The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-06-17

per,ons or more favored classes protection
which would take equally and bestow equal
| ly would be no protection at all It's aOoll-
ton would be of most easy accomplishment
having no selfish interests for its malntcn'
ance. :,
The advocates of protection allege that all
nations which have become skillful IN manu-
features have become so by means OF protec-
ton The facts do not warrant the assertion
The system has either resulted in the loss oil
prosperity, In the gravest injury, sometimes
utter ruin, or 1t has been given up rs a failure
as 1t was in great Britain, where it was APP
piled under the most favorable circumstances.
In 1S40 after many years OF peace and sew
eral successive abundant harvests, its advo.
Gates were made TO admit its failure, anu a
little later the remedy was applied ana
continued by the successive adoption OF free
trade measures.
Mr.. Morrison here entered upon an clabo-
rate and very interesting review OF the
operation OF protective measures IN tho ma
tions of Europe, and proceeded as follows j
An increase on luxures even Will enrich
only the smugglers. Crooked whisky tells
US that excessive excise taxes make knaves
and thieves. Which way, then, shall we lay
our course? We must try the removal OF re,
strictions, take off the shackles, and get
revenue from property which represents the
results Of labor, not from processes or means
by which 1t is,acquired. Wemust recognize
the oft-repeate6 truth that where protection
begins revenue ends. Bad as the system OF
protection is believed to be, it must be deal
with by no abrupt change or headlong speed,
but with sure and moderate steps, with the
care and caution of enlightened statesman
ship.
THE PRESENT TARIFF
serves neither the purpose OF revenue nor
protection. Ii is condemned by the treasury
because it promotes fraud and offers pre-
mum to unialthfnl officers; the manufacturer
of woolcns satisfied with enormous rates OF
duty on wooden goods complains OF high
duties on raw wools chemicals and dye.
stuffs; the hardware manufacturer, content
with the rates of protection on his wares,
complains of the high duties on steel and
IRON: even the manufacturer of cOttons COM
plains of the increased cost of producing his
! fabrics by reason of high duties on dyes and
cOlOrs. Revenue is mere incidental or
secondary matter; the interests of the toiling,
working and producing millions are ignored,
and we have as the outgrowth OF our tariff
selfshness which in its race for subsidies and
bounties has couded some of our best intel
lects and dwarfed the spirit Of laudable
enterprise.
GMr. Morrison here rccited the Characters
tic features of tariff measures from 1888 down
to 1862, and remarked:
But 1t was on June 80 1864, that tn c real
TARIFF sATURNALIA
set in. The average rate Of duties on dutiable
| imports, which in 1868 was 80 per cent, was
so increased in 1S65-'66 the rate rose to the
enormous average of CT per cent, on dutlable
imports. Double duties were multiplied and
were increased And how was this enormous
taxation obtained under what pretext and
under what condition of alarm and appre'
hension did the people Of the country receive
and accept this new burden of taxation
Let Mr. Morrill,, who had the bill IN charge,
answer. On the I'd of June, 1864, he said:
"Iestlmate thatthc present bill will increase
the revenue not less than S15,OO0,OOo, and
probably more; this Is intended as war
measure, temporary measure, ana ii Is
needful that it should pass speedily"
The war ended eleven years ago, but TINS
"war measure" this temporary measure, Is
not only in full! operation, but its effects have
in fact been aggravated by laying new and
increased rates of duty as some of the victo'
ries of peace. While these remain the ad-
vocates Of protection may well proclaim that
"Peace hath its victories no less renowned
than war;"
Amid the clash of arms it would doubtless
have been deemed unpatriotic to question the
fact that these tariff laws were enacted as
"war" measures and temporary" measures
but when we see them maintained and multi
Piled with peace at home and abroad, II Is
difficult to escape the conclusion that selfish
had 10 In uytta THAR enactment
and no less with their maintenance.
The internal revenue tax, too, was made to
furnish an additional preteyt for new burdens
on the people and increased bounties to the
protected Mr. Morrill, further said:
an adjusting the tariff upon iron the prin'
ciplG has been to give an increase upon the
tariff of 1861 equal to the internal revenue
duties"
If this was ever true why were these duties
not re adjusted with the repeal OF internal
revenue taxes III 1869? 1t was not done then,
nor has it been since. Why not do 1t now
that the reason, so far as it had reason or pre-
text, no longer exists?
The next tariff change IN 1860 gave little
more protection; and in 1869 there were three
tariff acts passed, among them one laying a
tax of 20 per cent on cattle, horses and mules.
This for agriculture!
The tariff act of 1867 was simply an agree
ment between the woolgrowers and wooden
manufacturers, ratified by congress, To in
crease the duty on foreign wool and wooden
fabrics.
OF course, as usual in class legislation and
tariff jGgglery, neither the consumer nor the
treasury was supposed to have any interest in
the matter All that was required Of the
consumer was to pay his tax aud hold his
peace.
This alliance and increase had no preteXt
IN war, but added from 30 to go per cent to
existing rates and as events have proved, was
misfortune to both interests Woollen
manufacturers anguish with wages lower
than before the war, while the wool.growers
receive less for their wool this very year than
they did under the tariff of 1897,
! The next important amendment of the tariff,
on July II. 1870, was modification and re-
duc,ion. But cotton goods, wool and WOODEN
fabrics iron manufactures, in fact all manu-.
! featured articles with one or two minor eX.
I ceptiCns, remained untouched.