The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-07
New England and the Tariff.

IT Is quite the fashion among our Democratic
politicans-whose highest conception of states
manship is to foment sectional iealousies and
discords-to represent protective tariff as
peculiarly Ne,o England measure, and on the
strength of that representation to endeavor TO
arouse against her the preiudices of other por-
tions of the country. Now, it is true that New
England statesmen, being intelligent, tar-seeing,
and national in their views, are, as general
rule, favorable to the principle of protection;
but II is also equally true, that no portion OF
the country could so easily afford to get along
without protection as New England. Her peo-
pie are frugal, ingenious, and enterprising. They
have been essentially manufacturing people
for nearly half century. Her manufactures
are now well established, and have outgrown
the condition wherein protection could be Of vital
consequence to them. Hence, so far as New
England is concerned, the tariff might be fixed
strictly upon q revenue basis, ,and she would pro-
badly not complain although, as we have be.
fore remarked the truly comprehensive and ma
tonal spirit of her representatives leads them
to foster that system which is most favorable to
growth and development of the whole country.
But we observe that her leading statesmen are
not disposed to any longer allow Democratic
demagogues the privilege of representing the
highly protective duties that the present Con.
gress is imposing upon foreign goods as New
England measure. They emphatically disclaim il.
Thus Senator WILSON, of Massachusetts, yes
terday spoke against the Tariff bill now pending
in the House. He said it was a Western mea.
sure and Massachusetts, was satisfied with the
present tariff and he would vote against the
bill If sent to the Senate without modification.
Massachusetts had protection enough. They
had enough OF this thing of putting on heavy
tariffs to protect the iron and other interests OF
Pennsylvania and the West, and then charging
it all to New England. Mr.. HENDRICKS asked
Mr. WILSON who was the author of the House
Tariff bill Mr. WILSON said Mr.. MORRILL, re-
ported the bill, but men from the Northwest in
the wool interest, originated it. Whoever said
the present tariff came from New England said
what wes not true.
And in the House of Representatives in the
discussion upon the Tariff bill, Mr.. PIKE of
Maine, argued that this was Western Tariff bi
gotten up for the benefit of the West merging
into Pennsylvania, and leaving New England
out in the cold-whlch was careless whether
the bill was passed now year hence, or never
Now, we do not apprehend that the New Eng.
land Members of Congress will be found voting
they may and doubtless will strive to modify
some OF its features; but they are evidently de.
termined that the country shall understand that
1t is not New England measure-that, al least,
the IRON interests of Pennsylvania and Missouri,
the wool interests of Ohio and Michigan, the
lumber interests of New York and Wisconsin;
and the grain and cattle interests OF the West
generally ,are quite as vitality concerned for pro-
lection as the manufacturing interests of New
England. The sectional Democratic politicians
are to be deprived of the privilege of harping
upon New England in connection with the tariff.
1t is we'll that the true bearings of the tariff
question should be more clearly understood by
all classes Protection is something not spe-
cially and exclusively related to manufactures,
but bearing upon industry generally. By secur-
ing the diversidcation of industry, it builds up
epery Observation-Disclosures the mechanic arts,
railroads, mining, ETC., as we'll as manufactures.
The farmer is as much interested in it as the
miner, the woolgrower as the woolmanufac.
turer, the lumberman as the builder, the rail
read company as the manufacturing company.
In this broad and truthful, view protection is
national policy, diversfying building up, and
rendering permanent the industrial pursuits of
the whole country.