River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-10-21

ers, and was approved by Franklin Pierce,
a Democratic President.
THE TARIFF.
In the estimation of some, our tariff
laws are the cause Of all the ills we bear,
and with them absolute free trade is the
remedy, and they would raise revenue to
support the government and pay the in
terest on our National debt by direct
tax. But, as under the constitution OF the
United States, direct taxes can only be
apportioned according TO representation,
and as a new and poor community would
have to pay the same tax in proportion to
population as an old and rich one, it is
not strange that very few persons in the
west favor this mode Of raising revenue,
and whatever theories may be advanced
in the abstract in regard to free trade,
nearly all admit that so long as we have
our great public debt large part OF our
revenue must be raised from tariff on
foreign imports. The only question is as
to the class of importations upon which
a tariff should be laid. Some are for
a purely revenue tariff, without re-
! gard to the protection of any
branch of industry, while others maintain
that when you car afford incidental pro-
lection to those branches of American
industry that can be as well prosecuted in
this country as any other, except for our
dearer capital and labor we should do so
to the extent of enabling our own citizens
to enter into fair competition This, as
| | understand it, has been about the posi-
ton of the Democratic party as expressed
| in many Of their conventions in the last
dozen years, and this is about my posi-
! ion. We have made such strides in
manufacturing Of late, that we have
scarcely any branch OF manufacturing
! industry THAT is not forced one) that
cannot fairly compete in the market with
out protection. This happy result has
arisen from the policy we have heretofore
! pursued of protecting and encouraging our
infant manufactures until they could
stand alone
IRON, COAL, SALT AND LUMBER.
So far as the articles ofiron, coal, lumber
end salt are concerned Iregard them as re-
quiring very little or no protection at this
time As to iron we are able to make
nearly all that the country requires and
| the advance in coal and labor in England
makes our iron men at the present
| time masters of the situation, tariff
or no tariff In regard to lumber, an
article in which | may be supposed
to have some personal interest, l have
to say, that | should be glad to have
the duty taken off entirely. BY removing
the duty a cause of clamOr will also be
removed, as no doubt many persons think
that the duty of SO per thousand is so
much added to the price, which in point
of fact is not true. Lumber was never so
high in Chicago as in the last years when
it was imported duty free.
CAN COMPETE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.
/ am satisfied that if specie payments
are restored, as they at once should be,
that we can compete successfully with
any other country. If not, we can stop
making it. Were lumber to-day admitted
duty free, am satisfied that the price
would not be lower than 1t now is. But
whether it be so or not, do not wish to
be classed as among those who have any
privileges not accorded to the general
public. The manufacturer of woollens
will tell you that if you will admit his
raw materials free, he will ask no protec-
! ton on his manufactured article, and |
care to see no duty except in the interest
of the wool-grower: but if the wool.
grower is protected, corresponding duty
on the manufactured article is necessary,
/ for farmers cannot grow wool unless they
! have a home market for it.
All that there is now left as to the tariff
| question, is as to the class of articles on
which duties are to be laid and upon that,
men may we'll differ in opinion | am
utterly opposed to giving special privi-
leges to any class
| REFORMS ARE NEEDED AND HOW TO Eff
Feet THEM.
! That reforms in the Government are
needed, no one doubts. The system of
! appointing men to Office is bad, and so
! long as it continues, more or less bad men
will be appointed. Some hope is enter
/ aimed of improvement under the system
of what is called Civil Service Reform,
| but not much. As general thing the
| President is not TO blame for bad appoint
ments. He cannot know the many appli-
cants, and has to depend upon Senators
and Representatives to advise him, and
Athey too often sign papers to get rid of
a. Opportunity. If the President would al
PA me to make suggestion, it would be
| to require member of Congress or Sena-
! tor when recommending persons for
| ollANtf W NNltllN bl AAblibis til1A
recommended was personally known to
him. that he believed him 10 be a thor
oughly competent man, man of ability,
sDbriety, integrity and honor, and that if
appointed he desired that his certificate
should be made public in the community
where the appointee resided. With such
requirement, | am certain you would
improve your civil service, as Senators or
members who had any honor themselves
or character worth preserving, would be
cautious in their recommendations.
HISTORY OF PARTIES CoNTRAsTED.
There are some other questions of a
local character that / may speak upon At
some other time and place, but as they
are not of special interest to this locality,
and as | have already long detained you,
| will not further advert to them. There
is nothing in the history of the Republi-
can party of this State, that should desire
you TO change it, and | am certain there
is nothing in the history of the Demo
cratic party in this State, that can
cause YOU To desire It's restoration 10
power. The memory of its corrup.
! lions when in power il too
fresh in the minds OF the people, and
where II has been in power in other
States, It's record has been one of disloy.
atty and reeking rottenness, so that the
best men Of the party are abandoning il
and determined on its final dissolution.
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