Daily globe., 1878-09-02
THE TARIFF THE CAUSE OF HARD
TIMES.

The remarks of Hon. Thomas F. Bayard
on the causes Of the. existing hard times will
bear an attentive perusal. The occasion that
called them forth WAS not political one. A
few hundred country people had gathered for
! social reuEion-a harvest home-and there
was no occasion or opportunity for politi-
cal address. But the occasion was improved
by Mr.. Bayard for intoxicating a few whole
some truths-a few facts affecting our COM
mercial and manufacturing interests, drawn
from close observation of the experience of
| the past and the material laws of trade. All
countries being mutually dependent upon
one another for their prosperity, Mr.. Bayard
reviewed the causes which contributed to
the present depression of trade, chief among
which he regarded the protective tariff i'm
posed during the war and since maintained
by the Republican party. The taxes i'm
posed by this government on i'm
ported merchandise, he argued,
by creating and stimulating in foreign coun-
tries On excessive competition, operate to
the detrirnent of our own manufacturers
who are dependent upon imported material
for the production of their goods. The cost
of manufacturing goods in this country must,
under such circumstances, exceed that of the
goods produced elsewhere in exact proportion
to the higher rate of our tariff duties as
compared with other countries So, instead
of protecting home industries, the high pro-
tective duties has only stimulated production
abroad, and enabled foreign manufacturers
to obtain an enormous profit on that portion
of their products sold in this country.
1t passes comprehension how any sensible
man can find good reasons for maintaining
protective tariff in this country.
Such tax may enrich few
manufacturers, but it i1npoyerishes
the people at large. By prohibiting the i'm
portation of foreign goods you enable the
domestic manufacturer to obtain large
profit on his products, but the people have
to pay it-not the manufacturer in foreign
countries. If you impose tax of five dol
lars on the importation of foreign plows, you
do not derive any revenue from the man
ufacturer of those plows. You simply enable
the domestic manufacturer to put an extra
i've dollars upon each of his plows, which
those who use them are obliged to pay. The
tax comes out of the consumer, not out of
the importer, and is equivalent to taking
money out of the pockets of the farmers and
the iaboring men, who compose the bulk of
the population, and putting it into the pock-
cts of the few manufacturers. It makes the
rich richer and the poor poorer. It increase
the burdens of the poor without increasing
their benefits.
Those who believe that it is the mission
OF the government to foster the money pow
er-to create an aristocracy of wealth by
lowering the condition of the working
! classes-can find warrant for the main
tenance of high protective tariff. But
those who regard the great mass of the peo-
pie rs the class to be fostered and built up.
can find only evil from the imposition of
such duties. The proper use .or tariff is
to produce revenue. Taxes should be i'm
posed upon articles of luxury primarily, and
If needed upon articles of necessity with the
sole object of producing the largest returns
to the government, while at the same time it
IS least onerous to the public. This is the
policy of the Democratic party. Ever since
its organization it has been consistent in
maintaining it, and results have fully dem
onstrated its wisdom.