The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-10-18
TARIFF LUMINOSITY.

The Irresponsible EDITOR of the Ottawa
Republican Is about as luminous on the
tariff question as the Rev. Joseph Jasper
Is on the subject Of astronomy He is just
as intelligently positive that democratic
free trade" would lnjure the workingmen
as the Reverend Joseph is that "de sun do
move" Because the democratic party in
sist on thorough revision of the pres
emit tariff and a material reduction Of du-
ties on many articles and the transfer Of
many others to the free list, he insists they
are outand-out tree traders and advocate
such an aprogation of all tariff duties as
will destroy the leading manufacturing in
terests Of the country. He can see no in
consistency between this alleged free trade
position of the democrats and the fact that
the democrats advocate the total abro-
CATION of the internal revenue taxes except
on tobacco and whisky and the raising of a
revenue of some S200,0O0,0O0 by duties on
imports, involving an amount of tariff tax
alton that would seem at least to be sutti-
cient to afford all needful protection to
every legitimate manufacturing interest OF
the country. What the democrats object
to In the present tariff is Its vicious log
rolling system. There are some four thou
sand dutiable articles upon the list, the
revenue from 5000 Of which does not
amount to five millions a year and the total
elimination of which would lnjurious!y
affect no legitimate manufacturing interest
in the country to the amount of one cent,
but on the contrary, by cheapening raw
material, would greatly benefit most Of
them. Such, as mentioned in our last, IS
the tariff on soda ash such is the tariff on
arsenic and on numerous chemicals, dyes,
mordants, &c, that enter SO largely into
our cotton, wooden and glass manufactures.
No honest manufacturer but admits the
uselessness and viciousness Of the tariff on
such articles, but they say ave are obliged
to let them go on the list to get votes IN
congress for our own protection" The
Jersey chalk monopolist is allowed to levy
half million of blackmall year OF the
country because he controls vote or two
in congress; the great Syracuse Salt Mo-
nopoly costs the people ten millions year
because it controls dozen of votes in con.
gress; and so to the end of the list. 1t is
the story over again of Skunk Creek in the
River and Harbor bill: it gets fifty thou
sand dollar steal because it controls a vote
in congress.
Mr.. Hewitt, the leader of the democrats
IN the house on the tariff question, an
nOunced the democratic position exactly
when he made this offer to the republicans:
"We will agree to leave the tariff on every
article Of legitimate home maRufsc,u lure
undisturbed If you will agree to admit raw
materials free and give ship.builders a
drawback on iron and hemp 80 that the
vast industry of ship-bullding can be re-
vlved in this country" That embOdles in
a nutshell the democratic idea of tariff re-
ducton and tariff reform, and that is what
the Ottawa Republican in its ignorance
denounces as democratic free trade. l. Is
free trade in its best sense. 1t would knock
of the shackles that have tied up and eX-
Unpublished our foreign trade in hundl eds
of articles with which this country under
former tariffs supplied the world, and would
restore our mercantile marine to Its torlaer
grandeur when 1t stood second among he
nations of the earth, but now stands sixth
IN rank and SINKS below SPAN. Will the
Republican,, which has hitherto shrunk
from answering this question, "How any
high tariff exaction can benefit the work
ingmen," please expound In Its wisdom
how such democratic tariff as that we
have outlined would injure the working
men,