Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-07-28
THURSDAY, JULY rs, 1881

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1881
( raH rAnIrr
Manufacturing il the leading inter-
est OF many Of our States, and yet,
III Z iasse majority Of them, agricul-
tare il the predominant industry.
On tkis account there Is great diver.
atty Of opinion in regard to duties on
foreisa idports, some demanding =
protective and Others . revenue tariff.
A matter Of principls, It must sbe
admitted that the arguments Of the
freetrsders are unanswsrable. II
that we're disputed, nothing more in
our opinion vould b necessary for
conviction than to point to the bene-
dts that unrestricted commercial in
tercourse among the States Of this
Uniea confers upon each and every
one Of them. Bot, however forcible
the ssgament in favor Of free trade
among ourselves might be. found TO
be, It would not do 10 apply such .
rule, without numerous exceptions.
To oar Intercourse with foreigners.
sud their sctlve participation in our
domestic commerce, which is due
wholly to our own sxertions, the
condition Of our communications,
and the high state of our civilization
and industry.
Besides what has been stated, our
national and other indebtedness must
net be overlooked. Another impor-
taat element to be considered in
every attempted tariff reformation is
the preservation Of our financial pros
perity, dependent mainly on abil-
ity easily and promptly to redeem our
currency. As long a our present
Indebtedness and system Of finance
continue, there will be necessity for
high taxes and duties.
The practical question, therefore,
presented to every statesman enter
ing upon reformation of the tariff Is,
how can the necessary duties be lev
led upon foreign commerce without
detriment to state and national pros
perity? This is what is meant by q
tariff for revenue in ordinary par
lance, and this is what the Democrats
of Ohio contemplated when they re-
Gently declared for "a tariff for Ieve-
nue. levied and adjusted in its details
with q view to equity in the public
burdens and the encouragement of
productive interests without creating
monopolies." In no better, fuller and
more intelligent language could repub-
lican demand for protection without
reference to revenue be antagonized.
Under that party, the existing tariff
with it, numerous defects, anomalies,
incongruities, ~injustices and monop-
olies, constantly demanding extensive
and radical reform, had its origin ;
but at the same time our present in
dustr,es and prosperity are so extern
sively connected and even interviewer
with it, that acknowledged and need
ed alterations of it can be successfully
introduced only after q patient,
thorough and skillful examination of
all their surroundings and contin-
gencies.
Ohio, Indiana and New York are
largely interested in manufactures.
Many communities 10 them, to say
nothing Of other largely democratic
states, are dependent for prosperity
upon maintenance Of the present
rates Of duty upon their products,
aud by all Of them tariff deliverances
are critically scrutinized. W. saw,
too, how sadly in the above states,
the conflicting tariff views of different
sections Of the democracy initiated
against its success in the late presi-
Dental contest. Much Of such diver
gence of sentiment was due to want
Of de6niteness in platforms. 1t was
not enough to have declared for .
revenue tariff, that serm ought to
have been defined, and the progress
Of the Ohio democracy is in that d.
rection, for no democratic statesman
worthy Of the name would levy duties
of any sort before first investigating
how industry was to be affected by
them.
To our mind . far more important
aud progressive step was taken by
our Ohio friends in their construction
Of the powers of the general govern
ment to regulate commerce among
the States, than with reference to the
tariff. THIS may yet be treated as
another "Ohio idee" by the nom
progrcssives but in our opinion it is
- necessary TO the full and free de-
vellopment Of domestic commerce as
was the original "Ohio idee" to the
correct solution of our financial diff
culties.
THE RESULT.
Dasias's Triumph 1t Albany.
The disgraceful factional fight at