The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-23
The Tana-Another View.

We cannot answer for the Democrats o.
any other State, but we think we can FOL
those Of Virginia. n we are not ogre
giously mistaken, the Virginia Democrats
will not allow themselves to be divided by
any question OF protection or non-protec'
ton. Strange as II may seem TO the IRE
Dune, our people would rather have inter
nal taxes done away with than to have the
tariff revised. They are practically unani'
nous In demanding the abolition OF the
internal-revenue department. while they
do not agree on the tariff question.
Again: The southern people are tired OF
being treated as outlaws. They are libelled
day after day by Republican Journals, and
with no other or better purpose than to
perpctuate the rule Of the Republican
party. The South Is traduced as O
means Of solidifying the North. The
"solid South" Is denounced in order
to make the North solid for the Re-
publican party. The quiet, law-abiding
people OF Virginia are spoken OF as IL they
were red-handed murderers. and our most
eminent statesmen are charged with being
participants in the worst OF crimes. Does
the Tribune think it strange that under
these circumstances Virginia should de-
cline 10 consider the question OF protection
of manufactures as superior in importance
TO the question Of protection OF our civil
liberties-our dearest rights!
II the Democratic leaders in other States
are, as the Tribune says. in state Of des-
pair because Of divisions on the tariff ques-
ton, those in Virginia are not. The wit
OF our New York contemporary is entirely
wasted because II does not know anything
about the state OF public sentiment in Vir-
ginia. The various issues which divide
our Democratic friends in the northern
States will not be allowed TO divide the
people OF the South until the South has
ceased to be the Ireland Of America. The
sun OF kindness may cause her TO throw off
the cloak OF solidity. But the winds Of
traduction and injustice will never accom-
pllsh that object.
We heard a prominent Democrat say the
other day that he would rather give the
manufacturers all the protection they asked
than be a party to the return Of the Ma
honeites to power. The Lyncbburg Vir-
ginian, edited by an Old-Line Wing, pro-
poses to the Democrats the following COM
promise, which the Tribune will see is the
same as ours
"Seelng that Democrats are divided in
sentiment about protective tariff, why
will they not agree 10 cut the Gordian knot
that will relieve all troubley They are, al
most to man, in favor OF abolishing the
internal-revenue system, with its odious
provisions. That done, and the Govern
ment shut up to the necessity Of deriving
its support from impost duties, the tariff
question will settle itself, since 1t will need
to be high enough to yield revenue suf-
ficieut for the support Of the Government;
and that would give all the protection
needed by American industries. We should
hear nothing more after that about free
trade, except from mere theorists, for a
generation to come. 1t could no longer be
question Of practical politics.
"Now, il the Democratic House will
vote emphatically to repeal the excise laws,
the senate VIII pe likely to concur. But II
not, their action for the relief Of the peo-
pie would throw the OnuS OF continuing
this hateful law, which the eXigencies of
war made necessary. but is no longer
needed, upon the Administration and the
Republican party, and it would be used
against them with terrible effect next year.
A vote against the internal revenue is q
pof Of Int xxy;fh
ton, and the people will be made to view
the matter in that light.
alt seems to us that the solution Of this
yeXed question is easy, and after the in
fernal revenue laws are abolished, tariff
reform for revenue and incidental protec-
tion-all the protection that could be rea-
sonably asked fOr-will follow as a matter
OF course"
To us in Virginia that suggestion seems
reasonable and feasible. But unfortunate
ly there are monopoists in New York and
other places who prefer that tobacco should
be taxed rather than untaXed. They find
their account in such tax, somehow or
other. They annually spend thousands OF
dollars on the lobby in Washington in
working against the removal Of the tobac-
co-tax. Even Democratic papers are found
standing side by side with the men who
thus labor TO fetter Virgina's chief in
dustry and to perpetuate tax unknown
before the war and which ought to have
been repealed years ago.
II Is totally inconsistent for paper pro-
Tossing TO be opposed to protection TO an
tagonize the proposition TO repeal all inter-
nal taxes, II II opposes such repeal on the
ground that il would necessitate higher
tariff; for free-traders and all anti-protec-
tionists hold that protective tariff cannot
yield much revenue. A tariff that yields q
maximum OF revenue must afford mini
mum Of protection. Conversely, tariff
that affords maximum Of protection must
yield minimum of revenue. II
not, then "a tariff for revenue
only" and "a tariff for protection -
are one and the same thing. II 1t Is neces.
sary to have very high tariff in order to
have an abundant revenue, then the pro.
tectionists are the real revenue-reiormers-
the real advocates OF "a tariff for revenu,
only" II, on the other hand, II Is neces
sary that tariff shall not be highly'pro
tectiye in order that it may yield an abun
dant revenue, then the anti-protectionist,
are grossly inconsistent In opposing tn,
repeal Of the internal taxes on the ground
that their repeal would necessitate a higt
tariff.
Think OF IL. Isn't il plain that ga tariff
Tor revenue" must be one of the conse.
quences OF the abolition OF the Internal.
revenue system? How else Is the Gov
eminent to get revenues There is no
other way TO get II. And it must get fifty
millions mere from the nacessit,t,d ..,ou;c