Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-03
Fair PLAY

We recently alluded to the fact that the
tariff proposed by the House Committee
Of WAYS and Means, while, on the whole,
more Objectionable than the Morrill, tarln,
for the revision Of which the people re
Gently declared in no uncertain tones Is
not only prOhibitory enough to satisfy the
high protectionists. but Is furtheriioie
sectional. The New Orleans Picdga"e
recently showed up its peculiar
determinations in the way oil
nroraetion against the southern sugar
and rice interests. Large reductions are
contemplated upon these products for the
benefit Of consumers, but proporuonate
increases are made upon Northern fab
rics. and on the whole the bill, while pur-
porting TO tighten public burdens, mainly
does % at the expense Of southern indus
tries. while adding TO the burdens by eX-
tending further protection 10 divers
Northern manufacturers.
The New York Commercial Bulletin. an
able and honest journal. commenting on
our New Orleans contemporaries views,
remarks:
..StiH. the PicdyiHs should bear IN mind
that even under the present revision the
louisiana sugar planters are 10 have
sufficient protection 10 place every con-
sumner in the country under an assess
menr for their benefit. The essence Of
protection i greed. and. like the horse
leech's daughter, il Is eternally crying,
give. give, The day Is coming when 1t
will be a thing Of the past. and then the
7eaIousieS and heart-bUrnings and sec
ti0nal feeling Of which it Is, as it always
has been productive. will no longer disturb
our peace. In a country like this there
should be no clashing interests. and no
legislation of a character which is cal
culated b promote the welfare Of one
class OF citizens To the prejudice Of those
If another class"
We cordially indorse in the abstract
the conclusions of the Bulletin, and
We trust that the time Will come,
speedily. when there Will be a fair field
for al industries. and no favor for any.
But il Is only fair TO ask that. since
the Judgment Of Congress appears
10 be in favor of large
measure Of protection, and the demands
of the people and the arguments Of the
advocates Of fair play cannot swerye the
majority in that body from its purpose. it
i only fair. we maintain. that peculiarly
southern interests be awarded an amount
of protection eqnal TO that afforded 10
those peculiarly Northern or common to
both sections.
II no stronger argument than that Of
--hOn0r among thieves We're advanced, il
"a I .1a aIa-~ra rot
protection Is. at best. legalized spoliatiOn
Of the many for the benefit of the few. The
majority in the Forty-seventh Congress
has shamelessly disregarded the best in
terests Of the masses, and is now
seeking TO deceive the people by
pretending 10 Tighten their burdens
and attempting to charge the response
bility for delay upon its opponents, whose
criticism its pretensiOns provoke. As we
have said before. give us horizontal reduc.
ton of at least fifteen per cent. on the
whole tariff, end follow it up in the next
Congress with another reasonable reduc.
ton. That would be as near revenue
tariff as we are likely to arrive in the
present generation.
If this is not done, and the protective
system i to be maintained, then let the
tariff afford an equitable measure of pro
lection 10 all industries. In constructing
such tariff Mr.. Kelley and his confreres
should throw away their Biographies and
FeIy solely on their instincts of fair play
Fair play for the whole country. or fail
play for the South. \ tariff for revenue
or equitable protection for all industries.