Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-01-16


the producers with whose commodities
imported articles compete, claim that they
ought to be protected from the competi-
ton of cheap labor and cheap capital OF
other countries There is class of econ
omists who claim that the policy of our
country should be 10 export much and to
import but little, to the end that the pro-
ceeds of the excess of our exports over
the imports should be applied in liquida-
ting the national Indebtedness abroad,
that the products Of our mines may be re-
tanned at home to aid in developing the
resources of our own country.
Our imports may be classed as articles
of necessity or of luxury. A further sub
division may be made on manufactured
products and raw materials.
The revenue reformers desire 4 tariff
for revenue only, and they will tax the
poor mans tea, coffee and sugar, precisely
as they would tax the laces, silks, jewelry,
champagne, brandy, and fine broadcloths,
used by the rich. The prevailing policy
of the Republican party has been to dis
criminate between articles of necessity
and articles of luxury, and between arti-
cles manufactured and raw materials. In
carrying out this policy, high duties have
been imposed upon liquors. tobacco, and
other articles of luxury. and low duties
upon tea, coffee, and other like articles in
general use.
Coal, iron and copper are interests which
are powerfully represented in Congress,
and the duties on these articles are an
exception to the general policy of the par
ty, which the party has to concede to
secure so much of the general policy as
the party has been enabled to carry out.
The rich man uses but little more coffee,
tea, sugar or molasses than does the poor
man. Yet these reformers propose to put
one uniform duty upon the poor mans
tea, and the champagne and brandy con-
sumed only by the rich; the same duty
upon the coarse woods that are brought
from South America for the use of the
poor, as on the fine broadcloths, laces and
silks that are used only by the rich.
This is what is called Revenue Reform.
We can understand why this policy is
favored in Wall street, and why it would
be favored in State street were not so
many Boston merchants interested in the
manufacturing villages of Massachusetts.
We, too, can understand why certain
wooden manufacturers are opposed to the
present tariff; it is because this law oper-
ates harshly upon their interests, but in
this there is an exception to the general
policy Their hostility to the existing
tariff is to those parts of it which taxes
raw materials; their aim. therefore,
should be to press the party to be true to
its general policy, and abrogate those ex-
ceptions which are at variance with that
policy.
Free trade and civil service reform will
not succeed as the platform of any party.
Free trade, it is true, will reduce the price
of products, but it will also reduce the
wages of labor, and thereby depreciate
values all over the country. The Demo
cratic party will never consent to submit
its rank and file to competitive examina-
ton with Republicans for the patronage
of the government. Under the specious
guise of opposing monopolies, they may
be induced to vote for free trade, but they
cannot be cajoled into submitting their
qualifications for Office to be passed upon
by a competent and honest board of
Examiners"