National Republican., 1883-12-31
u,v,,,,, MD for tho Presidency.

master, at whose bidding his steeds were led
out is the editor of the Albany Argus. We
shall see anon that no clowns are needed, for
the performer can himself do all the iesting
between somorsaults, as he ambles around the
ring, Tho name of this performer is Abram
S. Hewitt, statesman, iron monger, protec-
ZIONIST and free trader, He talks of revenue
reform, illustrating his argument by the
vioissitudes Of the iron trade. His announce
mont Of principles are what we will here deal
with, remarking of them, in passing that,
like the observation made by Capt. Jack
Bunsby, their bearings lays in tho applica-
tion" of them. He says;
| The duties on all kinds Of iron should never OK.
ceed the lowest possible point which in time Of
depression will project the domestic market from
| the flood of foreign iron which otherwise might bo
| poured into its lap,
| Mr.. Hewtts protection horse boro his
whole weight while he was delivering him
self of the above. Foreign iron must be kept
out in time of depression by the rate of du-
tics necessary for that purpose The duty
must "never exceed the lowest point" which
will keep out foreign iron. Mr.. Hewitt
omits to state about what amount of revenue
he thinks would be yielded by a rate of duty
which would thus prohibit importation. As
to what he means by time of depression he
explains thus:
| Tue proximate cau'e of the present depression
ofhe iron industry is to be found in the fact that
the capacity for producing iron is in excess Of Its
| actual consumption, not only in this country, but
in those foreign countries which are large pro-
| ducers OF Iron and steel. When the supply eX-
ceeds the demand prices fall.
And, therefore, there now being time of
depression, the duty on foreign iron ought to
bo as low as possible and yet be prohibitory.
Again we ask what matters it how high tho
duties go after they are put up high enough
to keep out foreign iron? If there are no
imports there will be no revenue, whether the
duty is high or low. The great man is ready
with an answer. He says
The evil from which we now suffer is there.
FORE largely due the fact that the war tariff i'm
posed higher duties than were needed for proiec.
ton, thus giving excessive profits TO the manu-
facturers in period when tue profits would have
been large enough without such high protective
duties
Was such mere tumble of words, with no
thought, behind them, ever before put forth by
a man of sound mind? How could purely pro-
tective duties be too high, the object being,
as Mr.. Hewitt Declares the exclusion of the
foreign artcle2 Aud how could manu-
factuIers derive Excessive profits" even
by the prohibtory tariff advocated by
Mr.. Hewitt, so long as every home capitalist
was free to enter into competition in the iron
business Mr.. Hewitt knows that an Am eri-
can iron manufacturer can only realize per-
ma lently such profits as are fair, because the
moment he can obtain excessive profits
other capital than his will leave other invest.
ments 10 enter the more profitable field.
We do not need foreign competition to make
the profits on capital approximate equality
That will regulate itself as surely as water
finds its level.
Mr.. Hewitt, like all good two-horse riders
bears his whole weight at times on each. In
the following he stands on the free trade
horse
"It will be mockery II congress should fail t
open the way to free trade" aud wider marke
@ for our products, through any fear of conse
quences to politicians who have not the courage O
their convictions or have no other connection
= than the desire for Office. The mere politician
d follows public opinion "a hit at some other tel
low, the true statesman CHATS HewitO in
ructs IT,
Noble sentiments. Joseph Surface did no
better after being discovered in an equivoca
y position by his friend Sir Peter Teazle. Th
e words just quoted forbid the thought that i
J. the following Mr.. Hewitt was bidding 70
e votes. lie may want to bo president, but h
has the courage of his conviCtions-both sci
10 of them. He is as brave in advocating pre-
l. lection for American labor as he is in oppo'
IL ing it by his demand that the way be opene
b by congress for free trade. The followin
III appearance of giving taify to the workingme
l. is therefore merely Incidental protection
e. against their opposition to him. He says;
+ SO far as any relief can be provided by legisli
is ton for the existing state of affairs the renee
"A must be found in freeing raw material from {
duties and secondly, in imposing rates of duty {
VI manufactured products not more than Sullcle
n. to make good the difference in the amount pa
for labor on the production of any given article
y this country, compared with the same labor
IL other countries With which we compete. d
lv am aware that this last proposition involves Il
protective idea to some extent, but to no great
s' extent than the logical outgrowth Of our past lc
islation.
ny This sounds more like blast from h
IT. trumpet of that grand champion of labc
in William ID. Kelley, than democratic cand
IT, date for the presidency, who follows it I
M with such free-trade slop as this:
,ct If the question were an open one, the dem
cratic party would prefer TO raise the public re
enue by duties imposed upon articles not produc
Ta- in this country, and trust TO national laws for
IN. development OF It's industries.
ne That is to say Mr., Hewitt, statesman, &
.tc &C., speaking for his party, admits that h
nd real true policy would be free trade III all al
or. cies of American production aud a tariff I
he revenue on all things which do not comp,
ly- with American. labor.
eat careful perusal of Mr.. Hewitts al
ch letter will convince any reader that 1t is i
I'LL partially on both sides Of the tariff questiI