The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-09-14

otdJeS troops 10 Inc ClerOkee neutral
lands in Kansas, to aid in robbing the
thousands of settlers upon these lands of
their homes under the pretext of carry
ing out bargain by which eight millions
OF acres were handed over to Joy and his
rascally confederates, is an illustration of
how far the landless poor can trust the
Republican leaders. Such acts can only
be perpetrated by tyrants, and defended
only by their dupes. [Applause.l
TARIFF AND REVENUE LAWS.
Again we arraign this party at the bar
of an outraged people for the enactment
and perpetuation of an iniquitous tariff
and internal revenue system. Applause. !
Legitimate commerce is the exchange of
products, and all restraints and hindran-
ces by Government in making these ex-
changes is an interference with the natural
rights of man. The only apology for the
collection of custom duties is, that it is the
fairest and easiest way to obtain revenue
for the support of Government. We Sc
rlously question this proposition, but in
slst that only revenue tariff is tolerable.
Soils, climate, productions, adaptations,
are different even in the same country !;
the wants of civilized society are multi
form, and IN proportion to the facilities of
exchanging what we do not want Tor our
surplus productions) for what we do need
Tor the surplus production of others), in
that ratio are we independent and happy.
So advanced is our civilization that we
require the products of all lands, and lew
contributions upon all quarters of the
of the globe. Exclusiveness is neither
possible nor desirable. Mutual depend
ence Is the law of God Every passing
railroad train, every puff of steam, and
every yard of canvass on ocean, lake or
river, IS an illustration of this law, and as
these highways of commerce are multi
piled and crowded, so will men and ma
tons be advanced in civilization, in happi-
ness, in the arts of peace, in all that
eleVates, dlgnlfes and exalts the race
Put chains on commerce, restrict trade, and
you place society on the down grade to-
ward barbarism If left free, commerce
will lead civilization by the hand, and
peace and fellowship will be established
among the nations. The more depend
ence the more peace and prosperity. We
can not amend or reconstruct the divine
economy to advance the interests of COM
munItles, states or nations. Free trade is
the international common law of the Al
mighty, and the sooner custom-houses are
swept from the face of the earth the better
1t will be for mankind. Under our pro-
tectlve tariff and internal revenue laws,
our ships have been driven from the ocean,
and every species of trade and all kinds of
productive industry are stricken with
paralysis. Instead of American industry
being protected, it is prostrated; those
whose industry entities them to an abur-
dance are poverty stricken, and labor is
either unemployed or unrequited. The
advocates Of the protective policy clam
that the only possible way to build up and
sustain home manufactures is to impose
duties on foreign commerce, and thus
shield home labor from competition with
the pauper labor Of other countries. This
plea is as false as it is hypocritical False,
because 1T is a tax levied upon one class
! of producers for the benefit of another.
II farmer can procure two yards of cloth
IN Old England for bushel of wheat and
can get only one in New England, and he
is forced to buy in the latter, is not one
half of his produce given without consid-
Grafton to the home manufacturer? "Pe-
ter is robbed to pay Paul P" 1t is hypoerit-
ical as well as false, because they who
make it profess to be actuated by philan-
thropic motives; they would not have the
poor workingmen of America brought
| down to the starving wages of those IN
Europe. The very men who are the most
| ImPortunate for protection are those who
complain that labor costs too much in this
| country, and to reduce wages are advoca-
ting the importation of the Pagans ol
China who can work for a trihe, because
they can live on what an American would
starVe.
They would peril the future peace and
well being of the Republic by importing
another and entirely insoluble element
into society 10 diminish the rewards OF
labor and increase the gains of capital.
Again the tax-paylng power of the
people Is impaired by this protective sys-
TEN. The legitimate means of paying
taxes Is the surplus left after exchanging
what we do not want for what we do re-
qulre. We have no surplus, but are ham,
pered, crippled, robbed, without under
standing how and why it is we are so poor
If one of you farmers could go to store
and buy hundred dollars worth OF goods
at their fair marketable value, without
duties, and the incidental costs and charg-
es, and Government officer stood at the
door as you passed out to collect from YOU
another hundred for the support of the
Government and to protect American Ia
Dor, you would understand better the now
mysterious manlpulations of the tariff.
You would know why you had no surplus
after procuring the necessaries of life.
The plundering of the producing classes
is so adroitly and stealthily done that they
do not know that it is done, or why the
product of their labor procures so little oi
what they want. At the prime cost OF
salt, tea, coffee, calico, muslin, flannels
shoes, hardware, household and kitchen
furniture, the consumption would be great
ly increased, and, of course, increased &C
tiVity would be infused into the manufac-
turing and carrying trades. Our abundant
production of raw material, our facilities
for manufacturing, with our superior skill
in the invention and application of ma
| chlnery, will enable us to compete with
other peoples in our own or in foreign
markets. During the Corn-law agitation
in England, the farmers were wonderfully
excited. Mobs and riots were not unfre-
| quent at the prospect of the depreciation
of their lands by the competition of for.
| eign productions. Their protective tarif f
was repealed. As the result, our corn
-four beef, pork and cheese are abundant
in their markets; yet their lands have
doubled and quadrupled in value, and ag
ricultural labor and skill were never better
rewarded than now
In future discussions we shall be able
more fully to expose the enormities anC
iniquities of the protective tarif-that i
is wrong IN principle and ruinous in prac
tice. This and our internal revenue sys
TEN, like the upper and neither milestone
are grinding to dust every industria
interest. They have driven our artisan
from our workshops and infused increase,
activity, wealth and enterprise into tn
workshops of Europe Not a singl
steamer sails under the American flag t,
or from any European port.
We would say something more on ou
internal revenue system which, with tn
tariff, is robbing labor of its rewards, an,
squandering them upon an army of tax
gatherers, informers, spies, Governmen
officials of higher grade, and an untaxe,
aristocracy. These themes involve tn
whole subject of taxation.
Taxes are a debt due the State in con
sideration of its protection to life an,
property, and shoafd be levied upon tn
people equitably, according to the protec
ton rendered They are a debt we al
owe, and each should pay his fair shar
promptly and without complaint. Ar
our revenue laws constructed on this prin
ciple? Let US see.
BEER, WHISKY AND TOBACCO.