The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-23
TARIFF BILLAED THE PROTECTION

From the Chicago Times

Some time ago Mr.. Z. j. Donnell pre-
dicted that if the. late congress should
pass tariff bill the protectionists would
attempt to pass it off as settlement of
the whole question. at least for seven
years to come. To this end they would
deprecate discussion as greatly damag-
ing to the Industries of the country; and
further, they would raise some cry and
commence some agitation to interest the
public mind and divert the attention
from the system of licensed spolIation.
This prediction has been verified in
part already. Almost Immediately afler
the passage of the bill. Mr.. Kelley, the
commander in chief of the republican
pretectionist forces, made proclamation
that the tariff question, except as to some
details, was settled at least for half
generation; and Mr.. Randall, the com
mander-in- chief of the democratic forces
made like proclamation, setting forth
that the question was settled at least ten
years. Besides proclaiming the question
settled, the prOtcctionists sent mission
aries into the southern provinces to
preach the gospel of taxation, expecting
to be cordially welcomed, and encour-
aged and assisted to their labors. To
their surprise they found that these man
ufacturers were free-traders men who,
instead of asking more protection for
themselves desired only to be relieved of
the bruden of protecting others. TO TIE
end that they might be able to sell their
goods at profit in foreign markets.
The Missionaries were surprised and more
in angsT than in sorrow they departed
out OF the country, shaking off the dust
of their feet agBinst it.
One of them, Mr.. Frank Wilkeson,
who was sent out by the Sun, of New
York, an organ of the Randall school of
democrats, who wrote for that paper
letter soundly berating the southern hea
then. His letter was a bloody shirt ii
rade of the kind we used TO hear six or
eight years ago from every republican
stump orator. Mr.. Wilkeson represents
that the southern people are free-traders
simply because they hate the northern
people, and are seeking to ruin their
manufacturing industries out of o spirit
pure malignity. He has begun the full
fiifment of Mr. DonneIi's second predic-
ton that the protectioniss would raise
some cry TO divert attention from the
real merits OF The tariff question. II is
not surprising that the Sun il the first
paper to take IN hand tho execution of
this part of the protectionist programme.
Although it processes 10 be democratic.
ii IL HS Ot2Oteu u6lcHutF Oil The Stl0fIaL-
ion system as was the late Horace Gree
ley. The Sun used to protest against
the song of the bloody shirt when il was
sung for the benefit of the republican
party. but does not object to it in the
least now that it sung for the benefit of
the protected monopolists.
But the attempt to divert attention
from the tariff to the malignity OF south
ern manufacturers, who are so wicked
as to object to paying heavy taxes for
the benefit of other manufacturers, or to
any other false issue, is not at all likely
to succeed. As has already been stated
in these columns, the copper interest. the
Woodworking interest of Ohio and Penn
sylvania, and some branches of the
iron and steel interest, are very far from
being satisfied with the new law, and do
not intend TO accept it as settlement
for half generation, or for ten years.
One of the representatives of the wool
interest made this threat on the floor of
the house: I'VE viii begin agifating
this question the hour that you pass this
bill and keep that agitation up until we