The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-25
The Tariff Question.
How 1t Affects Working Men and Busi-
ness Men.

The country has now been living for twenty
years under tariff system adopted by the Re-
publican party in Congress, the ground princi-
pie of which is to protect American labor and
American enterprise against ruinous competi-
tion from the cheap labor'and immense accu-
muated capital of Europe. This system has
greatly benefited the industries of the country
Our manufacturing interests have vastly in
creased in magnitude since it was adopted,
and have broadened their field of operation so
as to take in almost every article needed by a
civilized people. Hundreds of thriving towns
have sprung up where there was nothing but
open country in 1860, and old half dead vii
lages have become prosperous cities, teeming
with a busy population. The whole land,
from Maine to the Far West, is dotted with
shops and factories which would never have
been built if our laws had not levied duty
upon foreign goods. The wages of labor are
from 80 to 100 per cent. higher than they were
before the protective system was adopted. At
the same time the farmers. who have a home
market for their products in the cities and
manufacturing towns, are getting far better
prices than they got twenty years ago, and are
consequently in much easier circumstances
In word, the whole country is thriving and
growing under the application of this Republi-
can protective legislation.
SWEEPING CHANGE PROPOSED
Now the Democrats give notice in their
platform that If they get into power they will
sweep away this entire protective system, and
put in its place "a tariff for revenue only
This plank was put in their platform at the
demand of the South, which has always been
hostile to protection. The South has no manu-
factories to speak of. The manufacturing in
terests of New Jersey or Connecticut alone are
far greater than those of the entire region from
the Potomac to the Rio Grande. There are
single cities in those Sta tes which manufac
ture now more than all the cotton States COM
bired. The South wants to sell its cotton
hemp and tobacco for the highest price it can
get. and buy in European markets the goods
it needs at the lowest prices; and it wants to
import those goods at nominal rates of duty.
Its true interest is to build up factories at
home, but it is too preiudiced and short-sighted
to see this. The Western Democracy always
acts with the South, and these two elements
OF the Democratic party immensely preponder-
ate over the Eastern Democracy which is in
part favorable to protection. The objections
of Democrats in Congress from Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut will
not check for a moment the execution of the
plan OF the South to repeal all protective du-
ties.
WHAT Is THE HISTORY OF TARIFF LEGISLATION?
AIt DPOVps that the Dauoor,ttc n.rt,, har ~
ways opposed protective policy After the
war OF 1872 closed there came series of hard
years in this country Business was prostrated,
wages were low and employment was hard to
get. A protective tariff was adopted in 1924.
and strengthened in 1873, which revived our
industries and brought good times Town and
country prospered alike, and the mechanic
and farmer were equally benefited The south
hated tnls tariff, which made it pay tribute it's
statesmen said, 10 the Yankees of New Eng
land. South Carolina tried to nullify it and
prevent the Gus .oms officers from collecting
The duties at her ports.
In 1857 the Democrats struck down this tar
iii, by law reducing duties on a sliding scale
for ten years. Prosperity was Immediately
checked. Times grew harder and harder, un-
til the great Crash OF 1857 came. No one,
whose memory does not go back to that time
can Imagine the misery which came upon the
country. Flour sold as low as $3.50 barrel,
ana IN many localities laboring men worked
for 80 cents a day.
In 1910 the people put into power the new
Wing party, pledged TO re-enact a protective
tariff The result was the tariff of 1872, which
gave fresh life to the manufacturing and agri-
cultural interests and put business upon its
feet againl
In 1874 the Democrats carried the Presiden-
tial election by cheating the Pennsylvania vot-
ers INTO the belief that they would not disturb
the protective tariff. Their campaign cry in
that state was, POLK, Dallas and The Tariff
OF lo42." As soon as they got possession of the
government they proceeded to pass low tar
III bill at the dictation of the South. The vote
on 1t was a tie in the Senate, and Vice-Presi-
dent Dallas, Pennsy ylvanian pledged to pro-
tectlon gave the casting vote 10 destroy the
protective system. The bill established what
was known as the tariff of 1896 1t seriously
crippled the manufacturing interests of the
country. The growing industries of New Eng
land, New Jersey and Pennsylvania received
heavy blow. The worst effects of this Dem
ocratic revenue tariff were not Immediately
felt throughout the country however because
of the stimulus which came from tho ,iiscov-
ery of gold IN California. But in spite of that
great gain to the national wealth, the crash
OF 1857 came, and swept business, labor and
agriculture away into a common disaster
In 1860 the Republicans came into power and
passed the Morrill, Tariff Bill, which was based
on the principle of protection. Many changes
have been made in the law since, but ia no
case has this principle been abandoned The
Republican party has steadtastly defended all
the great national industries, and their flour
ishing condition to-day, is directly attributable
to the long period of Republican ascendancy
WHAT DOES "a TARIFF FOR REVENUE ONLY"
MEAN?
1t means a tariff which will produce large
revenue, so that the taxes on whiskey and to-
DaccO which Ohippfiou ahla tn, 70
can be largely reduced or abolished altogether
10 raise large revenue at the custom house
there must be large importations. Large i'm
portations OF foreign goods can only take place
under a low tariff, which will enable the i'm
porters to undersell our own manufacturers
Foreigners can make goods cheaper than
we can, because they only pay their laborers
about half the wages the American working
man gets Under Democratic tariff for
revenue only" our markets will be flooded
with foreign goods. Then one of two things
must happen: either our iron and steel works,
our SILK factories, wooden factories and cotton
factories, and our shops that make cutlery,
hardware, leather goods and hundred other
articles, must close, or the men ployed in
them must work for half the wages they are
now getting. There is no other alternative
possible. The Southern cotton planters will
rejoice at the opportunity to buy cheap Eng
llsh and German goods; but there will be stag
nation and destitution in every manufacturing
prostrated, and the hard times of 1887 and 1857
will come again.
The interests of the working men, farm ers.
businC SIS men of the North alike demand the
maintenance of the Protective Tariff System.
1t is openly assailed by the Democratic party
at the bidding of the South. 1t can only be
defended effectively by the election of Garfield
and Arthur.
READ THE REPUBLICAN TARIFF PLANK.
Here is the declaration of the Chicago Con-
vention on the question of tariff:
1--WE re-affirm the belief, avowed in 1876 that
the duties levied for the purpose of revenue should
so discriminate to favor American labor"
Contrast this with the Democratic plank,
which demands "a tariff for revenue only'',
saying not a word about the great interests of
American labor and American manufactures
READ THE CANDIDATES LETTERS.
What does General Hancock say about the
tariff? Not solitary WORD. Go over his let
ter from beginning to end and there is no ref
erence to be found to this most vital question.
The bread and shelter Vf hundreds of thOus-
ands OF working men are in peril, but Hancock
does not open his mouth Contrast his silence
ana Indifference with the plain, straighttor-
ward words OF General Garfield, who meets
the question squarely. saying III ans lettef
"ln reference to customs laws, "a policy
should be pursued which Wa bring nues 10 the
u. 81, .l.f