The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-10-30
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

ObA' 1'6h0 |
or what is 10 be done by the powers that be,
and 'the assembled wisdom of the nalion."
Ii is most unfortunate for the country that
it has no settled policy; that laws which Ell
feet business Operations-trade, commerce
and manufactures-have no txedness, no
stability no permanency with US; that the
capitalist has no assurance, when he invests
hismoney i many given branch of business,
especially if it be in manufacturing, that il
will not be jeoparded or lost by the inslabiIi-
ty Irrational Legislation.
For more than thirty years there has exis-
ted in the United States two conflicting
schools of political reconnaissance in ia
vor of projecting American industry and en-
terprise against foreign competition, the 9TH
er in favor of free tyade; and The contests be-
tween them have been carried on, upon the
part of The latter, as we think, with more zeal
than knowledge, and with more of denuncia.
ton than reason. Our readers are aware that
Il compromise took place between these two
conflicting schools in 1888, commonly called
SHE Compromise Act" which was to conlin
ue for nine years. Upon the expiration of
This act, by It's own limitation, in 1912, the
contest etween The two schools, or parties,
was again renewed, and resulted in the pas
sage of The Tariff Act of 1912, by the Wings
Than which no measure ever produced more
saluiary effects upon a paralyzed and pros
irate country. Fortunately for the cou nIry
the Wings, who are almost to a man in favor
of protecting American labor and American
enterprise, then had a majority in both branch
es of Congress. The act was passed in spite
| nf tho arc o..,u md o,arro,uaJ ,o0o
sition, and its effect upon the county was like
that off fresh air upon a suffocating man; new
Vlgor aud activity were infused into every
fibre of the body polite. Sncc then, and
under The operations of that act, we have en-
joyed a degree of prosperity which rarely
tails to the lot OF any people.
Are we to be permitted TO enjoy this pros
perity, or are we again TO undergo the torture
of new "experimen!s?" This is an impor-
tant question, and one to which the people of
the northern and middle States are a~nxiuusly
seeking an answer. We have closely watched
The signs of the time for some months past,
and confess their indications rather increase
than diminish our approximations that the
present Tariff is TO be sacrificed upon The al
tar of party; that it is to die the death, not
u 0hJ v " ~ OhBs Out Ou oOGOuIlt
of its paternity. The Union, which is the ac-
knowledged organ ofthe administration, has,
for some time past, been giving the free trade
men of South Carolina every assurance that
"Mr Polk will give his best efforts to reduce
the present tariff" 10 what it is pleased to
call 'the revenue slandard.n which, according
to Mr.. McDufie, and others ofthat school is,
a uniform duty oftweniy percent. upon every
article imported. Ms. McDufie in a late lei
ter, published in the Charleston Mercury,
aud republished in the UNION, says: "Can it
be believed, that Mr.. Polk bound by the uni
ted ties of interests and duty 10 sustain the
great principles of FREE TRADE and unshack-
led industry, which he has SO ably supported
through a long course of public service, will
now, when elected to the highest station 10
which ambition or patriotism can aspire, be-
tray his political principles and sacrifice those
popular masses by whose voluntary and unso-
licited suffrages, he was raised 10 power? |
trust not the tale" In copying this letter,
the editor Of the UNION, WHO speaks by au-
thority, assures Mr.. McDuffie that he has no,
misiudged MIR. Polk. The editor constantly
talks OF ''the injustice and oppression Of the
present tariff aci,n evidently with a view OF
| plCJuuiClHS IL III Az iihu u Tx POoPiOs ohu
of inducing them TO concur with Mr.. Polk,
Mr.. McDufie, and the free trade party in
Congress in destroying 1t. He goes upon the
principle that to give a thing a bad name, is TO
insure IFS destruction; and when has that par
ty made the destruction ofany thing a party
measure, that il did moi succeed?
But we shall be told that the Pennsylva-
MIA delegation will resist any and every at
tempt I o desiryy the present tariff, under
which she is now enjoying a most unprece-
dent degree of prosperity. 1t may be so.
though we have very little confidence in their
opposing any party measure. Did they moi
advocate The election of Mr.. Polk, and assure
The people that he was "a better tariff man
han Mr.. Clay," when they we'll knew the
contrary? Are such men TO be trusted? We
nave no confidence in them. But suppose
they should oppose The destruction of The tar
#, can they prevent it? We think not. The
Locofoco party have a large majority in the
House of Representatives, and a majority in
The Senate, and we know that, with the ex-
ceptIon of the members from New York,
Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. every Lo-
%cofoco is opposed TO the protective policy,
and some of the New York members, we be-
lieve, are also opposed 10 1.-THE establish
ment of the Sub treasury, and the overthrow
of the present tariff, will be the two great
Polk measures OF the session; that they will