The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-07-07
sPEAKERsHIP AND TARIFF.
Representative Carlisle Interviewed by the
"Parsee Merchant.


NEW YORK, July 5.-COngTessman Car
Isle. of kentucky, is In this city, and
the Post publishes an interview with
him on his tariff views In connection
with the Speakership, reported by j. 8.
Moore. the well known free trade writer,
as follows:
Mr.. Carlisle said he would make no
bargains OF pledges to secure votes, but
would take the office, II he took 1t all,
free to adopt such course as might be
considered best under the circumstances
then existing.
Mr.. Carlisle spoke in the kndestIterms
of all his opponents; said they were his
personal friends; that they had as much
right to aspire to the position as he had;
and that whatever might be the result
of the contest he was sure his friendly
relations with them would not be dis
turbed. called Mr.. Carlisle's attention
to the fact that he was being represent
ed In the prOtectiOnists press as an absO-
Lutte free trader, and was charged with
a purpose, If elected, to so organize the
Committee on Ways and Means to ViT-
tually abolish all duties on imported
goods. In response, he said tqat what
ever might be his opinions upon the alb
stract question Of free trade, he thought
that his opponents ought to give him
credit for having at least sense enough
to know that such thing is not only
impracticable, but impossible, under the
circumstances now existing. He said
that If they simply meant to charge
that he was in favor of such q reform in
the tariff as would equalize and reduce
the present high rates of duty without
injuriOusly affecting any Of the indus
cheerfully admit the truth Of the accu-
satiOn. He believed that such reform
would be highly beneficial. not only to
the great body Of consumers, but to the
manufacturers themselves. The manu-
facturer Is really as much Interested as
the consumer In having access to the
markets of the world, and the time, he
thought, was not far distant when this
fact would be realized even by those
who are now most violent In their de-
nunciatiOns of revenue TefOrmers. He
said that he was now and always had
been opposed to the imposition of duties
for the sole purpose of fostering certain
industries and localities at the expense
Of others, Bnd he thought that this vice
in our present system ought to be re-
pudiated at the earliest possible mo-
ment. But thorough reform in the
whole system could not, in the nature
of things, be accomplished at once, even
IL 1t were desirable to do so. 1t must be
teen years-frOm l842 to 1S60--tO reach
the position she now occupies on this
subject, and she now occupies on this
subject, and she has not yet established
free trade in the true economical sense
of the term.
mo one knows better than YOURSELF"
continued Mr.. Carlisle, "that practical
tariff reform means a gradual reduc-
tiOn or abolition OF duties without vi
Olent disturbance Of the financial inter
ests of the Government or the industri-
al interests OF the people. To what eX-
tent and upon what articles the reduc-
tiOn shall be made at any given time
are questions of detail which cannot be
determined without n full cOnsidera-
tiOn of the entire subject in all its bear
ings, but think every intelligent and
just man will agree that 1t Ia monstrOus
to maintain duties of a hundred per
| cent. and over upon articles of prime
necessity merely for the purpose Of en-
| abling certain. individuals or classes to
carry on an Improbable industry at the
| expense Of the community at large. No
greater misfortune could befall the
Democratic party. and the country than
| to have Democratic House organized
for the express purpose OF nphOlding
and perpetuating those Republican
abuses of the taxing power. While no
full relief could nationally be expected
from the Republican party as 1t is now
| constituted, there are, L am sure, ele-
ments In the Democratic party suffi-
ciently strong to compel its representa-
tiYes to adopt some measure of reform,
| be it ever so small.
"It would be as useless as 1t would be