, 1874-08-01
FREE TRADE VS.. TARIFF.
An Argument In Favor Of Ab0lishing
Duties on Imports,
And Raising tho Necessary Gov
crnmcrltul Revenue by D1-
rect Taxation.

lows: ,>-s :, ;.
That Protective Tariff ia most nnjns UNEQUAL,
onpre..se end waseinl 1T M oae or ra,sng I .S tps
SOURCES OF thu corrnrssona 20 administration. We,
therefore, the Danoerany Ut na!ne IN convention ~ ~
senbled, declare for FREQ Trao, al Ill favor Of Ill
anu unrcalfleloa commerce. I
This ia q cloar and distinct Issue tnado to tho |
people. It gives forth no unoertain souna. It
Inns tho ring OF tho pure metal. Inm g1ad Tho !
Btato of Malno hns 30 sqnaroly put forth this
question. It must become
TIE tEAptNo rob1r1oA1 QUESTION
OF tho country. Its Importance demands for 1t |
Tint position Next 10 freedom and indopenl-
once, 1t muat be tho leading question In Ameri-
can politics, becauBo It embraces tho whole
subject Of 1nonopolics, rovonuo, and taxation.
Tho question Of collecting royenuo by lowing
imnosts upon commerce, with tho notifications
of TINT policy from time to timo, Inns always had
more influence upoh Amorfcah politics md fg8lg.
1ation tban my other single question, though 1t
has generally boon nahdo to occupy d secondary
position boforo the pcoplo. AB an uuincumbercd
political issuo, "Froe Trade" and "an unfet-
torol and unrestricted commerce has mover
bocn presented to tho American people for their
consideration and adoption. 1t'hns always boon
encumboroa by questions Of revenue, Of protco-
ton to special intorcats, but, moro than all. by
sectional interests md scctanal nntmostics.
It IL. therefore, Of great Significance at this
limo, TINT Atuine casting of all sectional intor-
osts and pre)udlces, presents this question
upon its merits, md Upon principle alone. I nm
glad 1t III presented under such auspiceB.
srEAKEn nLA1NE '' ? =
aooa the danger, and llaatons to tho breach. In
his letter accepting denomination to Congress-,
ho yelemontly attaoks che doctrine Of tho roso-
tuition huva taken for my text.
This attack Of Mr.. Blaine Is important, from
tho fact TINT ho ia ono of tho acknowledged
party-leadors Of tho country, and Ia aspiring to
tho Presidency. But, with all his prominence
and his acknowledged ability, must be permt-
ted to say that his argument against the princi-
les and policy of the resolution does not meot
old taesics,--an appeal to local interesta assd
Bpccial prcjudlccs. It falls fur below the course
and lnnEuaEo Of n statcBn1an upon groat 1uos-
ton Of vital Importance to tho whole country.
THE POINT m ISSUE Is,
How shall tho enormous sum Of money. aunu-
allv required by tho General Government DO COL
lected? What molo is beYt for all tho intsresta
of tl,e country? ny duties upon imports, by
Of Maine says. in effect. by direct taxation. Mr..
Dlafno says, by duties or by exclses.
| wish to Glbfoin foW thoughts upon this
question:: Mr. Blaine says the Government col
iects, in ronnd numbers, $500. 900 600 hnnuNly
from imports. The consumers pay this. The
consumors arc tho .groat body OF tho people.
Every dollar Of 1t Is rnld by tue labor OF the
country: Tho people want to know lo'T much
Of this $780, 00o6,000 is roally nocesaary for tho
| maintonanco Of the Government. Ihey want to
| Of Frco Government. They want to know II
| there is not more economical wny Of collecting
tho necessary funds for tho n1Rintenanca of tho
Government, than by duties leyiod upon COM
kt,nA- 1n+t Int
ests OF the producing classeB, and that will save
| TINT economy to thoin, so they will be indiyid-
ually benefited theroby7
l. Az all tho money for the support Of Goyern-
| meut conlps ultimately from tho producing
! olaasoa, they want to know
| TIE BEST AND CHEAPEST WAT
| thoy can pay it. They want to know: First,
which will cost them the least to pay tho rove
| nueo OF tie Govornment.-to have them collected
dntios upon what they consume second, wliol,
III tho best for their interests, Ill things con-
| Alderol,-to take tho mouey out Of their poclk-
OTIS and apply 1t directly to the support Of ths
Government, or pay il Indirectly upon what
pay; and, third, whether, by indirectly paying
thls revenue In tho way Of dnties upon imports,
they do not, In faee, pay vastly more thau EooH
in to the Golfers Of tho Government.
These questions the advocates OF Tariff o
duties upon commerce for the nleanB Of reyenue
haro always avoided discussing, aud especially
SO the advocates Of q Protectiue Tariff and Bucl
ia now tho courgo OF tho Hon. J. g. Dlaino tholl
champion. But tue time has coma whcn they
must be discussed, md
MUST re ANSWERED TO THE PEOPLE.
I do not know what it costs to collect tht
5000. 100000 by tho TariR-maohincry; but w
can form vagne idoa when To tako into she
account our 10000 miles of lake and sea- a-coasts
every bay harbor, inlet, aud oreok Of HAlcf
must DO carefully watched aud GUARDED, day ant
night, to prevent tho landing upon our Shore O.
goods the people want, until tho aovornmou
has collected its tax; tho trunks and boxes o
tic traveller anl tho o,nigrant searched and every
thing he has about him overhaulet. et.-,oven ~
women stripped aud nearched,-lest the dighi
fed Government should loso. few dunes
Daily, nightly, hourly this vigilance must b.
md every stimulaut applied to incroaae that yig
ilance. And not alone upoh our border
IL this vigilance katt up; but, throughout th
Interior Of tho country, eyon IN tho state Q
Iowa, stands thls watch and guard. ,,,n.nran
Of tho "froo" people Of thia country
interests OF tho country; for, wore, !
not so, 10 guard would s q. 20. 20 needed eltt
would against on Invading foe. This great fore
OF men to watch our extended bordorS, an
guard tho pooplo against themselves, coats
Yast sum. 1u addition, large tioot OF revenue
cutters, ,euuboats and alltps-ol-war, must , b
|
of coasts, to prevent the approach OF goods, III
people notwithstanding them AZ All onomy'
country. but with this difference: wo hRye t
pay for our own blookallug.
Nor arc thoHo expensive armamonts and force
ali tho cost OF This modo of collecting rorennt
Custom. houses and warehouses;, costing million
eaoI,, n,ust 10 erected ID nil OF our large citie
and towuB, In which to store tho goods In
ported into tho country, aud ~ which to cole!
tho tak thereon; tax made necos8Bary,
. great part, by the means used to enforce and co
, loct it; tile 1ncana being necessary because th
| tux so COLLECTED Ia
CONTRARY TO dATunAL R1onT.
Now Gomez, in addition to all those forces, tt
.. great army Of Collectors, Surveyors, Wogter
Gaugeru, Keepers, spios. blacknallors, onic
thieves, and foreign Consuls In Immense hos
{ stopped in corruption. oontaminating society I
, | we'll AZ the body polite.
All tho cost OF this immense, complicated, .a1
corruptiug machinery IL paid by tue people,
not III proportion to tho!r property, not IN IL
proportion their property aud their rIghtH a,
projected by lho institutions sud laws OF II
, country,-hut in proportion to what tlsey col
= Huula. Lot tho people understand ths matt0
y and lot tto,n further understand TINT no moa
l ST. n1io n1n In