Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-12
SENATOR VOORHEES,.
His yiews.UpOn the Tariff.
Cincinnati Enquirer.

WASHINGTON, December BIN an
interview with Senator Voorhees,
this morning he was asked by an
Enquirer representative for his views
on some of the leading topics now
prominent.
As to the tariff issue, which app
pears to affect both Randall and Car
Isle, the position of the Ohio De-
mocracy, and on which they won
their great victory in October, is the
true and safe medium ground be-
tween the two extremes. It might
be well to look at their State plat
form of July last. It contains the
following sound and sensible plank
on the tariff:
Resolved, That we favor tariff
levied to meet the actual needs, and
so adjusted in it's details with view
to equality in the public burdens as
to encourage productive industries
and afford labor just compensation
without creating monopolies,'
II think Democrat standing on
platform like this might not only be
elected speaker, but might very
easily be elected President in 1884
The tariff plank of the Indiana plat
form, and on which the Democracy
carried the State in November, is
substantially the same as that of
Ohio. We declared for a revision of
the present unjust tariff; that the
constitution conferred power to es-
tablish tariff for revenue, and as
just and proper exercise of that
power we favor such an adjustment
of its provisions within the revenue
standard as will promote the indus
tries of the country and the interests
of labor, without creating monopo-
lies
"On these authoritative declara-
tions of principles the two great
States of Ohio and Indiana have just
been carried by the Democratic party,
and in my judgment they cannot be
carried on any other. The truth is,
a single pound of common sense and
practical experience is worth more in
determining what is best for the
public welfare than a hundred tons
of theoretical speculation. Ali talk
about free trade in this country at
this time is the sheerest folly. In
fact, there is nobody for it. Even
the men who spin their theories about
it most will fly from it the moment
they are put to the test. Free trade
means no tariff at ala trade be-
tween this and foreign countries
without any import duties for reeves
nue. or anything else. Then the
S200,000,000 and more of revenue
now raised every year by the tariff
must and will be supplied by direct
taxation-by droves of Federal tax
gatherers swarming over the land,
and collecting in the State of IndiA
ana not less than $S,0O0,0O a year.
A party that would favor such sys-
tenn might be respectable in charac-
ter, but it would be extremely small
in numbers. 1t could not poll an
average of ten votes to the township
in any State where the issue was un-
derstood.
"What We greatly need at this
time in the p ess and in the minds
| of public men is constant recur.
renee to the American ideas of JEFF
ferson and Polk, and less federation
for the British principles of the
Golden Club. Every President eve,
elected by the Democratic party
from Jefferson to Buchanan, enter
tanned the views set forth in the
Ohio and Indiana platforms on the
subject of the tariff, and I defy any
one to show to the contrary. o.
course every Democrat and many
Republicans are il favor of thor,
ough revision of the present unjust
and unequal tariff. That goes with,
out saying; but when the attempt il
made to saddle the Democratic part,
with free trade, say that is a false
issue. In revising the presen
tariff every article of necessity
should be relieved of tax as fa
as possible. In Illustration O
my meaning, take the article of salt
! From the day -laborer to the million
aire it's necessity is as universal al
water, and it ought to be as fres
from tax. Without it no man pre-
pares his bread and meat. During
the last session OF Congress / voted
to pat salt on the free list, and al
fast and far as possible, consisten
with revenue. the duty on othel
articles of prime necessity should be
taken off, in whole or in part.
I Mr.. Voorhees, was asked what b,