Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-05

THE BALANCE OF PATTY COSVICs
TION.
Whatever the miserable abortion of a
tariff bill the last Congress passed did, there
was one thing it did not dot did not settle
the agitation for tariff reform. With tax
of l2O per cent. on windoW-glsss and the
e1travsgaut rate levied upon blankets, and
other similar menstrosities, it is generally
conceded that the last session tariff bill
went do" The consequence is that the
true tariff reform has yet 10 come. A re-
form that, while recognizing the condition
| OF things the war tariff has created, and
careful to avoid rash changes that would in
| jure rather than benefit, will give TO the
country tariff bill upon some approach to-
ward rational principles, toward fairness
| and toward the needs of the country,
not HE greed Of -the moAopnlislA-
| That this genuine reform must come
and replace the sham and moekery
with which the last Congress insulted the
| country is becoming evident to the protec-
tioDists, unwilling as they are to believe 1t.
The consequence ia they are firing from all
lDelT DAIleTlSS IN utlcDsS Ol the lIduu
which the country is wronged and mencpo-
lists M manufactured into millionaires. They
are especially AFRAID that the working peo-
pie are beginning to open their eyes upon
the immense delusion to which they have
been subjected. Their system has magnif-
Gently protected" the goods the capitalist
has for sale, kut the labor by the sale OF
which The artisan lives has no protection.
The blanket that enters United States port
must have its price doubled, that is to sus-
tain a high profit for the capitalist; the labor
that comes in at the same port pays moth
ing, it can be brought into competition with
the workingman. At this very time
the mouopolist who pretend to dread
the pauper labor Of Europe for fear it should
ipjure the workingman, sees the British gov
ernment shipping of its surplus laborers
among us by the thousand, and the monopo.
| list mas not word 10 OBJECT. Indeed, he has
no right 10 object, our doors stand opened to
the oppressed everywhere; but if the working.
man can face the competition OF European
labor without protection, having nothing
why cannot the monopolist who has capital
aud the protection that tariff for revenue
only gives him? That the American work.
ingmen are beginning u SEQ how they are
used to draw the monopolis;s nuts out of the
| fire alarms the pro'ectioais-', and their pa
| pers are striving TO throw dust in the eyes Of
the workmen by tn aid of arguments the
nature and construction Of which chow how
little respect they have for his intelligence
and that they think The transparent stupidity
at which the pauper lsborer of Europe would
laugh, is good enough 10 "gag" the Ameri.
can workingman. Spite Of ali they can do
they discover that even among themselves a
vast body are now opposed TO them or the
tariff question. They strive 10 keep up then
courage by putting out that many among
their opponents are with them ON the tariff
question. When, however, they come tC
! eompare the number -smnng themselves Who
are against them on the tariff issue, as mani
tested at the late election, they are in dis
may, and the more so as they see the detection
that has SO thoroughly alarmed them ii
every day spreading wider, as monopoly and
protection become more understood, and con
sequently more hated. The dissideDts in tht
one party, who reject protection, are actuateC
by conviction, often against their own imme
diate interest. Those who are dissiden
in support of monopoly, have usually
monopolistic reasons alone for thei
position. Monopoly or a reformed tarii
are the basis OF the most burning question:
now before the American people. The ten
denoy OF the day is evidently more and NOR
away from the support OF high tariff. l
is but a little while ago that few thought tn
tariff question worth discussion; now tn
friends OF reform have force enough to hsv
had commission appointed and even
sham reform enacted. The sentiment tina
accomplished those things is growing, ant
the ultimate tate of the monopolists ia palps
| HE and clear.