Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-09
THE TARIFF ISSUE.

A Republican organ grinder of the stsl-
wart school complains that the position of
the Democratic party on the tariff question
is not defined as clearly as it ought to be,
and wants to know just what its ideas on
this issue are. The impudence of the organ
grinder passes comprehension. The posi-
ton of the Democratic party on this ques-
ton has never been matter Of doubt. 1t
has been asserted and reasserted by Con-
gressional, State and National conventions
for the past eighteen years in language tie
most explicit, so that even fool might not
misunderstood it. In the last national con-
vention held at Cincinnati the plank of the
st. Louis convention declaring for a tariff
for revenue only was reaffirmed, and Gen.
Hancock, in his letter of acceptance, says:
ga tariff for revenue only is principle l
have cherished in the past and shall endeavor
to maintain in the future"
The tariff is at present a necessary evil.
1t cannot be wholly abolished without mate
rial injury to the country, bat it can be re-
vised SO that the poor need not bear the
greater part of the burdens of taxation. AS
it is the bulk of the revenue from custom du-
ties is derived from tariff on articles of ne
cessity, which the poor consume to as great
an extent as the rich. Sugar is largely taxed,
and millions derived annually from imports
of that article, the greater part of which
comes out of the pockets of the poor men.
Wooden manufactures are taxed from "a to
II per cent. I'D valorem; cottonsgoods 80 to
SO per cent; linen goods from 80 to 40 per
cent; leather from 20 to so per cent; crock
cry from 40 to 45 per cent, and hemp and
jute fabrics 40 per cent. On other articles of
daily consumption in about every household,
the import is equally burdensome,
while thousands of articles of luxury, princi-
pally used by the rich, either enter the coun-
try fres of duty or are only nominally taxed.
Nine-tenths of the revenue from customs is
derived from articles of necessity, while the
other tenth is obtained from articles of lux
ury.
The Democratic party is in favor of a tar
if for revenue only, and it is in favor of such
q revision of the tariff as will relieve the me-
chanics and workingmen of the country of
the burdens that now rest so heavily upon
them. II would place articles of necessity
upon the free list and tax articles of luxury,
which are consumed only by the rich, as
heavily as they will bear. 1t is not the policy
of the Democratic party to raise more reve-
nue. than is required for the needs of the
government. The payments of interest ON
the public debt must be met, and the legiti-
mate expenses of the government must be
paid. This is part of the platform of the
party which was emphasized by Gen. Han
cock in his letter of acceptance, in which he
said:
A sedulous and scrupulous care of the public
credit, together with a wise and economical
management of our governmental expendi+
lures, should be maintained in order that labor
may be lightly burdened and that all persons
may be protected in their rights to the fruits
of their own industry.
Though pledged to a reduction of the
tariff to as low rate as can be maintained,
the Democratic party is also pledged to due
care for the public credit. Every reduction
of the tariff that has thus far been made has
resulted in an increase of the revenue owing