The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-26
THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST ee.

at present is worthy of examination. Let us
look at it a moment.
The four words tariff for revenue only
signify complete revolution in the conditions
of labor and capital in the Northern, Eastern
and many of the Western States, and the poll
cy they outline is of importance to nearly ev-
cry manufacturer and employe in those States.
Significantly, the Southern States with
little Sor no manufactures and with no
class of skilled mechanics to support, form the
bulk of the party which advocates an exclu-
siyely revenue tariff. Them the change would
not affect The silence or labored trimming
upon this subject of Speaker Randall, Hon j.
r. Tucker and other Democratic orators, can
not conceal the great difference in importance
which the tariff question bears to Democratic
and Republican states-a difference that ap-
pears from the statistics of labor and capital
engaged in manufactures. These figures read
Men Capital
employed invested.
10 Democratic states. -. soc, 1894 $3.50, 675, 879
1S Republican states i $500 1,244,153, 7S9
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island employing
10000 men and 1927 900 capital or Penn
sylvania alone, have more at stake in the result
of the tariff controversy than has the entire
Democratic South The issue presented by
that party in the words tariff for revenue
only" is a sectional issue, in which the pre-
sumed interests of the Southern States have,
as usual, dictated the policy of the Democrat
&c party. Inc sweeping changes it proposes
would entail confusion and paralysis Gin bust
ness circles far greater than the Temporary
Inconvenience of labor and of shifting capital, !"
which is apoogetically conceded as the imme-
diate result of the introduction of the proposed
Democratic scheme. Besides tariff for rev.
enue only" as preached by the Democratic
party, is either an intended or unwilling at
tack upon the social and intellectual position
and growth of American artisans in whom our
strength and hope of progress lies.
The theory of free trade, under the cOndi-
tions it assumes. is unquestienably logical and
sound; but the conditions unfortunately do not
exist in this country. The application of the
Democratic doctrine to country with large
man ufacturing interests, which have devel-
oped under protection and with which
the social and economic condition of
large classes of citizens and the disposition of
vast amounts of capital are inseparably associ-
ated, cannot be abruptly undertaken without a
violent and prostrating shock. That the pres
ent tariff has unjust features willinot be denied,
but the wholesale change, not only in its rates
but also in its character and purpose, an
nounced in the Democratic platform, is not
framed to correct these irregularities. 1t is
another example of the blind, unreasoning de-
sire for extremes of "change" which charac-
terizes the modern Democratic party and
makes its ascendancy proper object of terror
to manufacturers and business men through
out the country.
1t is not to the point to maintain that our
present development is forced and artificial,
and therefore unhealthy. That development
is a fact and must be dealt with as such. The
tariff, as it stands in its essential features, is
the foundation of that DEVELOPMENT, and on
the stability of one depends the other. Com
mercial and manufacturing interests are more
prosperous even under unfavorable conditions
provided these conditions are stable, than they
are under conditions constantly subject to the
changes of partisan legislation. It is in pur-
suit of this doctrine of "change'' that the
Democratic party has embraced every new
tangled financial or political scheme which has
appeared in the last twelve years, and it is by
virtue of this doctrine of "change"-really the
most effective accusation to be brought against
the party-that Democracy now lays claim to
the national administration. "Tariff for reve-
nue. only has killed early in the canvass the
Democratic party in Pennsylvania, with its
S4l0O00,O00 of capital and $4,000 men en-
ployed in manufacturers. 1t is hardly prob.
able that New York, the second great manu-
featuring State, with $3.50, 900, 900 capital and
$4,000 artisans and mechanics, is ready to
close its shops and lapse into an imbecile con-
dition at the command of the South or any
other Sc ction with tariff for revenue only
on its banners.