Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-01-26
TARIFF TAXATION.


That the people Of any country, pre-
tending to the slightest civilization,
should bend their necks and voluuta.
rily submit to the tariff taxation--h-
dicrously termed "Protection"--is
thing to surprise all sensible men
but that the citizens Of q Republic,
presumably the most intelligent on
the earth, should do this, is something
to cause wide.mouthed wonder. We
wonder, at the same time deploring
it. We deplore it, because knowing
feeling sure as our exislence-that
the Tariff Taxation, or Protection,
whatever its friends may choose to
call its at present the true canker-
worm of this country; the dark night
mare that broods upon its bosom,
eating into its vitals, and obstructing,
if not entirely blighting its prosperity
Let us lay the monster on the dis
secung table, and give It tve minutes
of vivisection.
The first touch Of the scalped DIS
plays unwholesomeness in all its parts,
and fctid unclcanness--whero not
fossilized. In its head we discover
the raiSon d'etre Of its existence, and
find it to be the scheme Of a despot. In
its arms we find its advooates-noisy
stump.talkers and scribblers Of the
newspaper prcss-the tools and weap-
ons with which the despot does his
work. It's body, when probcd, is
found to consist Of theirabettors-mill
owners, manufacturers, mechanicians,
while the limbs that haze to sustain
all this weight, often tottering under
it, are its dupesj the sons of industry
and toil-the great body of the nation,
Throwing aside the knife-which
disgust compels us to-and let the
monster get back upon its feet, we
shall take note how it will act, an6
the effect of that act on the nations
well being. To do this, we have no
need TO speculate on any theoretical
future; the experience of the past
supplying us with sufliciency of facts.
Having made its preliminary ar
rangements in the City Of Washing
ton-a place full of its friends-thc
mammoth skulks all over the country,
keeping more especially along the
coast. In each seaport town. it cstab-
fishes a oustom-house that is bar
rier 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 its myrmidons
are many, while its dupes and
victims-tho great body of the people
are thus prevented from obtaining
their goods and chattels at reasona-
bic rate, and compelled to toll, sweat,
and become impoverished, to satisfy
the NAV of this misshapen monster,
and the small proprietary who thrive
by administering to its Unsuitable vo-
racity. This, though bad enough, is
not all for in addition TO devouring,
it is a monster that demoralizes. On
every spot upon which il plants its
foot, there springs up host Of hide.
GUS things thick as the leaves Of the
Yallambrosia, fierce and dangerous as
the progeny OF the Dragons teeth, or
the serpents from Medusa's head
They appear in all shapes, though all
monstrous. As men they arc weigh
ers, inspector, store-house-keepcrs
collectors, and the like, all bearing the
custom-house brand as meats, they
are chalk, maccaroni, sanded sugar
and other cheats Of pretended impor
tation; as drinks, fusil-oil, gooseberry
champagne, and blackberry port as
clothing, high price, or a coat con
structed out of shoddy; and in drugs
they appear simply as poisons. Al
this array of evils, animate, and inan
innate, have their origin in the parent
evil, Protection-springng directly
from its loins.
Again, again, we say, bad as these
things are, they are not the worst
More deplorable they are not The
moral consequences that follow IL
their train, for il not only obstructs .
peoples prosperity, but saps its NOR
ality; since both are the sure conse
quences Of a tarifftaxation, no matter
in what land it be collected, or BY
what people paid.
Let us drop the high fgurative anC
descend to the simpler, stern, and per
taps more easily understood, study o
facts and statistics.
These are so numerous, we scarcely
know which to take frst--all equally
calling for exposure and cxpounder
On slight examination, however, ont
seems entitled TO precedence; for il
but natural the first inquiry should
be, "why IS there tariff at all z"
The Protectionist willtell you, that i
is for the encouragement Of home man
ufacture. When be said that he oith
or knows that there is a dark desigr
in his heart, and black lie between
his teeth, or he knows nothing at al
at least nothing about this particu
lar subject. 1t were charity to sup
pose him fool pity to believe him 1
dupo; but in many instances he il
neither enc or the other, but n sharp