The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-04-07

bitdb aipltE bC otCutfu ny
a reasonable and fair compromise be
tween the sections--such a tariff as
the great national Democracy advo.
cate is compromise between appar-
emily conflicting interests of the sew
eral sections Of our common country
The North and the East clamor for a
higher tariff--protection for the
sake of protection, for they are d
manufacturing people. The South
and the West clamor for free trade,
as they are tillers of the soil. Hence
there is now that same deadly con
flict of interest between these sections
for these reasons there was be-
tween the North and the South while
slavery existed in the South and for
which WIN. NJ. Evarts now says (see
his speech in said SUPPLEMENT- the war
of 1861 was made and carried on to
wipe ont at the demand and for the
benefit of free labor Of the North and
in whose name and benefit n high
Yes, that is it, it is the whip of the
Northern capitalist hell over the
great mass Of American laborers and
! consumers.
Then the tariff, we claim, and adj
! vocate. to wit: revenue tariff afford
ing incidental protection is com
| promise between these sections of our
great country. 1t gives revenue to
support the common government and
thus saves all sections from a direct
tax imposed on them for that pur
pose and at the same time affords in
cidental protection to the manufac-
| turer and also at the same time incl
dental protection to the great mass Of
a9riculturalists and consumers from
| the greed Of the American mannfac-
tuaer, and in that way, then conflict
| ing interests Of our common coun-
try are harmonized and the country
saved in unity and friendship. This
same question came near rending our
country in 1882 and then again in
1861 according to Mr.. Evarts. A
Government to be respected and obey
ed by the governed especially in
country where the governed is the
Government, must be just alike to all
so far as in it lies.
Then again, this kind Of a tariff is
not only just to us hut it is alike just
to other countries who seek to enjoy
with us the benefits Of our trade and
commerce, for itprotects our laboring
masses from the impositions that
would otherwise be practiced on them
by our manufacturers by letting 9th
or countries in to competition with
them and at the same time makes
the benefits Of our trade pay rea-
sonable compensation for it in the
way Of aiding to that extent in sup
porting the expenses of our Govern
ment and by so doing the whole
American people are benefited by be-
inc saved from direct tax to that
extent Under this wise and just
system our population has increased
from three to fifty millions; and from
poverty and weakness to wealth and
giant strength, until she now com
mands respect everywhere, and her
commerce whitens every sea and
gladdens every land.
Then the question naturally arises,
what is revenue tariff atfording in
cidental protection? and still the
question echoes back the answer. 1t
is duty laid on imports, not higher
than is necessary to raise enough
revenue to wisely and economically
administer our government; and, at
the same time, not so high that the
importer cannot pay it, or else it will
amount to a prohibitory tariff, and
therefore will cease to yield a revenue,
for it is plain that i we prohibit i'm
portation, then the government will
get no revenue from that source, and
equally plain that direct tax will
have to he imposed by Congress to
supply tho drfcicncy.and it is equally
plain when importation is stopped,
then our own manufacturers having
no competition, will impose on the
consumers such prices as they may
think proper.
But it has been said that home
competition will keep down prices.
This has been tried many times, and
in every case found wanting; if this
was believed even by themselves,
why do they not rely upon this expe
dient to undersell the foreign manu-
facturers, and thus drive them out of
our market? O. no! it is foreign
competition that they fear, for that
they cannot coatrol; but domestic
competition has no terror for them,
for they well know that the manufac-
turers of this country constitute a
close corporation. as it were. In fact
monopoly, pitted against every
thing in its way.
But it is said that low tariffs have
always been followed by great nation
al panics; and we may add, so have
our high tariffs; leaving the question
undetermined, which; the high or the
low tariff, if either, caused the panics.
High and low tariffs have several
times followed each other in this
country. and yet it cannot he said,
that one kind of tariff produced the
other; nor can it be told which pro
duced the panice.
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