Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-08-31
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losses have occurred, without offering
any plan whatever of system to take
its place.
4. | notice the differences which sep
arate the parties upon the subject to the
tariff.
The Republican platform demands
that duties upon imports should be SO
adjusted as to promote the industries OF
the country. The platform of the DEM
ocratic party favors a tariff for revenue
only. The Democrats are precluded by
their principles from imposing penny
of duty upon any article Tor the sake OF
protection, no matter how much some
great interest might suffer for want OF
It. Their ayowed principles would also,
it seems to me, require them to remove,
at once, at whatever cost, all eAlsIinS
duties which have been imposed for the
sake of protection. For, if 1t be true, as
they tell us, that protective duties place
two or three dollars in the pockets of
the monopolist, for every dollar they
Weld to the Treasury, and that they are
only a contrivance to rob the mass of
the people for the benefit OF the rich,
how can any such duty be justly per-
mitted to remain for an hour? Now,
here, | see a distinct issue between the
parties, and can not hesitate, for 4 mo-
ment, i'm expressing my preference for
the Republican doctrine. have been
told that this subject is full of difficulty,
and of danger, even, but shall not hesi-
tate to express frankly, this year, as /
did last year, convictions, which are the
result of such study and reflection as /
have been able to bestow upon the sub
ject.
As Republican. readily admit that
there are certain wise and sound limita-
tions to the application of protective
doctrines which can not be safely dis
regarded. There are certain maXlms,
the careful observance of which will Sc
cure fair returns of revenue and afford
sufficient protection to our own indus
tries without expressing any portion OF
the people. lean barely enumerate some
of these.
No attempt should be made to pro-
tect products and industries which are
not natural and legitimate to the coun-
try-which its soil or climate, or natural
resources are not such as to develop into
large prosperity and wide usefulness.
Again, protective duties should never
be made so high as to build up great and
oppressive monopolies,-to enrich a few
at the expense of the many.
No protective duty should be placed
upon any industry which can prosper
reasonably well without it, nor higher
protective duty upon any industry than
is sufficient to sustain it in thrifty COM
petition with the foreign producer.
In the present condition of our rev.
enues, and with the progress that has
been made in paying the public debt, L
believe that, at the next session of Con-
gress, protective duties as well as those
for revenue, and internal taxation, may
be largely reduced-certainly not less, in
the aggregate, than fifty millions of dol
lars. | hear that the Finance Com
mittee of the Senate are engaged, during
the recess of Congress, in revising our
whole revenue system with this end in
view.N
1t is not wise nor possible to raise all
the revenue we need from protective
duties. We must obtain revenues by
taxing spirits and tobacco, and duties
must be laid upon some imports, entire
ly for the sake of revenues. We have
an example of this i'm tea and coffee.
have no doubt the duties upon these
should be further rendered, but, in the
present state of our finances, they can
not be entirely removed with safety to
our revenues.
But we now turn to principles of an
affirmative kind.
There are certain great branches of
industry which are natural to this coun-
try which might be developed in il to |
an indefinite extent, which might sup
ply the wants of millions, and which
might give employment and furnish
market to other millions, but which are
still liable to be weakened or destroyed
by foreign competition. To all such in
dustries would give sufficient protec-
tion to keep them in healthful pros
perity, without injuring other interests.
Wool-growing is an example. This GER
tainlK should be successful industry in
the United States, and yet there are
times when, without protection, the
American farmer, whose civilization re-
quires him to live respectfully in a COM
Portable home, and to educate his chill
dren, would be ruined i'll attempting to
compete with the rude and cheap-living
sheep farmers of Australia, or with the
half-savage gauchos of Buenos Ayres,
who, with no outfit but flask of rum
and a haunch of dried beef, will remain
for months among the countless flocks
that cover the pampas of the Parana.
The same principles will apply to the
great manufacturing industries ofI
woolen, cotton and iron. No doubt
even reasonable protective duties will
sometimes raise the price of an article
to the people, but this will be more
than counterbalanced by the employ
ment which it will afford them, and the
market which it will furnish for their
products. Upon the lowest estimate the
interests of this country.
at the present time, furnish employ
ment and support to several millions.
and in 1869, the market afforded for I
farm products by the three manufac-
turing Industries of cotton, wool and
iron, yielded as large returns i'm money
to our agriculturists as did our whole
market abroad. | have said that would
favor the reduction of some of our pro-
tective duties at the next meeting ofl
Congress, but | would be careful not tol
do this so rapidly as to injure import
mt interests, or those who depend upon
Them for support. 1t is impossible to
say how much distress might be inflicted
lpon the people if in reducing our i'm
posts we were to follow the reckless
guidance of the Democracy. The great
now quoted by Democrats
md Revenue Reformers, is Mr.. Wells.
can not close this subject better than
With a passage from his report for 1869.