New-York tribune., 1882-03-13
pdPTJES AND THE TARIFF,


question. In partisan point of view, it wonld
be we'll TO accommodate them. lhe hepuni-
can party is immeasurably better prepared
than the Democratic to meet this question in
any of its phases. The Republicans are not
entirely united, it is true, though more nearly
than their adversaries. Bnt the radical differ
ence is that the Republicans, however much
they differ as 10 theories or details, nave
magnificent record already made, OF when
none of them are ashamed, and upon which
they can all afford to appeal to the people
with full confidence. The Democratic party,
on the otner hand, has behind it only rec
ord of disgusting incapacity, cowardlce ana
deceit, and can in no way make the question
living issue without proposing to over'urn
and repeal the most popular tariff ever framed
Whatever men may find amiss in the present
tariff. it is beyond dispute particularly popu-
lar A great many voters, it is trlle, care noun
ing about it, or entertain theory that IL ouSh'
to be modified or repealed, but none OF thcse
are sufficiently in earnest to have any weight.
On the other hand, the system Is regarded
with most intense and enthusiastic devotion
bv millions of working people. They, ana
others whose prosperity immediately depends
upon theirs, regard the tarH question as
matter of life and death, and will vote down
any party or candidate that appears untrust-
worthy in that particular. 1t happens that
These intensely earnest and devoted friends OF
the tariff are in several great States so largely
concentrated that they form more than i've
siXths of all the voters, that III Pennsyl-
yania. for instance, it would be sheer folly for
any party to attempt to carry the State IN 0p-
nosition to them The Democratic party
learned. IN the last Presidential campaign, that
the tariff was so popular that any attack upon
it would instantly destroy the party in the
Eastern States, and they therefore proceeded
to eat great deal of dirt in public. But no
! Republican candidate ever has any reason to
| fear that he may be held responsible for franz
ing, maintaining or favOring a tariff under
which the country has proSpered so greatly.
| Tie ODpOnents of the tariff argue ably
that the marvellous prosperityOf the cOun-
try, though cOincidcnt in time with the
tariff, has not been due to that system But
this argument has never yet impressed the
minds of wOrkingmen, and until their opinions
| on the subject have been changed, the Rcpub-
| licans have an incalculable advantage In being
responsible for the existing system. Some OF
them see fanlts in it, or think they do, and
wish more or less important changes, but
they are never afraid to stand up before
any constituency, in any part OF the
| country, and admit the responsibility OF their
| party for the system as a whole The Demo
cratic party, on the contrary, has never been
able to convince the people OF its honesty or
| sincerity as to this question AS 1t pretended
| TO be in favor of the protective tariff OF lS46,
| but repealed that act as soon as 1t gained the
power to do so, in like manner at every later
appeal to the people the Democratic party
! has seemed to desire to overthrow the pr0tec-
| tive system. without having the courage OF hon
esty to openy oppose 1t. The consequence
| is that anv arguments which might be en-
Moved against that system never go to voters
with the direct and emphatic sanction OF that
partv. and, whenever it is caught trying to
reyolutionizc the tariff, half of its own voters
regard it as attempting dangerous thing
which it has never dared to propose or justify
to them. This is the penalty, the world over
of cowarlice and double dealing. The Demo-
! Gratis will have to pay it every time they med
die with the tariff question.
II is the less possibility for the Democratic
partv TO make head against the tariff, because
that party has had legislative power for some
wears. and vet has never dared to attempt a
change. At times, nearly all the Democrats
have voted for mischievOus measures like Mr..
Woods bill, though admitting that these were
utterly improper or inadequate, but the party
rs a whole has held legislative power for years
without correcting a single one of the wrongs
| which, it claims, are to be found III the
| tariff. With no good reason or decent
pretext, it has sent other measures again
and again to the Executive, and tried to bully or
coerce him into signing them. But the party
has nevor been able to put forth any such
effort to secure q change of the tariff. No
wonder the sincere Free Traders have become
utterly Indifferent to Democratic professions
of a zeal for change. 1t can gain not vote
| from them by anything it can do or say III
hostility to the tariff but and will instantly
throw away by such course every chance OF
| success in important States.
The Republicans, therefore, have every rea =
son TO desire as partsans that the tariff ques-
ton should be brought up as early and dis
cusscd as fully as possible Differences OF
opinion that may appear among them will not
alter the great fact that the present tariff was
framed and has been maintained by the Re
publican party. That party, the country VIII
decide, is the only one that deserves TO be
trusted to make any notifications that the
| system may now require.
|
DISSOL UTION or THE SOLID SODIH