Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-31
A Thorough OverllauIing.

The Philadel phia Press said the other
day that at the next Congress "the tariff
will receive the most thorough overhaul.
ing it has had since 1864" The GOODNESS
with which papers like the Press make
such utterances is remarkable, as is also
the GOODNESS with which, when made,
they are received by the Republicans.
lfa Democratic paper were to promise,
speaking for Democratic Congress,
"the most thorough overhauling of the
tariff that it has had since 1864" such a
howl of indignant dissent would 60 up.
not only from Republican editors and
stumper, but from their rank and file,
as would set the whole state, if not the
entire country, in a ferment.
Garfield by his votes and speeches in
| Congress had shown himself Free
Trader. Hancock, on the other hand.
could not be quoted as having ever said
a word to indicate that he was antagon.
| istic TO the protective theory. He is,
besides, PENNSYLVANIA, and rs such
naturally tariff man. Yet papers like
the Press daily urged the workingmen
that in voting for Hancock they would
| be voting to "thorouRhly overhaul" and
overturn the tariff, while in in voting for
Garfield they would be voting to retain
it in its present "honest and effective
shape. In this way-by this grossly
dishonorable misrepresentation, thous.
ands were influenced to withhold their
support from the man of their choice,
| Winfield Scott Hancock, and accord it
to Garfield. With what result2 With
the result ofvictory for Garfield, and the
acknowledgment from the Press, now.
not only that the tariff is unfair, un.
wiedly, burdensome and sadly in need
of revision, but that it is the distinct pur.
pose of their party at the next session Of
| Congress to give it the "most thorough
overhauling it has had since 1864"
| Workingmen were asked to vote for
Garfield in 1880 to prevent the tariff
from being interiered with. They asked
in 1882 to vote for Beaver to make sure
Of its being modified. The party which
two years ago represented the tariff to
be the bulwark of labors safety, thing
it would be almost sacrilege to touch is
glad enough now to beg support on the
ground that, if they receive support,
and are victorious, then Congress will
make amends for the crimes Of the late
session, by giving the tariff "the most
thorough overhauling it has had since
| 1864" at the next.
Democrats properly look upon the ne
groes as the dupes of Republican tricks.
ters. They see them support that par.
| ty, year otter year, when not one in
twenty of its white members but
holds the entire race in hearty contempt,
and would almost as lief sit at table
with an ourang-outang as with one of
them. Yet the negroes are no more
dupes than are the white workingmen
| who permit themselves to be invegled
into supporting Republican ringsters,
because they are tariff men and want to
see the tariff sustained. The tariff has
been the excuse for more demagoguery
than has been bred in all the other par.
ties, or attempts at the organization of
parties, the country has ever had.
On the desk on which this article is
written lies open copy of the July is.
sue of the Free Trade Bulletin. a journal
published by the New York Free Trade
League, and which, as its name indi.
Gates, is devoted wholly to the advocacy
of Free Trade. In it is contained an
"address delivered before the New York
Free Trade Club, June l3, 1882" by
Capt. John Goldman, on "the Iniquity
of Protective Tariff" Captain Cod
man is one of the most positive and
outspoken free traders in the country;
yet in this address, after calling atten.
tion to the fact that the "noisiest dis
ciples of the doctrine of protection are
frequently the most ready to excuse the
importation of Chinese and other cheap
labor" says
"The advocates of Free Trade cannot
be accused of any such duplicity. Their
doctrine, carried to its finality, as soon as
circumstances 0iH admit toiM justice to e1iSt-
ing interests" &C., &c. Here is one of
the rankest of the enemies of protect.
i've tariff, who don't want to change it
until it can be done "with justice to ex.
isting interests" The Press, on the
other hand, promises that it is to have
'rhorough overhauling" right away,
which, being in effect an admission that
Justice to existing interests" calls for
it right away, is fairly construable as
emphatic free trade doctrine as Captain
Codmans.
Let workingmen give these facts a
little thought. They are worthy of it,
for they are facts from the record
facts indisputable. They certainly ought
to, and probably may, result in fewer of
them being lured by empty or dishon.
est tariff harangues into giving their
countenance and votes to Cameronism
and Arthurism, and all their attendant
curses Union Leader.
The Outlook on the Northern Tier.