The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-17
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
SUNDAY MORNING, DEC. IT, 1913.


The Tribune the Tariff, again.
We gave our readers a specimen yesterday, from an
article in the New York Tribune, of the logic by
which the proteconsts seek TO bolster up their cause
and we called attention especially to their avowa, that
they seek TO create and cherish by law various forms Of
industry among by Distinguishing" and stopping"
all that portion of our commerce which brings in similar
fabrics from foreign countries In the article We
find the following very loose and dsngenuous attempt
to represent the doctrines OF the Presidents Message and
of the Treasury Report this subject being IN con-
tradiction of each other
'The traders ought by this time to have settled
whether the objection that protection rs calculated
destroy reuenus that is calculated eHormoy 10 aug
IL. Mr. Polk, by position leader OF the band saws
away protective duties calculated aud INTENDED 10
amounts Of reveaue wherewith TO prosecute
prove nens, build up splendid government
and all Hardly have finished reading his
when the second fiddle strikes in with screaking remon-
against that protection destructive Of reoene
an assumed demonstration that the protective tariff Of
1912 good deal less fruitful Of revenue than the
of 1916 We insist that these distinguished per
formers should have tuned and chorded their instruments
before the rising of the curtain"
This is very easily answered. The President in his
message, speaking of the notiUe and design OF the
trainers OF that so called American system, OF which
high protective tariff main branch. Their design
and purpose raise large revenue, and at the same
time to prot great manufacturing establishments, and
to that end they began the high tariff system. Mr.
Walker, in his report speaking not OF their design, but
of the actual result upon the Of their protective
policy as embodied in the act of 1872. MIR. Walker
shows unansweraby that that tariff was too high for
revenue But this by no means shows that It's trainers
did not mean to have bring in large 1t only
shows that they bunglers in finance, and did not
know how TO adapt their TO their ends. Still less
does Mr. Walkers demonsration-based as il is our
experience of high arifs-prove that when the " Amer
can system" was first commenced, and before had that
experience the trainers of that system did not regard
high tariff as the readest of getting great
enue and did not enact it with that design well as
with the purpose of protection.
We quote the language of the message upon the point
referred by the Tribune, only because of lis truth
and force but also to show that there is cashing be-
tween it and Mr.. Walkers positions, stated by
the Tribune ITSELF
"This operated in harmony with the next branch of the
new system, which high protective tariff This
afford bonnes favored classes and particular pursuits
the expense OF all others proposition TO tax the whole
people for the purpose of enrichng few, TOO
strous be opcsly made The scheme was, therefore,
yelled under the plausible but delusive pe'ext of
ue TO protect home industry ; and many OF peo
pie were, for time, led to believe that tax which in
the main fell upon labor, for the benefit Of the la
borer who paid it, This branch OF the system involved
partnership between the government and The favor
ed casses-he former receiving the proceeds OF the
imposed articles imported, aud the latter the in
creased price Of sim liar articles produced home caused
by such 1t is obvious that the portion to be received
by the favored classes would, general rule, be in
creased in proportion to the increase of the rates OF tax
imposed, and diminished those reduced to
standard required by the the govern
men The rates required to produce sufficient
for the ordinary expenditures OF government Tor
purposes were not likely to give the private partners in
this scheme profits sufficient satisfy their cupdiy and
hence variety Of expedents and preexts resortcd
Tor the purpose OF enargng the expenditures and thereby
creating necessity for keeping high protective tariff
The effect of this policy nterpose artificial
tons upon the natural OF the business trade
the country and TO advance the Interests of large capital
and monoposs at the Of the great of the
| people, who taxed to increase their wealth."
In fact, in reviewing the american SYSTEM, the Pres
ident called upon expose the and purposes
in which it originated. He has done So In reviewing
the actual results of branch of that SYSTEM the Secre-
tary of the Treasury called upon show how short
sighted its trainers were, and how they bundered in
their calculations He has done So There is no sort of
contradiction in the two views The message asens
upon the protectionss bad purpose! the report asens
upon them lame and hating execution of it, Nor
ought the Tribune wonder at all at either of these
Suits for it has only go back the loud and repeated
predictions put forth both in the Senate ard in the House
by the very most eminent wing protectonsts to the
working of the tariff of 1916 upon the revenue order
to understand that these gentlemen, after thirty
years experience of their system, have yet very much
| learn in such matters.