The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-12-29
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From ''onward'' for December.l
TARIFF TAXATION.
The Canker-worm Of the Country.


The Canker-WOrm OF the Country.
That the people of any country, pretend
ing to the slightest civilization, should
bend their necks and voluntarily submit
to the yoke of tariff taxation-ludicrously
termed "Protection"-is a thing to sur
prise all sensible men but that the citi-
zens of a Republic, presumably the most
intelligent on the earth, should do this, is
something to cause wide-mouthed won
der.
We wonder, at the same time deplOring
it.
We deplore it, because knowing-feel-
ing sure as our existence-that the Tariff
Taxation, or Protection-whatever its
friends may chose to call its at present
the true canker-worm of this country
the dark nightmare that broods upon its
bosom, eating into its vitals, and obstruGt-
ing if not entirely blighting its prosperity.
Let US lay the monster on the dissect-
ing table, and give it five minutes of vivi-
section.
The first touch of the scalpel displays
Embellishments in all its parts, and fetid
nneleanness-where not fossilized In its
head we discover the raiso7l detre of its
existence and find it to be the scheme of a
despot In its arms we find its advocates
noisy stump-talkers and scribblers Of the
newspaper press-the tools and weapons
with which the despot does his work. Its
body, when probed, is found to consist of
their abettors-mill-owne manutactur-
ers, mechanicians while the limbs that
have to sustain all this weight, often tot
tering under it, are its dupes the sons of
industry and toil-the great body of the
! nation.
Throwing aside the knife-which dis
gust compels US to-and letting the mon
ster get back upon his feet, we shall take
note how it viii act, and the effect of that
act on the nations we'll being. To do this,
We have no need to speculate ON any the
oretieal future the experience of the past
supplying us with a sutficiency of facts.
Having made its preliminary arrange
ments in the city of Washington-a place
| full of its friends-the mammoth skulks
all over the country, keeping more especi-
| ally along the coast. In each seaport
town it establishes custom-house that
is barrier gate to be kept closed against
any commodity coming into the country,
that can be supplied cheaper than when
| furnished by its own pet friends. Its
friends are few, though It's myrInidons are
many, while its dupes and victims-the
great body of the people-are thus pre-
vented from obtaining their goods and
chattels at a reasonable rate, and compell-
ed to toll, sweat, and become impoverish-
| ed, to satisfy the NAV of this misshappen
monster, and the small proprietary who
| thrive by administering to Its Unsuitable
| voracity. This, though bad enough, is
not all for in addition to devouring, it is
a monster that HdemoraliZes-On. every
spot upon which 1t plants its foot, .thers
springs up host of hideous things thick
as the leaves of the Vallambrosa, fierce
and dangerous as the progeny of the
Dragons teeth, or the serpents from Medu-
sa's head. They appear in all. shapes,
though all monstrous. As men, they are
weighe-s, inspectors, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
collectors, and the like, all bearing the
custom-house brand as meats, they are
chalk maccaroni, sanded sugar, and other
cheats ofpretended Importation ;as drinks,
fusil-oil, gooseberry champagne, and black
berry port; as clothing, high prices, or a
coat constructed out of shoddy; and IN
| drugs, they appear simply as polsons.
All this array of evils, animate, and imam
innate have their origin IN theparent evil,
ProteOtion-springing directly from Its
loins
And, again, we say bad as these things
are, they are not the worst More deplo-
/ ruibfe are the moral consequences tASt FOL
low in this train, for it not only obstructs
a peoples prosperity, but saps its morai-
ty: since both are the sure consequences Of
a tariff taxation, no matter in what land
it be collected, or by what people paid.
Let US drop the high hgurative and de-
seend to the simpler, stern, and perhaps
more easily understood, study of facts and
statistcs.- -..l
These are so numerous, we scarcely
know which to take frst-all equally call
ing for exposure -expounder. On
slight examination, however, one seems
entitled to precedence for it is but natural
the first inquiry should be, why IS there
tariff at all ?" %
The Protectionist will tell you, that II
is for the encouragement of home nldTatt-
fdctllre. When he said that he either
knows that there Is dark design IN his
heart, and black lie between his teeth
or he knows nothing at all-at least moth
, ing about this particular subject. 1t were
charity to suppose him fool; pity to be,
-lieve him dupe but IN many instances
he is neither one nor the other, but sharp
thorough-paced knave, with a full knowl
edge of his knavery: prating Protection
either for his own ends or the advantage
of those who employ him
It seems hard to think of Horace Greeley
in this light; as also many other writers o
reputation. But we are forced to con
clusion, and cannot help them As fo
the so-called political economist Carey
who contradiets his own theories of Pro
lection by advocating Free Trade in tht
stealing of mems thoughts, we can onll
regard him in the light of fossil and
fool Even supposing the doctrine O
/ !, 4,r,a thof 70
the right way to encourage home manu-
: facturers, what then2 Are home manu-
= facturers to be nursed, and made rich, a
, the expense of their fellow citizens-eae
I of the latter, in his own line specially
needing to be nursed and made rich Jus
. as much as they? The theory insult
I common sense its practice would be
= nova despotism.
The common idea of despot is on
who holds arbitrary power over his fellol
e men, and uses it IN an arbitrary mannel
4 More than one man may do this league
q together; and then it Is an ohgarchy, c
d the despotlsm of the few and Just such a
: oligarchy would Protection create in an
S country where it is allowed torun riot; th
e ruling olgarchs being the clique. or cott
e rie, of manufacturers, and they rule th
a great body of the nation-all who have
8 eat, drink, smoke, sleep in beds. or wes
K clothing upon their backs. 1t may NJ
3 be despotism quite so irksome. and VI
:, endurable, as the one-man power, still
is not to be endured, and certainly not f
d the good of the nation .....
g But granting it to be for the good oftt
I, nationSperhaps the largest indulgent
!e ever offered in an argument-what then 2
!, We would simply be carrying on an e.
IL clusiveness from which other natioT
might suffer. Is this the idea of an al
le pervading republican liberty entertained |
E. an American people? We have no bell
to that it is, any more than we have faith
l. the efficiency of such national selfshnes
T 1t may do for despots, and their dow
orr trodden peoples 1t exists on the 9th
"a side of the Atlantic, and has long exist
L on the other side Of the Paclfc-in Chin
i, We hope,it will neveF@fnd footing or ga
N hearing here.
m If there were any danger of such dOctry
N inc spreading over this Republic. China
perhaps the best example we could poi
i ,,,a-fSD,, Tkara noau ha Sas