Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-01-26
DIVORCR THE STA TIE FROM
BUSINESS.
Tho York Press tells the naked truth
In this way

Tho York Press tells the naked truth
In this way
Is "a tariff for protection use
the common but inaccurate phrase
Constitutional ? We do not find il so
nominated in the bond, inasmuch as
all powers not plainly granted are with.
held, il Is clear that Congress has not
the right to lcgislate money out Of
the pockets of one class into the pock.
cts Of another. So far as protection is
the necessary incident of the raising Of
revenue, there can ho no question but
when tariff is made prohibitory, as
ours is with regard to many leading
articles, 1t ceases TO produce any rev.
enue whatever, and its sole operation ia
TO force the American consumer 10 buy
Of the American manuiacturcr,at prices
fixed by the latter. This is not, strictly
speaking, protecting anybody IL is
merely an artificial arrangement by
which small class of men are enrich.
ed at the expense of oil other classes,
Does protection protect p We have
partially answered above, II clearly
does not protect those-and they are
the multtude-whom il confines TO
one market and compels TO pay more
than the merchandise can be had for
in the markets Of the world. Nor does
it appear to protect the manufacturers
themselves. Every unnatural condi-
tion imposed upon commerce or pro-
duction tends more or less directly TO
disastrous crises, High prices, pro.
duced by monopoly of the market,
from which the foreign competitor is
excluded by law, induces over produo.
ton, glut, and ruin TO tho very persons
who thought themselves protected
against all chances. So we see period.
ical ups and downs in the IRON business,
the period of unnatural high prices to
the consumer ending with the period
of inaction to the capital engaged, and
Of deep and terrible distress to the men
thrown out OF work. Freedom is the
life Of trade, monopoly is death
The plea of "proteetion to American
industry" is an impudent pretense. We
have never heard OF a manufacturer
sharing with his men the profits which
he reaps by reason Of prohibitory
tariff. He pockets them with equa
nlmity during the period of prosperity,
and when the crash comes, that inevita.
bly, follows unnatural stimulus, be
shuts down, and thinks no more OF
them than he does of the "pauper labor
of Europe"
Our tariff needs revision and will be
revised. The monopolists, who are ab.
sorbing millions, which are no more or
less than enormous bounties levied
upon the sweat of labor TO support the
luxury of few-a tax upon the whole
people to maintain the lords of the
furnace and the mill--say that nothing
shall be done. But something will be
done, Their alliance with the party
recently successful by their aid will
not save them privileges so oppressive
to the rest OF us. These interests must
be divorced from the government. The
union is contrary to the whole spirit
Of our system Ii we must have mobiles,
living upon the proceeds of other mems
labor, for whose support the govern.
ment lovies a general tax, which does
not even pass through the treasury,
but goes directly into the pockets of
the favored class, let us have patents
OF nobility duly issued, and no more
pretense about il.