The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-17
A FREE lRADEBOMB INA TARIFF
MEETING.

in the country has suffered more during
the present distress, The tariff has not
saved Pittsburg. In fact, the infamous
tariff has had much to do in causing the
present financial ruin. A high tariff pro-
notes and aids initiation, and imitation is
the evil, the wrong, for contraction re-
suits from initiation. Initiation first dis
turbs values, interferes with and disarran-
ges business and runs a country to inN
evitable ruin. We copy from the Post;
Many of the leading business men OF
Pittsburg and Alleghaney attended the
tariff meeting at the Chamber of Cons
merce rooms Friday afternoon, The
meeting passed along very quietly until
Rev. Dr. Bittinger, of the Sewickley Pres
byterian Church, was invited to give his
views. The reverend gentleman respond
ed by throwing semiNfree trade bomb
into the ranks of the protectionists. The
manufacturers listened with almost
breathless attention, and at the close of
the clergyman's remarks half dozen
protectionists were eager to assail his
views. The speech stirred them up in a
decidedly lively manner and the remarks
were particularly interesting from that
time until adjournment, A series otres~
olutions denouncing frequent legislation
and vigorously protesting against any
change in the present tariff law was after
wards unanimously adopted, and anoth-
er meeting was also agreed upon.
A FREE TRADE BOMB.
Rev. DR.. !. B. Bittinger, pastor of the
Sewickley Presbyterian Church, was
pointed out by Postmaster Anderson and
pressed into the speech making service
by President Park. DR. Bttinger threw
a flee trade bomb into the ranks of the
protectionists. He said:-You are all in
favor of free trade and l will presume
you also favor free speech. We may as
we'll make up our minds that there will be
a change in the tariff law. The complex>
ton of the National Legislature is eviN
dence of that. Theoretically speaking
the Democratic party is in favor of free
trade, though the remark does not apply
to Pittsburgh Democrats. The reports
from Congress forewarn us of change.
That there will be a change is foregone
conclusion. We should then exert our
selves to see this change does not pros
trate our necessary interests. Now con-
corning the present tariff law dare say
you never saw two men who understand
it alike. 1t is too intricate and too cum
bersome. 1t covers too much ground, and
should be simpli6ed and scaled. For in =
stance under iron you have seventy items
specified in the tariff law, but yet not one
provision that will cover the article of
cotton ties. Many articles protected yield.
ed very or no revenue. The law should
be changed in scope, and made to cover
fewer articles. This would prevent smuge
Cling, At present there is collusion be-
tween importers and revenue officers, and
man can smuggle in almost anything
if he will but try. If the law were sim
plifed there would be less smuggling,
RATES SHOULD BE REDUCED.
While then we should make the tariff
cover few articles, we should also make
the rates on these articles lower. This
too would serve to deminish fraud.
Tariff for protection and tariff for revenue
are inverse to each other. The higher
the tariff the lower therevenue, and con,
versely. What then should we dor Why,
tax those articles which everybody will
have but need not have. A cup of tea or
a cup of coffee is luxury. Put tariff
on these and the revenues will be increas>
ed. told them when the duties were re,
pealed on these articles that it was
grand mistake. 1t was taking off the tax
from articles used by forty millions of
people, each ofwhom therefore paid about
fifty cents a year, and putting heavier
tax on other articles which became dear>
er in proportion and yielded still less revs
enue. The duties should be repealed or
lowered on salt, and sugar. The whole
law should thus be scaled.
MR.. PARK ON GOLFER.
President Park-I ought to thank DR..
Bittinger for that speech. think we will
have a lively time from this out. Why
the gentlemen would have us tax coffee;
coffee an article which every man on
Gods fair earth OHghtto drink. 1t is an
antidote for whiskey, and if more good
strong coffee were used there would be
less suffering from the evils of intempers
ence.
General Negley-The erevenue laws are
not as cumbersome or intricate as the
reverend gentleman thinks.
H. W. Oliver, Jr.-Dr. Bittinger should |
that we favor the tariff as
principle, and not through selfshness.
The DOCTOR speech boiled down leaves
the impression that Pittsburgh manuface
.urers favor tariff merely for their own ads
vantage. 1t would be disgrace to ask |
Congress to abolish the duty on salt and |
it on iron to meet our own ends.
TRICKS OF IRON MANUFACTURERS.
Mr.. T. ]. Bingham-Dr. Bittinger has
read three times more on the free trade
side than on the tariff side. He takes
The view of all theorists. He spoke of
going abroad and would have us do like
The iron manufacturers wife who goes
abroad every year and brings enough |
goods back in her trunk to last till her
next trip. That iron manufacturer-her
you can smuggle trunk |
through for ten dollars every time.
Laughter, This thing of going abroad |
teaches people to smuggle. Instead ofre-
ducing the articles on which there is tar
if we should increase them. The law is
not broad enough now and should be
much fuller.
Postmaster Anderson-I am afraid our
meeting will drift into a mere debate on
the expediency of tariff We should have
known as tariff community,
and not let the country think free trade |
had been entertained in tar
if meeting in the Birmingham Of Amer
lea. ! earnestly favor protective tariff.
DR.. HITS BACK.
Rev. DR.. Bittinger-Mr Oliver misun-
derstood me. My views are broader than
10 favor protection for the iron men alone