New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-16
TARIFF REVISION BLINDFGLD.

What the Democrats propose to do for
American industry we are now informed in the
Washington correspondence of organs of that
party. They propose, first to reduce the tax
on spirits from 90 cents to 80 cents per gallon.
"This," we are gravely told, would be simple
and effectual." Not a doubt of it, Aud we
may add that it would be emnently Demo-
cratic. The Democratic idea of reform begins
with the cheapening of whiskey. Foundries
and furnaces, mills and mines, may get on as
best they can But distilleries and bar-roOms
must in any event be provided for-if the
Democratic party can have its way. There is
no occasion to find fault with this arrange
ment. There is contemplated a fair division
of labor The Republican party takes care Of
other. industries; therefore, let the Democratic
party take care OF the whisley making and
whiskey drinking industry. Each party natur-
ally devotes itself to that for which it cares
most A Republican statesman would build
up the iron or wOOllcn or cotton business A
Democratic statesman looks first to the whis-
key business.
The revision OF the tariff, according to this
Democratic plan, is to begin with the Injuries,
the spices and such unimpOrtant articles as
happen to bear high rate Certain 125,
400 30, so and 70 per cent duties can be re-
"duced to 80 per cent Fifty per cent Is not a
small encouragement to home industry" Thus
reasons the organ of the Democratic taril-re-
formers, forgetful or ignorant of the fact that
the exceptionally high duties, i'll the large
majority of cases, are levied upon articles
which do not compete with any home products.
high duty on cloves, for instance, has no
protective value; 1t is simply tax so insignifi-
cant in its application that consumers DO not
know that they pay it The intelligent states
man, i'll respect to such articles, will ask
whether they can bear duties better than other
things that are necessaries Of life, or enter into
home industries as important materials. But
the Democrats ask no such questions; the
duties are "high," and therefore they shall be
reduced whether anybody feels them or not.
But the great stroke of genius remains.
Having cut down the exceptionally high land
generally insignifcanD duties, the Democrats
next propose to "apply reduction of 10 per
Il" cent, for example, to the whole list. Bills
/" to accomplish substantially these results will
" soon bc introduced and urged by Democrats
I" in both branches of Congress- No doubt. If
there is a thing that is more foolish and blum
dering than any other, the Democratic party
can be safely trusted to do that thing. If
public confession were needed TO prove the IN
capacity of the Democratic members OF Con-
gress for the work of tariff revision, the intro
duction and support of such bills would album
dainty serve that purpose.
Every man who has made all honest effort to
inform himself about the tariff, we suppose
must be aware that a 10 per cent reduction
would be deadly and destructive at some
points, and empty and Ineffective at Others
The duties are now graduated with respect to
the object sought in each case sometimes to
raise reasonable revenue, effect as TO
home industry being especially needed or de-
sired sometimes to exclude foreign COMPETE
ton completely, insuring the home market to
home producers and sometimes to permit for
eien competition within certain limits, but not
below the usual cost of manufacture iii this
country. A blind, level reduction of 10 per
cent would work very differently in the three
cases. Let certain articles be taken for Illus
tration, each now bearing duty of 30 per cent.
Article A is produced in this country as cheaply
as it is abroad, and yet the within OF consumers
siderable importation. A reduction of 10 per
cent would merely increase reyenue-precisels
what Is not wanted-cause larger impOrtatiOns,
and open the market little more to foreign
dealers, without prOstrating any industry.
Article is practically excluded by the duty
now, and would be by duty of only 80 per
cent ana reduction of 10 per cent would