Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-09-30
FreightS-The Tariff Commission
a Farce.

a Farce.
Editor Standard When Congress
is in session men of influence and politi-
cal power are continually before the
committees in the interest of money
power and great lawyers are continu-
ally before the committees in the inter-
est of powerful corporations. Every
appliance that the ingenuity of man
can devise is brought to bear upon Ma
tional legislation for the benefit of those
who do not need 1t; but no man of
powerful influence, nor any great law
yer, has ever appeared before the COM
mittees in the interest of labor and pro-
dnction. Labor, the very basis of hui
man existence, is made the packhorse
to carry every burthen. The unneces-
sary and exhorbitant taxes, privileges,
import duties, transportation charges,
ETC., cost the people two thousand mil
lion dollars annually.
The mass of the people are in the
grip Of the great money power and
powerful corporations, and some man
whose mind is inbued with analy teal
power and charity and mercy for man
kind, is needed to master the situation.
Congress created an Arcadian COM
mission to investigate the policy of pro,
lection to American industry by levy
ing tax on articles brought from other
countries to this. This commission
knows about as much about the phi
losophy and utility Of tariff, or the
laying Of tax on goods brought from
other countries to this, as a cat. This
commission is travelling from city to
city, where men appear before them
and make arguments, some about one
thing and some about anOther-each
one advocating his own personal inter-
est Outside Of personal interest not
one word has been said to enlighten
the committee or the people about one
Of the greatest questions that can oc.
cupy the minds of men. The very
inception of duties on imports was an
effort by legislation to force capital out
Of its natural channel. No department
of our productive or commercial rela
tons can be hotbedded to advantage
Capital should have been let alone and
permitted to seek its own investment
and consumers permitted to buy thei
manufactured articles where they could
get them the cheapest. 1t is the duty
of the tariff commission to get down to
the bottom facts, and demonstrate t.
Congress that the whole system of levy
ing a tax on imports is in violation o
every principle Of natural justice. l
is full brother to the bond system o,
the government of the United States
the great monied corporations, and tn
powerfulinter state transportation lines
The four make up a set of leeches tina
suck the life blood out of the product
of labor. Under such state of fact
our destitute and ignorant people vii
remain so, and our rich people wi
grow richer. If we had some grea
! lawyers and men of powerful politics
influence to go before the committee
! in Congress and advocate the cause c
the destitute, ignorant and ragged pee
pie of this country, the whole Natio
a would be startled at the new departure
, The tariff, monied corporations an
/, transportation lines are literally col
. Stunning the productions of labor, an
n to-day a majority of the people are lii
e ing from hand to mouth, unable to &c
C ucate their children, and will continr
a to do so till the order of things is r
e versed. P. G. l.