use their power so that Demo
cratic success ia the future would be
sraoe all but impossible. They succeed
- Only ia bringing upon themselves the
raost crushing defeat The Republican
party yet has sustained.
The tariff question had become the
clief issue talked about. but the money
,ues, OF was really uppermost in the
minds Of the people. As both parts
tre-e divided IN opirion on the money
question, just a. Democrats and wings
lad been divided on the question OF
slavery extension. both parties "strad-
died" ;he currency question and made
their light on tho tariff, but not with
out some trimming.
The demand for revision Of the tariff
had reached The stage in Arthur's ad-
nlinistrat.on that congress felt impeiled
10 d. something. IL created a tartn
commission. Everybody was for the
commission. because the high tariff men
believed Il would recommend still high
er duties, while the low tariff men
thought it would find reductions to be
irapevatively necessary. The commission
made its report and, in the main, its
recommendations were adopted i'm the
tariiY OF 1SS;. The rates recommended
on wool, steel ard iron were the chief
matters OF contention. On the whole,
the bill was d protectionist victory, and
in 1881 Mr.. Cleveland and the Democratic
pa rts- upposel the protect!onist doctrine
and won in The election. But the ef-
forts Of the Democratic houses in the
FIRST Cleveland administration to revise
the ,at@ were checked By the Republi-
can majority in tho senate. Toward
tic clos, q his term Mr.. Cleveland
sent message 70 congress dealing sole
ly with the tariff. In Il lie took ad-
vanced ground against the protectionists
There was an immense surplus in the
treasury and the president believed that
Il reduction o. duties was demanded.
The radical tariff views of Cleveland
we're nos Endorsed by all Democrats, and
tlis message caused revolt In the
party The president also was at vari-
ance with many Of his partisans on
tho currency question. He was defeat
Ell for reelection and the Republicans.
on a protectionlst platform, were swept
into complete power.
The FIRST half OF the Harrison adj
mlnistration was remarkable for three
th.ngs-the establishment of the Reed
rules IN the house OF representatives.
the attempt to enact the force bill.
seeking to make the south Republican
by the use OF federal power and federal
bayonyts. and the passage of the Nc
II,nley tariff bill. The Republican ma
jority in the house was not large, so
contests were instituted and several
Democratic members We're thrown OIt
and their places filled with Republicans.
The Democrats members of the house
sought TO block the progress of legisla-
ton by systematic filibusters. but they
were circumvented by the revolutionary
Reed rules which ever since have gov
erned the house. The force bill passed
the house. but was defeated in the sem
ate after a long dlibuster by a com
bination OF Democrats and western Re-
publicans. Thus died the last serious
effort to control the political action Of
the southern states by federal Interior
ence.
The Mckinley bill was a new depart
measure designed frankly to afford pro-
lection without regard to prices of arti-
cles Of consumption as was avowed by
MIR. Mckinley when he reported the bill
to the house Oh April 10, 1890. The cam
paign Of 1858 had been fought squarely
on the tariff issue as prec!pitated by Mr.
Cleveland's tariff message OF 1851 The
Republicans had won, and by their very
defense of existing protection duties
they were forced into demanding still
higher duties. The Mckinley bill was an
upward revision. In the debate the bat
tie ragged most flercely about the WOOL
the sugar. and the tin schedules The
wooden duties were increased, bounty
was granted to domestic sugar, and the
demands of the tin plate manufacturers
were met.
The bill! passed the house or May y,
and went TO the senate. After nearly
month the senate committee brought IL
out with a large number OF amendments.
mostly IN the nature OF reductions Of
duty. Then began long debate which
ended when the bill passed the senate
on September 10. The conference COM
n,ittee adjusted the. differences between
the two houses on 46I. points, and in
serted in the bill provision giving the