The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-02-17

The article following we copy from
the st. Paul Dispatch, leading Re-
publican paper of Minn. 1t is refresh
ing to see that very many ofthe Repub-
lican papers of the West are getting to
see clearly that the doctrine of pro-
lection is enriching New England
manufacturers and the iron and coal
men at the expense of the agricultural
interests of the West. But it is diff
cult to understand how they expect to
effect reform in these matters through
the Republican organization, which is
and ever has been run in the interest
of the protectionists:
Werepublish communication from
the Chicago Tribune which gives the
cost of making Pig Iron in Missouri
as trifie less than twenty-one dol
lars-or to be exact S20,97. Pennsyl-
vania does not want competition with
this cheap iron. The pig iron monop-
olists of that State charge from S34 to
S38 per ton for the iron at their fur
naces, and the. new tariff bill gives
them 81 protection If this pro-
lection was not excessive, Pennsylva-
mia would have to come down on its
figures, and if the pig iron men of
that State, accustomed to inordinate
profits, could not be content with rea-
sonable gains, capital would soon be
found flowing to Missouri, Tennessee
and other points where the iron can
be furnished alta smaller figure. That
is the way Pennsylvania encourages
home industry" The term home !"
is to them indicative of the Pig Iron
region of Pennsylvania alone, and leg
islation which would develop the
West or South does not SAVIOR of "pro-
tection," according to the doctrines of
pig-headed Greeley and his ilk.
1t is little consolation to know that
the iniquities of the new tariff will be
vigorously opposed by prominent Re
publican members of Congress. So
sure as the bill passes, as reported by
the Chairman of the Committee on
Ways and Means, so sure will the Re-
publican party go down in defeat at
the next Presidential election. The
Eastern monopolists prefer one more
pull at the tariff teat, if it does sink
the Republican ship, rather than fore
go their plumber, and it will be no
fault of theirs if the party is not
smashed into fragments.
An intelligent and well-informed
gentleman writes from Washington
of the tariff bill, as follows:
"This bill is the most atrocious ever
yet offered. While q few sops are
thrown to some Western interests,
the great mass of the people are bound
bloated monopolist. The wrath that
followed Wells exposure is being felt
here, however, and can count fifteen
and perhaps sixteen Western members
who are prepared TO riddle the miser-
able swindle. When to this feeling
you add the interest here of rings and
lobbies, organized to push each pri-
vate interest, you may appreciate the
stormy time yet to come. The hotels
are crowded with agents calling them
selves delegations, representing these
various pursuits, and each lobby or
delegation has been heard at length by
the committee.
"One day last week they were ex-
cluded by the committee that wished
to have few hours for deliberatien,
and the corridors and lobbies outside
presented curious spectacle. / be-
lieve every possible interest, from
bung holes up to pig iron, was repre-
sented, except the agricultural. And
they were the most noisy, hungry, ca
ger set of hounds on two legs that it
was ever my misfortune to look upon.
".The Chairman of the Committee
of Way and Means apologized to a
friend for not coming sooner to break
fast to which he had been invited, by
saying: "I could not get away. 1
was called on by grindstones, slate,
wrought iron pipes, hoop skirts and
hair-pins. / ran off at last, and / be-
lieve hair-pins is at this moment
watching for me on the outside"
What a villainy it is to have our
government degraded to such level
as thisl The vast machinery run in
the interest of hair-plns and grind
stones, and the devil knows what,
each clamoring at the door of Con-
gress to be insured profit at the ex-
pense of the many. l take great COM
fort in the change l see working out
here. l believe that the revolution
on this subject will be as sudden,
sweeping and radical as was that in
favor of manhood suffrage"