The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-11-08
Senator Voorhees, and the Tariff
Question.

| The speech Ex-senator Voorhees, at
Atlanta, in which speech he took oc-
casion TO declare himself In favor OF
a tariff Tor revenue with incidental
protection has brought upon his doc
,Irine considerable criticism, especially
| from the democratic press. The re-
publican press can afford to join In
ridicule ofMr. Voorhces-for his evil
dept attempt to get over on that par
| TVS platform. We are surprised,
however, that SO able u paper as the
Nashville American should have
allowed itself to be carried away In
indorsing Senator Voorhees, speech
and proclaiming that he was only
preaching the doctrines that had been
Tor years promulgated by the live
progressive papers of the sonth. We
do not, however, suppose that either
senator Voorhees, or the American
were serious in announcing that
every interest of the south would be
promoted by the systcm Of "incidon-
tai protection" Senator Voorhees,
has undoubtedly made bid to the
north for its support OF him as can
didate for president in tho next DEM
ocratic convention, while the Ameri-
can knows that we should have abso-
lutte free trade, and has simply talked
about incidental protection TO please
the north, and get them to aid In
electing democratic president.
That point gained the American
wouldn't give the snap Of its finger
for what the psrty pledged TO do In
the campaign. 1t would doubtlcsslv
urge congress 10 declare absolute FREQ
trade. 1t does not now regard free
trade as within the range Of practical
politics. A little moro than four
years ago the question of resumption
was also being discussed, and the
democratic party thought to resume,
or fix aDyparticular time for resump
llon would be disastrous TO the gov
ernment. II was one of the imprac-
,icable things in politics. Mr.. Tilden
himself had grave alarms. and in his
letter of acceptance announced grave
fears at fixing a specified time for re-
su nption. II remained for bold and
brave John Sherman to take charge
of the treasure; fix his day for re-
sumption, and II was accomplished.
It is not worth while to talk about
impraclicables, the country ought to
throw open its ports to free trnde
and allow commerce TO flow in and
flow out. without, IN the former case,
being taxed to support manufacture
ing enterprise In this country. II
this system of levying tariff. on i'm
ported goods took the money from
foreign manufacturers aud producers
1t might be justifiable, but it does not.
| Tho consumers Of articles at last
pay the tariff. This system ofprotec-
iion which the government has
thrown around the manufacturing
enterprise OF the country Is unjust, in
fact, is species Of class legislation
which was never intended TO become
what it in fact is--a burden TO all who
are engaged in any other legitimate
business. The manufacturers are
protected against imports OF the same
kind from foreign countries which
might compete with them on the
home market. People who are inter-
ested in agriculture and commerce
are compelled to buy at high prices
because of the lack decomposition
which free trade would inevitably
bring about. In the formative period
of our government the idea ofpro-
teclion came along as q kind OF nat
ional pride. A disposition to bnild
up home Industries, aud to rely upon
our own resources. While at that
early period such system might
haye been beneficial, ii soon began to
give dissatisfaction, aud the tariff
question has perhaps been the subject
of more legislation than any other.
Previous to 1882 the tariff system had
been changed about eighteen times.
That year IL came very near pr0vok-
ing civil war. Since then 1t has
undergone more than twenty changes
The sooner we get rid of protection
the better. Itcost the country in the
twelve years prior to 1877 the vast
sum Of $7,20O,00O,000. Few people
who have not taken the trouble to
| Investigate this matter OF protection
begin 10 understand in how many
WAYS it worksdetriments to the coun-
try. The price OF almost every arti-
Gle we buy is increased by the policy
of shutting out the competition to
other countries. Iron and the many
articles of daily use manufactured Of
iron, wooleHgoods, clothing, hats and
caps, silks, medicines, wood aud lum-
ber; indeed, there are but few articles
which are not so protected as to make
in the power OF our home manuiac-
lures to charge. their own prices.
All this done at the expense OF peo-
pie who are not engaged in manulac-
turies. The agricultural classes indi-
reciIy support the manufacturers. and
il is a shame that our government has
not long followed the example OF
England in the line of free trade. II
has been said, and Is doubtless fact,
| that if protection had never existed,
either here or elsewhere, and man
were to begin in this day OF wealth
and civilization to preach such doc