The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-04-22
LIGHT ON THE TARIFF QUESTION.

LIGHT ON THE TARIFF QUESTION.
The only really important live Issue IN the
politics of this country today is the tariff
question. Hitherto 1t had been so complicated
and involved 80 many conflicting interests,
that the political parties were afraid to take
hold Of 1t. Absolute protection, in many cases,
amounted to such palpable robbery that even
the republicans shrunk as a party from defend.
ing 1t, while in other cases, in a modified
form, protection had built up and fostered so
many important manufacturing interests that
the democrats dared not assail it. Meantime
congress has been dlllydallying and playing
shutlecock with the subject, while the most
odious and oppressive tariff this or any coun-
try ever was afflicted with, adopted under ex.
traordinary circumstances when it was In the
throes of a tremendous war, of doubtful issue,
to maintain its existence, has been allowed to
raven unchecked on the taxpaying masses.
1t renamed for Mr. Hewitt, in his speech in
the House at Washington a week ago, against
the tariff commission bill, to present, for the
first time in fifteen years, the tariff issue In
such form that the democratic party can
venture to array itself in body on one side,
and compel the republican party to take the
other, or yield the question. The tariff COM
mission bill, it Will be remembered, is admit
ted, even by some OF Its friends, to be a mere
device to put off the tariff as political issue
until after another congressional and, If posi-
bic, presidential election.
The proposition of Mr.. Hewitt leaves con
gress without pretext or excuse for this miser.
able lodging of so important question.
What he proposes Is simply, by short bill,
or even joint resolution OF the two houses, to
remove at once the tax on raw materials and
then leave the other details Of the tax to be
fixed by congress at Its leisure The revenues
of the government are to-day at least 500 00O,-
900 IN excess of Its needs. The proposed re-
moval of the tax on raw materials would cut
them down about $75,0OOOOO. This would
still leave an abundant surplus, while the pro-
posed remission of duties would affect no in
terest now dependent for Its stability on tariff
while free raw material would i'm.
mensely stimulate every such industry. It
would at once revive our ship-bullding inter.
est and put 100000 mechanics to work In our
ship yards, and take out OF the ranks of our
starved and striking laborers 100000 more to
man thousand new American merchant
ships that the measure would put afloat; and
It would enormously stimulate our cotton, |
wooden, silk and other manufactures by re.
moving the enormous tax they are subjected
to ON dyes and chemicals, and enable them to
at such rates that they could COM
pete with England, France and Germany IN
the markets of the world.
The Democrats of New York City have al.
ready held monster mass meeting endorsing
Mr. Hewitt's proposal as the first CLEAN of
light and presentation of a practical issue the
party has had before it on the question in many
years, and even In tariffridden Pennsylvania
The party is rapidly crystalizing into solid
body in favor Of the same issue. The ground
is so solid, the issue so strong, that it Is bound
10 win, the only question being whether the
republican leaders in congress will be able to
hold the party together to pass the tariff COM
mission bill, so as to relegate the issue over to
The polls next fall, or whether they will have
The sagacity to torstall a sure democratic trl-
lnph then by at once falling In with Mr..
lIewitt's proposal.