The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-11-23
The Tariff Commission Aqain.

The fimsiest and most superficial
presentation possible Of the tariff
question by political vote hunters
has begun to pail upon the people
Men in all grades of social and in
dustrial life are beginning to think
and out of their thinking will be
evolved the sensible solution of q
question which demagogues have
banded about for their selfish pur
poses too long for the public good.
1t is gravely announced that the re-
port of the Tariff Commission will
recommend as few changes as posi-
bic i'm the tariff. This was a foregone
conclusion. The Commission was
VIGOROUSLY packed for the express
purpose of preventing any intelli-
gent revision of the tariff. 1t has
taken q great mass of testimony,
which, after the usual crude fashion
of the compilers of government pub
LEGATIONS, will be published in the
lump, without editing, and in such
a way generally as to make it alto
gether useless. So far as tho Com
mission has power it will fulfill the
motive of its organization; that is,
it will give Congress an excuse for
doing nothing. Andyet it is already
apparent that this policy is not
destined to succeed. The evils of
the tariff system are becoming more
generally comprehended every day,
and particularly among the great
class of producers which has been
plundered most mercilessly by the
tariff system during the past twenty
years. Now, when the people of the
South and West understand that
Protection robs them daily and hour
ly, and that it has no compensation
for them, they will refuse to submit
to it any longer. Already Iowa has
been taught the advantages of tariff
reform, and the Republicans there
will have to shift their ground or
perhaps lose the State. Illinois is
rapidly falling into line, and over
the West the propagandist of Free
Trade are making their way. 1t is
no longer a feeble protest against
the folly, bad reasoning and injus
tice of Protection, which is heard.
Everywhere newspapers are being
converted to the civilized doctrine,
and everywhere the producers are
discussing the question. When the
workingmen are brought to see how
their own interests are affected by
Protection; when they understand
that it does not keep or make wages
high; when they perceive that while
it tends to lower wages on the one
hand, it also tends to diminish the
purchasing power of every dollar
earned, they, too, will abandon the
Protectionists and come over to the
right. 1t is beyond the power of
the Tariff Commission or of Con-
gress to check the movement that is
going on in this regard. The prin-
ciples of Tariff Reformare as certain
to commend themselves to the ap.
prevail of thinking men among the
producing and working classes as
the principle of honest hard money
was in its time. The great majority
of the people will not much longer
permit small minority to fleece and
hamper them, and to retard their
progress. They will insist On being
left free to get the full worth of their
earning and production, and the
Pennsylvania school will find that
its day has passed.
Democracy is opposed to bosses
and bOssism. 1t especially opposes
the kind that claims to possess all
the party virtue, Processes to care