Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-18
How About the TARIFF
HOW ADOUt Tue TArlUT
New York sun.
The same post brings 10 IA both q

New York SUM-.
The same post brings to US both the
subjoined letters
Twelve readers OF the San would like
to know whether the Democratic party
is in favor OF free trade; and, Would
they enforce it il in power?"
"Wil you be kind enough to throw
some light on the free trade plank in the
Democratic platform? The Republicans
up this way claims that it means that
duties on all goods coming into this
| country will be removed as soon as the
Democracy gets into power, and the
consequence will be that domestic man
uiacturing will be ruined, and working
men, turned out OF employment, will
have TO leave the country or starye.
Will YOU please tell us how this isl"
1t would seem that the writer of the
first letter is a free trader, and that the
writer OF the second is a protectionist.
We tell them Doth frankly that there is
no extraordinary practical Importance
in the subject they are discussing. AS
to the question whether the Dem
ocratic party is in favor OF
free trade, we answer that, while
there has never been in this country an
out-and. out free trade party, yet during
a considerable part Of their career the
Democracy have been more or less in
fuenced by free trade opinions. At the
same time they have often been led
by decided protectionists, n
have always had some prot~ectionists
among their influential men,. Gen
JACKSON, for instance, was 4 projections
ist, and some OF the most important
Democrats OF the present day have pro
t~ectionist leadings.
In the same way, while there are
earnest free traders among the Repubil-
cans, that party are yet more inclined
to the doctrines and pole OF protection
than the Democrats aye. They also
have the disadvantage OF being response
bic for the present tariff an Tor the
many atrocious and exaggerated features
which it contains.
Yet the truth remains that whatever
party is in power, aud whether the ma
iority Of Congress be Republican or
Democratic, the policy OF the country
must be in effect 4 protectionist Policy'
| because there is an unavoidaDie ne,
cessity OF levying high rates OF
| duty upon all kinds and classes OF m
ported goods. We have, and shall have
Tor an indefinite period to come, an enor-
nous public debt, which must finally be
paid: while the means OF dlscharging
| the accruing interest must constantly be
nrovidpd. The administration OF a coun-
| trv so bio as this must also be costly,
even with the highest degree OF economy;
and TINS an immense revenue must be
raisp,l every year. To accomplish this
| end a system ofdirect taxation is o. OF
the question. The people would not
stand it, and the party which
should attempt to apply 1t would
promptly be turned out OF power. We
must, then, rely partly upon excise
| taxes such as those levied under our in
| ternal revenue system, and partly upon
| duties and imports. There is nc avoid
| ing this conclusion. Put the free trader
in power, and, so far rs raising eyenue
is concerned, their methods must be
| about the same as those OF the protec-
tiOnists.
All that is now to be feared or ex-
pected from the Democracy in the dl-
rection of free trade is the removal from
the tariff OF abuses, eXtravagances, and
features Of unjustifab!e special protec-
ton. In this way a great deal that is
right and proper may be hoped for as
the result Of Democratic success; and
that is all.