Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-27
\ scheme tbat Fxnoses Itself.

n CdttClAC tAteat 1AtfocS- 1850
That the people of the West are waking
up to the iniquities of the rascally tarin
system under which they have been
robbed so long, there are steadily multi
plying evidences. The astonishing po-
litical changes wrought in Mlchl-
gan. Iowa and other Western
States were largely brought about oy the
modification of public sentiment upon the
question Of taxation. senators van
Wvek. of Nebraska. and ingalls, and
Plumb. of Kansas, have given proof that
the leayen Of revenue reform is working
within them. and the last named Senator
nut the question in an exceedingly practl-
cal way i'm the Senate the other day. In
the course of the debate on the Senate
Finance Committees tariff bill Mr.. Plumb
said:
Il do not ask that any duty shall be in
creased. No one raising anything Wlthlh
the State of Kansas. and no manufactures
in that State. asks for an increase of duty
on ANYTHING. We do ask that rIng-li
NAV use that expression without O1ense
"A collection and combination of interests
located upon the eastern frontier OF TINS
country. near to the seat and source OF
power. easily accessible TO tarln comIhls-
siOns and able to get their ears, shall not
have their own way about everything OF
this kind. entirely irrespective OF the sec
tons Of this country remote from the
seat and sources Of power. Mr.. Presl-
dent. some Of us have got TO be con-
suited before this bill finally passes, and
some of us will be consulted after the Dill
has passed in regard to the reasons Tor the
action or nOn-actiOn taken. i say now TO
the persons who have the run OF this
thing. to those who have had control and
are better posted. and have been able by
arts and by various processes 10 DO those
things which were not thoroughly under
stood beg of them TO consider that the
people are watching this proceeding, ana
that they want no higher taxes, but lower
taxes. and that in giving the protection
for American industry they want to give
a decent chance to a class of people who,
| by reason of their calling, cannot be pro-
tected at all. but who have got to take the
| chances in the markets of the world Tor
| their products, hard products to raise, eN-
| pensiYe products to get to market, and
in the production of which there IS the
| smallest margin of profit.
Il was talking with farmer from
| Massachusetts to-day about this thing.
| He said he had as good farm as there
was in the Old Bay State, and yet he SAID
| that he could barely make both ends meet.
and he complained To me that one Of the
reasons why he could not do so was be-
cause everything else that surrounded
him was so much protected that it simply
| took the difference between profit and loss
| in his calling, and left him very slim
| chance indeed from year to year.
Here is the cause of the farmer and the
| consumer generally stated as they would
state it themselves, and by plain, blunt,
practical man, and Republican at that.
II Mr.. Plumb, with the State of Kansas at
his back. can voice such sentiments, why
should Democrats falter in their duty,
and. when they venture to attempt it,
] alphabetically inform the ''barons" that
they are sorry that they have to yield to
popular clamOr at home.
There is no middle ground. The wants
| of the government are so large that any
| tariff laid for revenue will necessarily fur
nish protection to manufacturers. The
| people want lower taxes. A thorough
protective tariff is a prOhibitOry tariff,
\ and as prOtectiOnists do not claim that
| they are entitled to such tariff, they, in
/ large measure. cOncede the cause Of
their opponents. But by reason of
| the demands of the government,
| the duties laid to meet those de-
mands will furnish abundant protection.
| The proteetionists are aiming to diminish
the surplus in the Treasury by imposing
/ duties which will diminish the receipts Of
the government, but prOpOrtiOnately in
| crease the sales and profits of American
| manufacturers in the home market. In
| other words, they wish the people to pay
less TO the government but more to the
.'barons." The scheme is so flimsy that it
1 pyD6SpS itself