The Portland daily press., 1880-10-30
Mr.. FRYE on the Tariff,


On Tuesday evening w. p. Frye. member of
congress, appeared in City Hall to eulighten
the people Oh the tariff, and miserable botch
he made of it, if the PRESS report is correct
lie IS the attorney for corporations at Lewis
ton' that have made fortunes for the Massa-
chusetts stockholderS by reason of high pro-
tectlve tariff. He has been member OF Con-
gfess some years, and has made no effort TO
get the present tariff revised. But now on
the stump lie undertakes to speculate on the
tarlHS or England aud the United States as
aIectihg the interests of the laborng man.
he makes Portland an America, and Saco
Germany, to illustrate the price always in
those countries. but fails to inform his hearers
that the present tariff is unequal in many re-
spects, favoring one class of capitalists at tie
expense OF the people. He asks with shout,
wnether we complain Of one per cent. Oh
bunch OF Matches as though such petty
taxes were ever complained Of
Lac revenue under the present tariff is an
immense tax upon the people, and they feel it.
The farmer is taxed heavily on all his agricul-
tural tools, and so is the mechanic Overtaxa-
tion OF the people for the benefit of the few
has increased pauperism in England and will
increase it here Everything we use, wear or
eat, the very necessaries of life are taxed nm
der the tariff. But the Presidential election
has nothing to do with the tariff. Congress
alone settles that question. and the election of
Hancock (Which is probable) or of Garfield
would not touch the tariff. No tariff bill was
0'SA 'OtoCQs
TO the Editor Of the Press:
We beg to dissent from the views expressed
in the above correspondence to tie Argus of
the 2Sth; and feel safe in giving our opinion
that the author of the article, and not Mr..
Frye, has "made a miserable botch of it'' His
letter is aimless, illogical, without argument
or force of reason, merely continuation of
unqualified statements. We make mention of
a few facts for his benefit.
Mr. Frye was selected as attorney for the
Lewiston corporations not solely because of his
sound ideas on the tariff question, but on ac-
count of his we'll kown legal ability and
knowledge of financier ms. Can the Demo-
cratic party of Maine produce his equal? We
doubt it.
The assertion that Mr.. Frye has made no
effort to get the tariff revised is incorrect. Mr..
Frye has opposed this extremely high and ex
orbitant duty. 1t was only during the last ses-
sion Of Congress that he had colloauy with
Conger, of Michigan, upon this question, in
which he said that he did not think it right
that the people should pay high prices for GER
tain articles in consequence of an extremely
high tariff not absolutely necessary. Mr..
Frye is desirous that the tariff be made equal;
but determined that protection shall be main
tanned in all cases and at all hazards.
While the tariff does favor our capitalists, at 4
the same time and in the same locality it iavors
hundreds of "ihe people," The Capitalist is
not dependent upon the tariff. If he is a capi-,
talist, and the tariff is removed, he can invest
his money in any kind of security. He is not
tied down by it. .The people, however are
dependent upon the tariff. When it is re-
moved the great influx of raw md manufac-
tured material from abroad, produced at half
our own outlay, can but render our exertons
profitless. And while the canitalist is only
obliged to convert his capital into other securi-
ty, "the people" are left without work, and
necessarily destitute of the means of living
The revenue under the present tariff sys-
teD is an Immense tax" yet it is but slight
when indirectly thrown upon individual work.
ing men. In paying this they are Tut adding
their mite to secure steady work and good
wages. Did they not pay this tax and thus be
protected in their labor, they would have no
work at all, or only at wages totally inadequate
to live comfortably.
THE farmer is taxed heavily for his tools
and so is the mechanic" Take the state of
Connecticut for example. There we see thou
sands of skilled tool-makers and thousands of
farmers. The farmer since these men are get
ting good pay, sells his produce at good prices.
Now. take off the tariff. England sends over
ship load after ship load of agricultural imple-
ments, and, selling them lower than we can
manufacture them here, still makes profit.
Then the farmer can buy his tools ch per
than before. Is he satisfied? No. The thou
sands of tool-makers, having no work leave
the section and try their hand at something
else; or, II they remain, they have no money
and cannot buy the farmers supplies at his
old prices. These thousands cannot purchase
OF him. He cannot sell at all. Who is bene
flied by this
"overtaxation of the people for the benefit
OF the few has increased pauperism in Eng
land, and 1t will have the same result every
where, But when, for the benefit of the peo-
pie, as In our own country, will tend to lessen
it.
thing we use, wear or eat" employs millions
OF our people, Suppose we take off the tariff
The manufacture and production of these
Things IN this country must stop, AS foreign
nds can supply us cheaper. If all this pro-
tected work in the United States must cease,
what are the aforementioned millions going to
90, those who are dependant for their living
upon the work, which is an element in this
manufacturing and production. Who is going
to benefited by such legislation?
If .'the Presidential election has nothing to
do with the tariff" why does General Han
COCK, who favors one "for revenue oply,''
come out with letters stating or attempting to
state his views on the question? And why
does he endeavOr to counteract and smooth
over the section in the Democratic platform
in regard to the tariff? II Democratic Con-
gress should favor bill or the repeal of the
tariff laws, does the Argus correspondent
think for moment Democratic President,
who. on the fence, in one month favors
tariff for revenue only and three months
later does not believe in it, is going to prevent
the passage of such bill? 1t is absurd to
think this, especially when we consider that
the ablest and most powerful members among
the Democrats are strong in their de votion to
the tariff plank Of their late platform.
No tariff bill was ever vetoed'' the corre-
spondent says. If this is so, and should the
Democrats, if perchance they are in MAORI
W in Congress, attempt to .iass bill for the
destruction of the tariff, let him know that
Mr.. Garfield, if called to act, will not be mod
est or backward i'll claiming himself as one
who first vetoed such bill. r. G. w.
Limerick Ablaze.
The Republican demonstration at Limerick