The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-20
Tariffs and Greenbacks.

~ 4
The Dispatch does not ego Tor pro-
tcctive tariff with all the vigor ana cnthu-
siasm Of new convert" as Il asserted IN
the WLiq OF yesterday. For ten years the
Dispatch has, whenever occasion onereo,
avowed lis readiness TO support the most
protective OF tariffs II thereby II coiiid Sc
cure the repeal Of the internai-reVenue
laws. and the total abolition OF all internal
taxes. That Is our position to-day In
order 70 Justify ourselves in taking this po-
si,ion, we have not hesitated to try TO show
that a protective tariff is not only not
wholly bad but is In many instances defcn-
sihle as n necessary cvil-if evil II be at all.
At the same time, we have distinctly
stated that, like Mr.. RANDALL, we
are theoretical iree-traders with q prac-
teal turn. We are not blind 10 the
cnormitics OF the existing tariff, nor unac-
o,isintcd with the best theories OF the Tree
traders ON the contrary, we are familiar
with all that can be said on either side OF
the question. But we take the world as
we find II. As an original question, pro-
teetiye tariff might be wrong ana YET
,hcre might be circumstances which would
Justify such a tariff at this time. For III
stance. protective tariff has built up man
uiacturcs In New England. New England
might now be able 10 sustain her factories
without protective tarir, and might De
able 10 slave off southern competition II she
conld secure a repeal OF the eNlstlng pro-
tectiyc laws. We use this as an illustra-
zion. not 10 claim that 1t is fact. surely
the southern people could not be consld-
ed wise in their generation il they should
consent to do aught that would either de-
stroy their own factories or prevent Their
establishment at places in our section
where there are none.
But we have said that We are theoretical
free-traders with practicalturn. Weme'
in word, for protecting at least such ILL.,
dustrics as Virginia has now and those
which she expects soon to have. We ven
ture 10 say that GEORGE ID. WISE, II he has
the chance, will vote to protect the found
ries and factories OF Richmond against for
ciyn competition; and that even KAN
TUCKER will never cast vote that would
have the effect to put ont the fires OF the
furnaces and ioundrics which are begin
ming 10 illuminate the mountain gorgcs OF
his own district.
The WHY'S point would be just as good
IL made against MASSEY. CAMERON, fULSER-
SON, PAUL, or any other Democratic Read
juster. 1t is poor compliment, however,
10 all the Democratic Readiusters III the
Legislature of Virginia and all over the
state that the Wing assumes it as settled
that they will all follow General MALONE
and come out for p protective tariff. We
don't believe there is any good reason for
assuming such 10 be the fact.
Again: General MALONE av0ws himself
to be a hard-money man
A national-bank young man"
The Wing and Messrs. LAKEWOOD
CgrTcHER, NEWMAN, NEwBERRY, and all
the rest Of the Greenbackers were opposed
in 1873 TO the very doctrines which Gene
raj MALONE thus avows 10 be his. IL II
understood that LAKEWOOD, PAUL, the
JVhig, NEWMAN, NEwBERRY, CRITCIER,
and the rest Of those who were known as
"Greenback lunatics " only three years ago,
now ago for the national banking system
and for hard money with all the vigor and
enthusiasm OF new converts" y! Is the
Whiq now, as it was in 1878, in favor OF
shower of greenbacks that shall cover the
whole face of the earth! Can that journal
afford to raise questions of consistency to
bo decided by the files OF the Dispatch
and the Whgs May no question he raised
as to the authorship of the cited arti-
clesY 1--WE certainly hope that the
Wig may grow in grace until it
reaches the full spirit of progress rep
resented by the Dispatch in 1873, and to
be represented hereafter, we trust, even by
The Wig. Whilst we are trying to show
our readers that protective tariff is not
the monster which it is possible some OF
them suppose it TO be, the wig may I'M"
dertake the task OF teaching its readers
that fiat money is humbug and cheat, and
that il the Government were to issue as
many greenbacks as the Wing called for in
1878 they would be as worthless as Conied-
crate treasury notes.