The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-05-03
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Extract From the speech in the Housc
Of Representatives, April ISS2.

ISIS grow eloquent, as Is their custom, over
che thought Of protection to American labor,
have listened in vain to lie informed what
they consider. American labor. Let them
define their position. Dj they c0nfne the
term to the men who work in factories 0.
/ Bessemer steel or kindred enterprises
They say nothing, and seem to care nothing
for the men employed with the piow aud
/ wedding hoe, who lay railroad tracks, who
! buiid houses, the draym3n of the CITY, the
wagoners Of the eouatrY-I will not stop to
name them all-but they embrace every
! man. woman, and child, of our country, who
/ IS not fed at foundry or factory. Sir, there
are oat of our fifty millions of people, pro-
i baby not more than four millions Of work
/ ing age engaged ia manufacturing and min
Ing, while all the rest are in other pursuits,
and mo.e than 80 per cent OF the whole in
/ that Of agriculture. And yet this great in
/ dastry as proposed By members ot this New
+ York tariff convention, which brealhed the
inm0st hopes and aspirations of the pr0tec-
tienists and which seems 10 have engineered
this whole scheme, is to have but one mem
Der Of this proposed civilian commission.
Mr. Chairman, the argument that pro-
lection cheapens the products Of manutac-
tories to the home consumers was rendered
so ridieulous by the gentleman from Ken
tucky Mr.. Carlisle that it is scarcely
necessary to advert TO it again. The p9o-
teetionist has never been able to explain
why, if protection cheapens their manu-
factured articles, they stilldesire protection
II tariff for revenue only would ultimately
render them dear, then IL would seem that
they are more thanznortal if they are not
with us. If what they preach is true, that
protection cheapens aud a tariff for revenue
would soon render their goods higher in the
market of the world, and still they are for
protection, they are certainly the most un-
selfish humanitarians the world ever saw.
They should at once join the asthetlcsband
OF Oscar Wilde, tor .hey are too pure aud
lovely to associate with average business
men IN this sardid life
1t is no gument and proves nothing in
favor Of protection to show that prices on
manufactured articles are lower now than
they were twenty or thirty years ago. The
same is true over the whole Of Europe 1t
costs You less to manufacture now than it
did then; improved machinery has rem
dered less manual labor necessary, work
men have been educated and become better
skilled, and you are but keeping step to the
music OF the aye which peals the notes of
progress all around the world. While your
goods may be selling for less your profits are
enormous. In the Bessemer steel manufac-
tories about 81 per cent. per annum is real
lied upon the capital invested and all the
iron aud steel industries in the United
States, after paying all expenses, net near
ly % per cent.
No, gentlemen, you know that protection
enhances the value of your manufactured
products or you would not want protection.
You know that to-day if the farmer WAS al
lowed to enter the markets of the world for
every article that he wears, and for every
one into which iron or steel enters that he
uses in the making and harvesting his crops,
and they not taxed by import duties, be
could buy them from 40 to 100 per cent.
cheaper than he Is now forced to pay. And
of this enormous tax you are the principal
benefciaries, for the Government receives
but a small percentage of it. The courts
have called this robbery. 1t is this result
that political economic writer's have almost
universally denounced as wrong, and unsus-
tained by any correct principle Of reasoning.
To take, under the forms of law, from one
man his money, and give it to another with
out just compensation, can never stand the
test by the measurement of Divine law or
of human reason.
Aud the protectionists are never satisfied.
See how they have gone on step by step
when they had the power to increase tariff
duties. 1t went from 81 per cent. ad valo-
rem in 1879 to / | per cent in 1880, 49, per
cent. in 1892, 80 per cent in 1916, when Mr.
Clay declared that he believed three years
would be sufficient to place our manufacto-
ries on the desirable footing of ability to
compete with those abroad, but in 1921 il
was raised to 81 per cent, and in 1873 10 IL
per cent. And it was then the country felt
SO outraged that revolution was imminent,
and the compromise tariff of Mr. Clay, by
which duties were TO be brought down to 20
per cent, was adopted. To-day it is admit
ted by the proteetionist to be 43 per cent,
and this most unequaly and uniustlv adj
justed in the interests of capital, for the
benefit Of the rich and to the detriment o
the poor For since this debate began it
has been demonstrated, as it has been fre-
quently before that articles of luxury and
ornament used only by the rich are subjec- |
ted to a far lower tax in proportion to value
than those of necessity to and used by the
poor. And now when relief is sought to be
given, procrastination and delay are asked, |
and the duty imposed upon us is to be
shirked the trust eonfided to the represen-
tatiyes Of the people is to be transferred to
irresponsible men who have no interests in
them, and who they have not called To do
this work.
No intelligent man believes that the re-
port of the proposed commission is designed
by the advocates of this bill to be made in
time for tariff legislation by this Congress.
distinguished Senator, friend of the
Senate bill, confesses that legislation can
not be expected by this Congress after the
report is made. No sufficient time is given
TO accomplish any such result, and we
voluntarily abandon the duty imposed upon
US and remand it to another Congress. The
present odiuus laws are to continue their
existence. No man on the other side, with |
the honorable exception of the gentleman
from Minnesota, Mr.. Dunuell, has dared
to say that he favors general reduction
Horse, foot, and dragon, they have been
captured by protected monopolists. They
either stand and cover in their presence,
afraid to lift their voices in behalf of the
whole country and all the industries, or
else they openly avow determination to
subsequently register their selfish will a.
expressed in their recent conventions.
Their greed is never satisfied. For nearly
hundred years, with limited period ex-
eepted, they have had the fostering care oil
the Government. It has stood watch over
them by night and by day. It has been
their faithful sentinel from infancy t.
mature manhood, watching first their tot
tering steps of infancy and afterward their
proud strides of matured manhood. L has
upheld and supported them until now they
stand the peers of the greatest manufaetss
ries of the world, exporting many of theii
goods annually, which rival in artistic
beauty and intrinsic value the best fabrics
Of the eastern hemisphere.
Sir, the principle OF protection for the sake
of protection is wrong. This Government
has no moral right TO tax the people of lii
nois and Mississippi for the benefit Of those
of Massachusetts, and Georgia. Ii has no
moral right to tax the cotton growers
Alabama and Texas for the benefit OF the rice
producers Of Carolina and the sugar planter
Of Louisiana | am not hostile s. manu-
ufaetories, and would be glad to see them
detting the hills and valleys Of every coun-
ty of our land, but am not willing to lev,
tribute upon all other industries and ayoca-
tions in order that these may prosper. i
this drawing of legitimate revenue from
imports for the support of the Government
Is 81 incidental benefit TO them ! shoTlld b
reioiced, but believing that there il no war