Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-30

The New York Tribune has a warmly ap-
preciative editorial on Senator Morrilrs recent
speech in defence of the protective tariff sys-
tenn:
The speech deserves to be widely read, as
a fair presentation of the protectionist side of
the tariff controversy, made by one of its old
est and most eminent advocates. Mr. Morrill,
has served 2G years in Congress, twelve in the
House and fourteen in the Senate. During
all this long period he has been a close stu
dent of economic science as affected by ma
tional legislation. Living in a state whose in
terests are mainly agricultural, he has escaped
the charge of being biased by the special con-
cern of his constituents in tariff schedules,
and his opinions have always been respected
as those of a conscientious and patriotic states
man seeking the prosperity of the whole coun-
| try. The present system of customs dues is
known rs the Morrill, tariff He was the au-
thor of the law Of 1861, which swept away all
vestiges of the old Democratic revenue tariff,
and put in its place a new fabric based on the
principle of defending American manufac-
lures against ruinous foreign competition.
| That law, much simplifed and shorn of fea-
lures that were devised to meet the abnormal
condition of the country during the war, is
still upon the statute book.
1t is, therefore, the Morill tariff under which
the United States has made the marvellous in
| uuslTlhl progress OF tne hst twenty years. NO
wonder its author, witnessing the stir and
challenge of new forces rallying to assail it,
feels called upon to sharpen his old weapons
of argument gather fresh ammunition of
facts, and take the field in defence of his
work. Much that he says is familiar TO those
who made with him the old fights in behalf
of protection under the lead Of Henry Clay
and Horace Greeley but it is time 10 say il
again for the instruction of a new generation
~ In, s,Na. g.. l..
days, when the questions growing out of the
civil war have obscured the normal economic
problems with which nations have TO deal in
times of peace. A large portion Of the speech,
however, is new material, gathered from the
census reports, and showing in a striking way
the great development and spread of our man
ufacturing industries since the adoption OF
the protective system, and tho progress of ag
riculture on parallel lines of growth.
Mr.. Morrill, rightly says that protection
could not now be stricken down without in
juring the interests of every state in the I'm
ion. Manufacturing is no longer a sectiona
interest of the Eastern and Middle states
There is scarcely a city or town in the entire
West that is not engaged TO some extent il
the conversion of raw material into finished
fabrics, and the South is bestirFng herself t
join in the race to secure the beneficial re
suits of diversified industry. Ohio once
purely agricultural state, is now dotted will
mines, furnaces and factories. Indiana il
- following in her footsteps and is a protection
list community, as the Democrats found t
their cost when they tried TO carry it last yea
with free-trade platform. Illinois, Miohi
n gan, Wisconsin and the trans Mississippi state
are eagerly extending their manufacturing en-
( terprises. In the South, Virginia, North Car
olina, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama ar
1 proud of their growing iron interests, and al
the states that lie in the cotton belt are cher
ishing their infant factories and seeking 10 es
tabllsh new ones. Even far-distant Texas
but lately devoted almost exclusively TO cottol
growing aud stock raising, finds it has store
of iron and copper, and begins to build mill
and forges. Thus the conditions of the tari
controversy are greatly changed since MI
Morrill, entered the list of the champions G
c. protection to American industry. In raisin
is the protective standard anew, he can couI
q upon adherents from every section and ever
2. state. That there is need of alterations i
Of the present law, to remedy ineongruties an
ID defects which time and the changed conditio
"a of many branches of industry have made al
g. parent Mr.. Morrill, does not deny. He
ready to cooperate in all efforts to improy
the tariff system, but he opposes strenuousl
all attempts to destroy its broad, sound bas
of protection, whether by open attack or sui
tie, undermining schemes.