The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-06-23
The Tariff.

It is becoming matter OF grave doubt,
whether the present Congress will afford
the country any substantial and adequate
relief from the exactiOns of the ubiquitous
tariff, under which all our commercial and
indu strial interests are groauing The
condition of public sentiment on the tariff
question is so well understood, however,
that it is probable there VIII be something
of an effort to satisfy il, by the passage OF
some one of the short bills which are now
pending, and which will effect large re
ductiOn in the duties of a few leading ar
ticles. and somewhat enlarge the free list.
This Will be a sort of tub thrown to the
whale" but we very much mistake the
sentiment OF the country, if it Will be sat
isfied with anything less than a complete
revision of the whole tariff, a liberal re-
duction of all duties, and proper adjust
ment Of the tariff on all dutiable articles,
in order that all interests may be made to
bear their proper proportion OF the Gus
toms. Congress has now been In session
six months and has literally accomplished
nothing, and cannot with any prOpriety
adjourn until it has placed tariff, taxa
ton, and finance matters generally, upon
a satisfactory basis. There is partial d.
vision of sentiment among Republicans
cradle wrangling among them as
to the meaning of the resolutions
on tariff matters, passed by their national
conventions. We will not undertake to
interpret their platform for them, but if
there is any justice in considering the ac-
ton of a political party for the purpose OF
discovering its true position on any
question, the fact that the Republi-
can party is a high tariff party, and
that, when forced to plain and une-
quivOcal declaration of its position, il
will so avOw itself, is scarcely open tC
dispute. For the present tariff, with al
Its OdiOus and oppressive provisions, and
al its demOTaliZlng and paralyzing effects
upon the commerce and industry of the
country, is the work of the Republican
party. In its support of high tariff, i
has gone to greater lengths, and pushed
duties To a further extreme, than the ole
Wing party ever dared to dream Of Tft
history OF the Republican party in favor
ct the most extreme rates N duty, IS writ
ten in indeliole characters If that party
ever succeeds in closing the eyes OF tn,
public 10 its past record on the tariff
question, which has been so conspicuOu
ana decided, it will only be by reforms o
a more general and sweeping characte
than any it at present seems likely to in
augurate
Ine Republican party cannot plead
lack Of information as an excuse TO- no
completing a revision OF the tariff, for tn
report OF Special Commissioner Wells
and the investigation of the House Com
mittee on Commerce and Shipping, hav,
given full information on the subject o
the unequal and oppressive operation O
the tariff laws, and the extent to which
they have embarrassed and crippled com
merce and industry. OF the twenty thou
sand skilled wOTkmen employed in ant
around New York a few years ago in tn
construction and fitting out OF ships, no
one thousand are now employed, and o
the two thousand apprentices, not on
hundred remain. Our iron trade is s.
crippled that the iron masters of Pennsyl
vania are seriously considering the ex
pediency Of closing their blast furnaces
The chief carpet manufactures of tn
whole country have fallen into the hands o
some five men only. The duties on tn
materials which enter into the manufac
ture OF clothing are such as to rende
Llgh wages a mOckery to the working
man. And the American flag, which use,
10 be so prominent in New York, ha
given way 70 the British cross, the re-
and gold Of Germany, aud even the tri
colOrs of France and Italy. And yet Their
appears to be an inclination TO put th
country off with some half way measure
and but for the Democratic minority il
Congress, it is doubtful if the cOuntr,
could look forward to any relief what
ever Chicago Democrat, June ,.