Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-17

| Among the few great statesmen Of ear
lier DAYS that still remain with US = Ho-
ratio seymour. aIr. Seymour has long
since passed the meridian Of life, ana
the evening OF his days i drawing on
apace. stated with distincuonsa NJ l''s
/ spent his later years in ease ana STUDY
/ There Is no closer student OF puollc analIs
| than he. and there Is no man Of eminence
/ whose opinions upon the great question
0ftsxatiou are entitled 10 more consldera-
ton.
! Mr.. seymour recently, when asked his.
views upon the tariff pronounced unre-
servedly in favor Of tariff for revenue
Yet. il needs not the long public service,
the ripe Judgment and close study OF Mr..
Seymour 10 reach the conclusion which
be could not avoid.
il the doctrine Of protection he con-
ceivably sound, then China Is the Wises'
nation on the globe, and committed
blunder when she opened her ports. Inc
difference between the system OF emma
and that advocated by the Republican
party Is but one Of degree. Granted that
what Is STYLED free trade is a mere theory
and can nowhere he applied. does II ioi-
low that protection is wise: There Is no
doubt about the practicabilIty OF protec-
tion. the only question is As to It's cost
and bv whom il l. 10 he paid.
There are two WAYS in which 70 effect
IL. one j. 70 import nothing and levy
direct TAX FOR the support Of govern
mant. and the other j. To levy import du-
ties. which may al pleasure be made yir-
-uallv 1rr0hibitOry. according 10 the
amount of protection desired. Under the
one method the growth Of manufactures
would he slow but steady. and under
the other. their growth would be more
rapid. but there would be the risk Of over
production. Under the former method
the cost Of protection could be equally
distributed. but under the latter it could
not be- For in the one case there would
be a natural home market rate for every
thing consumed. while in the other there
would be artificial rates for manufac-
turers. and the consumers would be CON-
PEELED TO pay that rate or do without
the goods. The latter method
/. practiced in this country. The result
i that all classes are taxed for the sake
u the manufacturers, and the natural
advantf-es that one section has over an
other are neutralized by bounties wrung
from all classes Of consumers for the CON-
uensation Of the less favored section.
Thus the South and other sections
largely given to agriculture are taxed for
the support Of New England and other
manufacturing sections. True. the tariff
affords protection 10 Southern manufac-
lures. but It maintains rivals 10 them
elsewhere. the number Of which would
diminish if the amount Of protection were
diminished. For To quote Mr.. Chas. \.
Dana. -.the iron interests Of Alabama
would he safe against the I'M
restricted competition Of the
entire world" Pretty much the same is
true Of Southern cotton interests. Once
serve notice on the North that the mills
and furnaces must come nearer to the
raw materials, and the transition would
result. A. il i. the North has plenty of
time 10 wait. though it must move sooner
or later.
The south and the West can. if they
unite for tariff reform. effect this change
and profit largely by it. our infant in
dustries are not only able TO walk, but
are robust enough TO take long journey
i'm search OF new Indications. The South
and West have been paying out good
round sum for the benefit Of other sec
tons. and have gotten no propOrtionate
return. II is time TO protest.