The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-10-01
REPUBLICANS AND THE TARIFF.

existing parties, aud its motive power was
opposition to slavery. In nothing else did
its coalesciug elements agree, and on no 9TH
er basis could that party have been organ.
lied. Its organizers and leaders were main
ly free traders, and it is a significant fact that
in the platform Of the first republican con.
vontion that ever assembled, June IL, 1856,
not one word about tariff, or protection to
to American industry was inserted. If any
such thing had been attempted, it would have
the assembly, and the party now
calling itself Republican would have no ex-
istence.
In the convention of 1860 the most they
can do is to say "thst while providing reUe-
nue. for the support of the general govern.
ment by duties on imports sound policy re-
quires such adjustment of these imports as to
encourage the development of the industrial
interest of the whole country"-but not one
word about protection, upon which they pre-
tend to have patent.
In 1864, the subject is not even mentioned
but they resolve in favor of rigorous sys-
TEN of tdraiion. In the matter of rigorous tdG
alton the republican party has always been
strong, as the people who have groaned un-
der the burdens of the plunderers have good
reason to know aud remember.
Nor do we find in the platform of 1868,
one word upon the question of a tariff, or
syllable in favor of protection to American
industry Dumb as an oyster, this party
of shams and pretensions continues its career
of duplicity.
In 1872 they for a moment recur to the
subject and say "The details of which should
be 20 adjusted as to aid in securing remun-
erative wages of labor and promote the in
dustries, prosperity and growth of the whole
country" But there is no protection. it is
only revenue tariff, and what there is of
it is buried amongst mass OF words. In
1876 the words are promote the interests
of American labor and advance the pros.
perity of the whole country" So the bot
tom has fallen out of the great American
system and the cheat and the fraud con.
tinue.
In 1880, this same party, in whose plat
forms the word Protection as connected with
| the tariff never occurs, nominates James A.
Garfield, free trader, an honorary member
of the English Free Trade Golden Club,
and attempts again to deceive the people of
Pennsylvania into the belle f that it is tar
ilf party. And now in 1880 the most they
can say is "that the duties levied for the
purpose of revenue should so discriminate as
| to favor American labor"
And the record shows that this party OF
false professions and false practices never
dared to put into its platform PROTEC-
TION 10 american labor, and was not and
is not in favor of it as a political principle.
And to prove that they are not, they have
put man in nomination whose record is as
follows:
FOREIGN COAL.
Ga the 18th of March, 1871 the following
joint resolution was passed by the House Of
Representatives
"Be IL enacted, etc, That from and after
the passage of this joint resolution no tax
or duty shall be levied or collected on foreign
COAL"
On the passage of this resolution General
Garfield voted aye.-.See Congressional Globe
| Part l., AID Congress, p. 50.
During the debate in the House on the
above bill, March 10, 1871. General Garfield
said:
"But desire to ask gentlemen whether,
considering the odium that the whole tariff
has 10 bear in consequence of this duty on
coal, they think it wise to perpetuate this
| tax, which is of so little value either to the
country or the treasury. think it unwise
to continue this duty on coal and l am
therefore in favor of its repeaL"- Congress
ionat Globe Part, /, 1st session, And Congress
p, SO.
The Hon. W. d. Kelley and all other
members of Congress in favor of protection
voted against this joint resolution repeating
the duty on coal.
FOREIGN IRON, &c.
During the first session of the Thirty
eighth. Congress the tariff on pig iron was
raised from Sc to 50 per ton. On page 33l2
Part w, of the Congressional Globe Of 1864,
June 9th, We find James A. Garfield voting
to reduce the proposed tariff on railroad iron
from eighty down to sixty cents per hundred
pounds, and ON the final vote on raising the
| tar iff his vote is not recorded. On the re-
duction of duty on railroad iron he voted in
opposition to every protective man in the
House, including such men as Judge Kelley
| Thaddeus Stevens and General J. X. More
head. In 1870 the duty of 80 per ton.
on pig iron was reduced to 81 per ton. Gen.
| eral Garfield voted for the reduction. In
| 1872 bill making reduction of ten per
cent. in the duties on wools iron and steel
passed Congress. This bill provided:
"That on and after the first day of August
1872 in lieu of the duties imposed by law
| on the articles in this section enumerated,
| there shall be levied, collected and paid On
| the goods, wares aud merchandise in this
section enumerated and provided for impor-
ted from foreign countries, ninety per cen
tum Of the several duties and rates Of duty
now imposed by law upon said articles sew
orally, ii being the intentot this section to re-
duce eristing duties on said articles ten percen-
tum of such duties, that is to say;
''On all wools."
"On sll iron and steel, and on ali manu-
tactures of iron aud steel, of which metals,
or either of them, shall be the component
part of the chief value, excepting cotton
machinery"
The vote of General Garfield on the pas
sage OF this tariff bill on June 9Th, 1872 will
be found in the Congressional Globe, Part V
2nd session 42nd Congress, p. 1862, 1t is re-
corded yea.
Thus it will be seen that General Garfield
voted in favor Of every reduction OF the tar
if on foreign iron during the last sixteen
years.
/ VIEWS ON FREE TRADE