Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-04-07
Mr. Hurd said:


Government for the fiscal year ending June pl loo--
and for other purposes
Mr. Hurd said:
Mr.. Chairman: In the last days of the
late political canvass the supporters OF
enc of the candidates for the Presidenc.
sought votes for their favoiite by charg
ing that the election of the other candi
date would involve disturbance of ,th,
present tariff. The proposition assumed
that the present tariff ought not to be dis
turbed. 1t is claimed that the triumph
of the successful candidate was due t.
the introduction of the issue into the
campaign, and means an approval of thu
present protective method of collecting
duties. do not so understand it. The
issue was not discussed before the people.
It was introduced prominently so lat,
that there was not time to discuss il.
Those who should have contended fOI
tariff for revenue only laid down theii
banner without a struggle to defend it
The result, therefore, in my judgment.
has not the slightest significance SO fa
as this question is concerned.
But the effect of what was said har
been to direct public inquiry to the sub
ject. For years the advocates of tariff
reform have endeavored to interest the
people in the question, but other matters
of more apparent pressing importance
have occupied their attention. 1t was
feared that what has been aptly termed
asystem or reciprocal rapine" had in
terested so many that the people would
be content with their burdens because
they did not realize their weight. Bnt
how to make them realize it without dis
eussion?-and of what avail was discuss
ion when they would not listen?--wert
the questions. Fortunately the Protec
tionists have solved the problem. They
proclaimed that protection should be
come an issue in politics, and thereby in
vited the country to decide it. For one
faccept the challenge they have offered;
lpick up the gauntlet they have thrown
down. Prudence it seems to me would
have dictated to these supporters of mon
Opoly the policy of silence; but they have
rashly dragged their system into the
light of day. 1t will not be long until its
orudities will be made known, its
extortions and robberies exposed, with
the early result, predict, of its com plete
overthrow.
In the remarks shall submit to-day !
expect to say nothing new, nothing which
Nas not been much better said many
times before. l have availed myself of
whatever have been able to find, wheth
or in books or speeches upon the subject,
not to proclaim new doctrine, but to
emphasize and illustrate an old one; one,
TOO. approved in every national platform
of the party of which l am a member.
and to bring sharply and clearly as can
before the public mind the reasons which
shonld induce the country to adopt it.
Atthe very threshold it is proper to de-
hne the terms shalleuse anda state the
exact propositions proposeIto maintain.
a TARIFF is A TAX UPON IMPORTED GOODS.
Like other taxes which are levied, ii
should be imposed only to raise revenue
Tor the Government. 1t is true that in.
oidental protection to some industries
will occur when the duty is placed upon
articles which may enter into competi.
tion with those of domestic manufacture.
do not propose to discuss now how this
accidental protection shall be distributed.
This will be subsequent consideration
when the preliminary question has been
settled as to what shall be the nature of
the tariff itself. The present tariff i ~
poses duties upon nearly four thousand
articles, and was levied and i. defended
upon the ground that American indus.
cries should be protected. Thus protec.
tion has been made the object; revenue
the incident. Indeed in many cases the
duty is SO high that no revenue whatever
is raised for the Government, and in
nearly all SO high that much less revenue
is collected than might be realized. So
true is this that if the present tariff were
changed so as to make it thereby rev.
enue tariff, ne.fifth at least could be
added to the receipts Of the Treasury from
imports. Whenever l use the phrase
free trade or free trader, mean either a
tariff for revenue only or one who advo-
Gates it.
So far as tariff for revenue is con-
oerned, do not oppose it, even though
it may contain some Objectionable Incl
dental protection. The necessities of the
Government require large revenues, and
it is not proposed to interfere with tariff
20 long as it is levied to produce them;
but to tariff levied for protection in it.
self and for its own sake l do object.
therefore oppose the present tariff, anc
the whole doctrine by which it is at
tempted to be justified. I make wal
against all its protective features, ane