The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-11-05

A Tariff Agitation.

When the tariff issue was suddenly
sprung in the last campaign and be
came one of the leading points of dis
cussion on the stump and through
the press, the public were taken by
surprise, believing that to be an is
sue which had passed out Of politics.
The intense feeling which it arous-
ed throughout the country, however,
demonstrated that it is yet a sub
ject OF sufficient vitality for the uses
of politicians and parties in manipu-
lating the forces of q political cam
paign. a@
But if the late campaign demon
strated anything,-it was the folly of
attempting to make the tariff party
issue in national politics. Demo
Gratis and republicans alike will be
high or low tariff men, irrespective of
party platforms, according as the in
terests of their respective sections
require protection or the reverse.
But the Republicans, with their char
acteristic adeptness at tumbling,
managed after beating about many
weeks of the campaign for an issue,
to become high proteetionists in sec
tions where protection was popular,
and free traders where protection is
not needed. The tariff plank In the
Democratic platform was so framed
as to be susceptible Of perversion by
the republicans to the equivocal and
double purpose for which they used
it, and they made the most of it.
The position of the Democratic
party then and now was not and is
not antagonistic to the utterances,
in the main, recently made by Sena-
tor VOORHEES, in his Atlanta speech,
although he took occasion to round
ly denounce the tariff plank of the
Democratic platform of 1880, declar-
| ing that it was "a violent departure
on the subject of tariff, and has nc
precedent in the history of Democrat
ic platforms adopted in national con-
ventions."
Yet Mr.Voorhees but gives express
sion in another form to the Demo
cratic platform of 1880, when he de-
clares that ''Tbe great question
while we have tariff for revenue, is
to so adjust it as to afford protection
which it always carries to those in
terests which@need and deserve pro
lection, and to withdraw it where il
is not needed" "We are compelled
to have a tariff for revenue" he adds
':and protection is one of its abso
lutte incidents from which there is nc
escape'-all of which is good Dem
ocratic doctrine and in no wise in
consistent with the declaration o.
"a tariff for revenue only"
MI. Voorhees, is also quite sure tina
Eve lost Indiana in the last three
weeks in the campaign of indiana
on the absurd issue made by oul
platform on this subject" There
were great many other States ant
localities unnecessarily affected BY
that tariff plank, but in Indiana ther'
is strong public conviction that :
variety of potent influences were a
work to defeat us. The tariff planl
was one thing; VIM. E. English wa
another; and the "soap" applied b,
Dorsey was another eflicacious argu
ment, if President Arthur is to b.
believed; and perhaps were it al
summed up would be found to be tn
most potent of all.
1t was the sentiment Of the Dem
, ocratic Convention and Of the part
during the campaign that q rcvisio
of the present tarifflaws is necessary
that the present imposition c
duties is uneven, unequal and i
many cases criminally parts
: and oppressive, and it is through tn
) influence of this sentiment that
f call has been issued for "tariff cor
|, vention' to meet in New York on til
29th and 30th of November, whic
will be composed of the agriculture
, manufacturing and commercial il
terests Of the country, for the pul
pose of memorializing Congress fc
such action "as will promote dome:
tic and foreign commerce and atfor
adequate protection to American il
dustry."
These are interests that are II
ceiving much attention throughor
the country now, and they can /
best taken care of in Congress, NJ
in a political campaign. 1t is
Congress, when these tariff lists al
: undergoing revision, that the cour
a try will be permitted to see where til
G respective parties stand upon que
tions of tariff. That will be pra'
tical test that cannot be misunde
stood, yet at. the same time, we d
e not believe it can make it a gener'
:. party issue.-Register.
BIG INVENTION.