New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-27
F1CTfTIOOs and REAL ISSUES.

Cautious and conservative Democrats begin
to CRY Hush !" They dread the discussion OF
the Tariff question which has been in progress
since the passage of the new act, and beg that
il nav cease. These people would fain believe
that parties and political issues, unlike poets,
are made, not born. They want party held
Together by no conviction or purpose. but hy
hunger for spells. For such party they seek
success by cunningly manufacturing fictitious
issues upon which it shall fight They do not
intend really to do anything or to prevent any
thing as to any of these questions; all that is
matter of Indifference 10 them. From time to
time they would knock together a new political
aissne." as a man would knock together with
nails and sticks ladder on which he can climb
TO an unfastened window. But after getting up
they would kick away the ladder as worthless
To make or manage parties in that way has
hecnms absolutely impossible. The wires and
the presses have taken the whole people INTO
confidence. The millions have their own way
in this government The politicians who are
content to let the millions do the managing are
the only politicians that succeed The millions
want some things done in this matter of taxa
| tor and tariff. Some want one thing and some
| another. What the majority want will be de-
done. The politicians VINO have not wanted
that thing, or have not been willing to risk the
Offices in order to get it done, will be packed
away as political mummies.
To give details: There are some millions of
voters. nearly all Democrats, who want all
duties for protection abolished, because they
think such duties rob the many for the benefit
| of the few. They have been made to believe
that while such duties may yield little or no
revenue, and are not therefore taxes, they do
permanently enhance the cost of domestic
| products to consumers, and thus force con-
| suners TO pay vast sums to producers. The
| fact that the development OF an industry
| finally secures permanently cheaper products TO
| consumers, so that in the end, where the desired
success is attained, the consumers gain by the
operation and lose nothing, these people have
not learned and refuse to believe. Mistaken
they may be, bat they are In earnest. Demo-
cratic politicians cannot hope for offices without
| the votes of these men. Nor can they hope
| always to muzae or to cheat them by pretend
| ing TO strive for a change without getting it,
There are some millions of voters again who
| want tariff for protection, the more complete
| and thorough the better. To their experience,
protection means prosperity. They own homes,
have.carpets and good clothing eat meat and
| live comfortably, and know that these results
they could never have gained by their labor in
| other lands. To them the development of an
| industry means, first, comfort and manly lnde-
pendence for workers second. rapid cheaper
ing of products; third, ultimate benefit to all
consumers who pay more for time in order to
| pay less forever after. That these men are
very much in earnest also, the politicians have
found out They number, beyond doubt, a
large majority of the voters of this country at
this time, and the proportion has been increased
by every year of prosperity under the protec-
tive tariff. But they are of two opinions.
Some of them hold that the new tariff reduces
duties too far, and embraces dangerous errors.
| These, they propose TO insist, must be correct
ed. Thus the Bulletin of the Iron and Steel
Association of March 81 afiirms that the new
tariff brings many of the leading industries Of
| q the country closer than they have been for
twenty two years to the danger line OF foreign
competition" points out good many errors
| which tile new act contains, urges that 1t Will
| be particularly injurious to the iron and steel
industries, and closes long review by say
ing that the great States chiefly interested in
these industries [" have of themselves the power
Z" to compel such amendments to the tariff OF
1883 as will make it equitable and lust to all
the industries of the country" Here we have
on record distinct demand by one powerful
body of voters for a more complete and eff
Gent protection than the new act is now thought
to afford And there are other industries
which will press similar demands
On the other hand, there are many who hold
that the benefits conferred by the new act will
| A.. So fFnu
think it should be fairly and fully tried, before
any attempt is made to disturb everything by
new adjustment. They feel, too, that an ap-
peal to the next Democratic Congress Tor any
change of daties whatever will increase the