Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-10-28
III TARIFF.

THE. TARIFF.
There are three sorts of tariffs: A
tariff for revenue, a tariff for protec-
ton and a free tariff. A tariff for
revenue is not free trade. 1t con-
trasts with an internal excise for rev.
enue and a prohibitory tariff for pro-
lection. Under the present tariff a
large proportion of what is necessary
to defray the national expenditures is
derived from taxation on production
but when the whole Or nearly the
whole revenue of government shall be
raised from duties on imports, there
ought to be and will be protection
enough for all useful purposes.
A tariff for revenue is not a con-
continuance Of war taxes in. time of
peace Neither does it mean mixed
specific and pro-rata adva!orem du-
ties, whose operation is prohibitory,
and, therefore, reproductive.
A tariff for revenue means renod-
cling our present system. lifting the
weight of hundreds of millions of
taxes from the shoulders of consum-
trs, and at the same time furnishing
sufficient protection to industry. 1t
will remove duties that restrain impor-
tatioIls, destroy commerce and in
crease the cost of living to benefit a
few 1t will also give alcohol and
tobacco free IF taxation to manufact-
urers and the world. and thus furnish
an ever reliable and ever increasing
market for grain and a competitive
demand for tobacco.
Neither Is a tariff for protection
inconsistent with a free list, when
that will promote intercourse with
other nations, or advance home man.
ufactuIes
Intelligent observers understand
that the tariff question has not been
a leading issue, but has been over
Swallowed by reconstruction, resump-
ton, reform and interference with
elections. There are high and low
tariff men, protectionists and free
traders in both parties, and while the
majority of neither party contem-
plates great radical changes, it is
acknowledged on all hands there are
mcongrueties, iniquities and obstruc-
tons to industry and business in the
present tariff that need alteration
The West advocates such changes,
but the East Opposes them. Fortu-
na'ely the remedy for our troubles,
which a reformation of the tariff
might have secured, came through the
medium of large crops and foreign
demand for them. But this a~llevia-
ton a only be temporary and with
out reform in our mode of raising
revenue, our markets will be again
restricted and we shall confront our
old troubles.
WHAT THE REUNION OF REPUB-
LICANs MEANS.
A portion OF the Republican party
thought it had strangled third-term-
ism at Chicago. 1t might have sue
ceeded if its leader had maintained
his stand against Grantism and the
shaking Of the bloody shirt; but there
is little hope Of that since the surren-
der of Garfield and the reunion Of
the Republicans and stalwarts. The
expectation now is that if Garfield is
elected he will be nothing more than
a place holder for Grant. What else
can Conkling's temperance on the
arena mean? Whence come these
immense contributions to campaign
funds except from the pockets of
enriched third-termers, painting for a
stronger government? What means
the renewal of the parading of Grant,
And the change along the whole line,
but that the rejected Chicago figure
head is the centre of the conflict, and
not the despised Credit M%obilierist.
This change is significant. 1t i'm
plies Federal power everywhere, inn
perialism, strong government, stand
ing armies, high taxes, burdonsome
excise, aud caroding tariff with Off
eial responsibility, prodigality and
corruption--psHer and splendor at
the centre, humiliation and poverty
at the extremities.
This Is what voters are expected to
put . veto on. and il they are wise il
will be done.
: Democrats IN each township should
see that every Demoerat Ia their
knr,,r.hsr, r,kn "a ..1s - ~