The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-27

u 1o1 &s9NSAu4 OAAJs
There, is one issue 10 this sampaign
which deserves more attention than it
receives-an issue which is q vital one
on which depends the future prosperity
of the people and that is, the tariff.
The Republican party ia in favor of q
high tariff which is designated By mistake
protection. The Democratic party is in
favor Of tariff for-reyeuue only. The
Republican leaders try to misIead the peo'
pie by assuming that high tariff is neces-
sary to protect our industries; THAI but for
this high tariff the mechanic would. become
a serf manufacturers would cease and our
industries be ihopelessly crippled. These
assumptions are all wrong-and it is only
necessary 10 examine the subject to estab-
lish the utter fsllaey of the Republican
claims, - As-3 A4.-'
It is said By the high tariff advocates
that, but for the duty on iron and steel,
every manufacturer in that line would be
compelled to close up; that once foreign
competition is established on an equsl
basis, our home industries viii suffer.
This is. andicnlouslg absurd, for auyon e
who knows anything of the laws of trade,
can readily see how any such contin.
gency even if it were possible TO occur
could be avoided, The laws of trade
governing demand and supply would reg
ulate that, and just as our manufacturers
now lessen or increase their products, SO
could they do If low tariff made such
course necessary. Bot who are the par
ties benefited By the present high tariff
Is it the mcdaniel Mol Is it the laborer,
the merchant, the business man, the
people2 No. Who then are benefited :?
Why, none but o few manufacturers who
have monopoly on certain articles and
so long as the present high tariff is contin
ued will be beneftted-and none others.
Did you ever stop to think over this mat
ter, you farmers, mechanics, workingmen?
real ight2 Deyou know that the present
high tariff which was enacted by Republi-
canssis supported by Republicans and is
purely . Republican measure ia robbing
labor of millions every year2 And yet
such Is the fact-the plain. unvarnished
truth about the so-called protective tariff
The farmer and the mechanic pays a
fancy price for tea, in order that the i'm
porter can realize fabulous profit, Il is
SO with coffee. spice. in fact with thou
sand and one things which the poor man
musthave ia the ordinary necessities of
life, and for every one of which he pays a
fancy price in order that the legal |
lied robbery called protective" tariff may
be maintained, The sugar you put in
your coffee costs you two prices because |
the tariff adds to its value, and you-the
consumer, must pay that addition. Now
who gets the benefit Of this tariff? It is
select clique of manufacturers and inn
porters, who, SO long as the tariff is main
tanned will be able to debar foreign com
petition and under the pretense of PRO
tectionto American industry" are reaping
prineely fortunes atsthe expense of the
people whose interests they claim to have
in view. e.~ ~ e |:
The tariff as now in force and as sought
~ - 0oiutdiueu ny tue 1hepuDilcan party
Is great wrong on the people. It pre-
tends to protect labor. when really eating
at the very vitals of industry. Il claims to
to protect our industries, when, as mat
ter OF tact, outside of few eastern manu-
lecturers it is positive disadvantage.
instead of blessing TO the working and
Industrial classes, it is curse. and far
rom enhancing labor-it debases il, 1t
assumes to protect and in reality robs the
people. 1t is claimed for it that it builds
ap manufactures. when as an actual fact it /
1as contracted that branch of industry.
1t. is q fraud, an unnecessary burden, is
detrimental to our best interests, and
should be changed to revenue basis at
me earliest practicable moment. Il is a
mlsea ke-a misnomer to designate the
present tariff laws as protective" They
10 NOT protect but they do give unlimit.
cd opportunity to rob the .speopIer oil
millions every year. in order that select
rev may become merchant princes. This
imam GUS Law. this professionals to robbery
-tne present 80 called protective
larit, /" ia an original Rspubl.a