The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-26
THE PR SS.
TUESDAY MORNING., MARCH 2o' z'
Tho ..Pig-Iron Democracy"

Mr. Kelley, the able Pennsylvania who is
the standard by which all radicalism on the
opbect of the tariff is measured, is about to
lose the distinction conferred upon him by
his nickname. Two-thirds of the Democratic
Senators voted with the majority of their as
sociates, on Friday, to place tea and coffee on
the free list When the House passed Oil
the same object, Democrats IN that
body also were found voting in large numbers
with the majority. Now the duty on Tea anu
coffee adds about twenty million dollars to the
revenue of the country, and that sum is not
far from the amount fixed upon by those who
are best acquainted with the exigencies OF our
financial situation as the maximum limit OF
the possible reduction of the receipts from
customs for the ensuing year. So that the
Senate and House should give practical erect
to what seems to be their wish by embodying
the repeal of the duties ON tea and cofiee IN
the same bill-the House having at present
made the repeal separate measure, and the
Senate having adopted it as an amendment
to the tariff bill-it would be hardly possible,
with due regard to the necessities of the
Treasury, to remove any more duties on inn
ports. Coal, salt, iron and the other articles
of prime necessity whose protection is most
obnoxious to free-traders and Revenue Re-
formers" would necessarily wait for relief
one more year, at least The measures pass
ed by both the Senate and House, therefore,
are Justly regarded as on the whole triumphs
of the protective principle. They are crafty
ing to Kelley and Randall rather than to Cox
and the "Revenue Refomers." Hence the
prompt assault of the free-trade Democrats
on their brethren whose votes have helped
the Tribune school of economists to give the
strictly protective duties, including those on
coal and salt, which are universally regarded
as denominations, a longer lease of life. Hence
the Democratic free-trade organs transfer the
grim epithet, "Pig-iron,' from Mr. Kelley to
the protectionist Democrats.
The anger of the free-traders is natural,
and the hearty good will with which they be-
rate the apostates is by no means calculated
to excite wonder. The enormities of the tar
iff have been forsome time their chief stock in
trade. Democratic stump-speakers have al
ways fondly cherished the delusion that it
completely floors and morally prostrates "the
honest farmer and the Intelligent mechan-
ic' to tell him OF the ruinous imposts on his
jack-knife and the wicked designs of the law
makers in taxing his pocket-handkerchief
Nor have such appeals been without their eff
feet since the war made so large revenue
and high taxes necessary. There have been,
and still are, genuine abuses, especially in
the matter of taxing imports, that have re-
ceived as severe condemnation within the
Republican party as elsewhere. Indeed, the re-
peal of the clearly unjust duties above referred
to has twice been carried through the House
of Representatives under the lead of a. Repub-
lican, supported by an overwhelming majority
of his party associates. This being the case,
and large number of Democratic Congress
men having, in the opinion of their own par
ty associates, identified themselves with the
extreme protectionists, how are these abuses
any longer to subserve the purposes of Con-
sentative campaign orators? What is to be-
come of the immense store of illustrated
sheets, exhibiting the deplorable effect of
protective and absolutely prohibitory duties
They will now serve only to infame popular
resentment against the 'Pig-iron Democra-
cy." Of what further use will be those
ingenious cards, with specimens ofiron, steel,
and textile fabrics and the tax levied thereon
conspicuously displayed? Does the conclusive
proof of the ignorance or wickedness of the
"Pig-iron Democrats" require that "object-
teaching should be introduced into political
economy? How, hereafter, can our Mr. Pills
bury, for instance, introduce his celebrated
studies of the tariff with dramatic effect, as he
has been accustomed to do? How can he, in
substance, promise to every man mtaxed
trowsers and redeemed and undespoiled hat
as one of the blessings of Democratic rulep
The "Pig-iron Democracy, evea aohen in the mi
'aority, are not willing topromise these things
though much party capital is to be made
thereby.
This is only one of the complications in
which the Democracy are involved with ref
erence to the tariff. In order to secure the
support of Greeley and other disaffected Re
publicans, it will be necessary for them either
to ignore the tariff question or to favor pro-
lection. They can do neither without excit-
ing feeling of profound dissatisfaction in
their own ranks. Accordingly they are adj
vised by the New York San to do neither, but
to adopt the resolution of the Democratic
Convention of 1868. That resolution can be
as one pleases. So far as anything
at all can be gathered from it, it leans toward
protection. 1t will be seen that now, rs
heretofore, the Democratic managers never
ask themselves, ''what is right ?"-"what is
the truth ?'-but "how can we inveigle the
greatest possible number of people into voting
to restore us to power?"