Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1886 — SOME SOUND TALK. [ARTICLE]

SOME SOUND TALK.

Colonel Matson, referring to the failure of Congress to consider the Tariff bill, says: The votes of Democratic mem j burs ft” inst ~ u.sidoiatlon of the 'ar’ff bill : '» betrayal of the party’s principles, as declared at Chi ago in 1884, the first statement on the subject then being that the party pledge: itself to revision of the tariff. it is no excuse to s;:y that this bill is not fair to all interests, because it could have been amended, and would have been, if it had been considered. The almost solid vote of the Republicans against consideration shows the country that the only hope that the people can have for tariff reform hereafter is from Democrats, and in doubtful districts this ought to insure the return of Democrats who are pledged to a speedy revision of the tariff. Mr. Hewitt, of New York, has this to say about the matter: I am thoroughly indignant at the result, though I expected it. The motion w r as only to consider a tariff bill, not to pass one. It was subject to amendment. 'The ref usal of Democrats to vote for its consideration was a gross violation of their own pledges and the repeated pledges of their party. The vote is a repudiation of pledges given by both parties that the tariff question should be settled. The issues we presented was not the tariff bill, but whether we would consider the tariff at all. So far as the Republicans were concerned 1 , they were united practically in llieir opposition to consideration, shoving that their platform was a case of false pretenses. On the otliei hand, the large majority of Democrats are ready to rulfi 1 the pledge .of the Chicago platform. The bill, if considered, would have been o; en for amendment, and every Representative would have been free to oppose any provision tha f was objectionable to him. So far, therefore, as Democrats voted against considering the bill, they, equally with the Republicans, were untrue to the pledge of their party, and the responsibility must rest upon them and be settled with their constituents.