New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-17
NO BLINKING THE ISSUE!

NO BLINKING THE ISSUE!
Quite number of journalists, finding that
they have too hastily, rashly committed them
selves to the wrong side of the Tariff question,
are trying to middle the matter so that there
shall be no question left on which issue can
be taken. 1--WE must have large Revenue;
"this Revenue must be in good part derived
from Duties on Imports; those Duties must
"average at least forty per cent. If they are
"to supply the needed Income; an impost of
"forty per cent. is practically Protective; what
"matters whether it be called so or not, since
"the effect is the same in either casef" Such
is the logic of many who are anxious to sink
OF slur the Tariff question.
TO these, we make answer as follows:
/. The assumption that Free Trade Con-
gress-we mean one elected under Free Trade
influence and patronage-wOuld maintain
uniform rate of duty, is not merely ground
less-it is explicitly contradicted by officially
established facts. Nearly every Democrat in
the House, with twenty or thirty Republicans,
voted at this session for Mr.. Marshalfs re-
solve, which asserted that no higher rate of
duty should be imposed on any article than
that which would give the largest income
from that article. Now, there is no room for
doubt that ten per cent. duty on Ready
Made Clothing, for instance, would produce
more revenue from that article or class than
the fifty per cent. now exacted. That reduc-
ton of the duty to ten per cent. would trans
fer the manufacture of Ready-Made Clothing
from our seaboard cities to those of Europe,
throwing tens of thousands of our industrious
men and women out of work and out of bread,
is a result which Mr. Marshall and his Free
Trade brethren regard with cOmpacent indif-
ference.
There are not less than One Million workers
for wages who would be thrown out of en-
ployment, or compelled to work for not more
than half their present wages, if Mr.. Marshalrs
principle were embodied in the law of the
land yet the whole Democratic side of the
House, with not more than ten exceptions,
voted to affirm that principle. And, sad to
say, some five-and-twenty Republicans voted
the same way.
Were our Tariff changed as Mr.. Marshall
would have it, disastrous, subversive revolu-
ton in business would inevitably ensue Our
imports of Iron, Steel, Wares and Fabrics
would suddenly and largely expand; our facto-
ries and workshops would by thousands be
closed; our artifcers and artisans would be
deprived of work and thrown upon our streets
by tens of thousands. Ultimately, through
general reduction of wages and the failure of
merchants, who could find nowhere the means
of paying for their increased imports, we should
come back to supplying the bulk of our wants
from domestic sources; but the intervening
years would be, like 181S-'19, 1887, and 1901
%, seasons of constrained idleness unthrift,
and general suffering.
1t may be that we are doomed to repeat the
sad experiences of a calamitOus past but we
will not believe it until forced to do so. Our
people shall not again be led blindfold to the
brink of that abyss of National bankruptcy
whereof we retain such vivid and painful re-
membranes. Every step taken on that road
to ruin will be taken in defiance of earnest
and public circumstances from a large portion
of the American press and we have abiding
faith that these remOnstrances will be heard
and needed.
The Free-Tradcrs openly urge reduction of
the duty on Pig Iron to So per tun. Is that
forty per cent. They demand the admission
of Wool Hides, &C., free, in the hope of brib- |
ing the manufacturers of WoOlens and of
Leather to join them. Is that forty per cent
They propose to make up for the loss of rev.
enue thus incurred by reducing all WOOlens to |
twenty-five per cent, and thus drawing q con-
siderable revenue from Blankets Flannels, |
plain Carpets, &c, &c, now little imported. |
In short, they propose to diminish revenue by |
freeing many raw materials from duty, and |
to make up part of the loss by |
most Metals and Manufactures at |
Co., ln,, Al A