New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-17

ditions of full production with present duties
would be most cruel and unjust to producers
and merchants, and most disastrous to BUSINESS
TO lower the restrictions upon imported goods
For such goods in quantities sufficient TO
swamp the markets and ruin American pro-
ducers lie at this hour in the Government
warehouses. II Congress will open II doors
by reducing the duties, it will pay bonus Oh
many millions to the importers and foreign
owners, and enable them to crush down our
own industries ia their position of extraor-
binary strain and difficulty. Surely, no man
of either party can claim that this would be
wise.
But, moreover, the mere discussion of such
q measure causes incalculable mischief.
Manufacturers cannot continue to produce
with any assurance that every weeks work
will not add to their ruin. Merchants cannot
purchase goods, even at present low prices
without certainty of great loss if Congress
opens the doors to foreign goods at still lower
prices. Every day of debate and uncertainty
will involve the stOppage of some mills ana
furnaces, the discharge of some laborers ana
Increased stagnatiOn Of trade. Gentlemen
of Congress whether protection or free
trade be best in the end, this Is the
worst possible time to disturb the laws
regulating foreign imports. The country
needs to be let alone for this year at least,
until we can find out where prices will settle
with full production under present conditions.
Even the most ardent ProtectiOnlsts do not
oppose o thorough investigation by cOmpe-
tent men, with q view to intelligent revision
of the tariff hereafter. But the most ardent
Free Traders ought to see the extreme unWls-
dom of disturbing all trade and industry at
this time, and without the information which
such an inquiry would gather.
Sensible men of both parties perceive that
n question which involves the success OF trade
and industry in all parts of the country can
not safely be acted upon in the heat OF a
close political campaign. Whether this or
that duty on pig iron or sugar is the best for
the country is question of figures and facts
but in the heat Of q campaign 1t is sure to
be treated as n question of selfish interests
and local prejudices. Pennsylvania, as Mr.
Randall well knows, Will slaughter any
party which disturbs its great industries
whether in q way to benefit the country as
whole or not. Louisiana would make Mr..
Gibson's path q hard one in the coming cleo
ton if he should advocate the wlsest possible
measure with regard to the duties on sugar,
if that measure should at first blush seem
preiudicial to the sugar producers of that
State. The gentlemen whose districts are
largely controlled by importers, who want
the Government to give them many
millions by opening the doors of its
crowded warehouses, or the members
whose districts arc largely controlled by
builders of unfinished railroads, who want to
get cheap rails whether the mills of Illinois,
Missouri, Ohio or Pennsylvania go into bank
ruptcy or not, can hardly act according to
their best judgment on this question with
Presidential and Congressional election close
at hand. In short, out of the strife Of pOlit-
ical interests at such a time, there Is sure to
come such measure as the same members
would not have deemed wise nor yentured to
support IN any hour Of cooler Judgment
This Congress was elected, in the main,
without regard to the tariff question. Its
members were selected on account of their
fitness for other duties; scarcely any of
them were chosen because they had any
knowledge Of the tariff or its effects. No
desirable measure, no real reform, is likely
to come from the action of men who
have had so little acquaintance with
or occasion to examine this difficult
and complicated subject. Intelligent Free
Traders do not want their case prejudiced for
all time to como by bunglng, laundering
and miscellaneous legislation in their name,
and they well know that it would be most
unreasonable to expect any other legisla-
ton from a Congress composed almost
wholly Of members who know nothing
ohout the matter when they have taken
this subject to the people, and secured the
election Of men because Of their opinions
on It, in ono direction or the other some in
telligcnt revision may be expected, whether
governed by principles Of Protection or of
Free Trade. But this Congress was chosen for
other purposes. To set it to revise tariff
would be like inviting a shoemaker to act as
your doctor, or trusting, in trial for life,
to the legal ability Of your cOachman.
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The Oberammergau Passion Play began yes
tcrday. Its last representation was In 1871.
Tho ulay will be repeated on Sunday, the 23d,