Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-02-17
THE TARIFF QUESTION.


CHRONICLE of some issue previous.
attempts to place the CHRONICLE
on what it terms a High Tariff
Perch" and says we endorse the
Nashville Americans position.
This is not true. The paragraph
upon which it bases this unfOunded
and unwarranted assertion and is
so quick to pounce upon and rush
wildly off into three-quarters of a
column editorial of meaningless
generalities and demagogic protes-
tations of absorbing love for ''its
own struggling people, - was dashed
off in the hurrysof the moment, with
no time or space to exemplify its
meaning or state at length our po-
sition on this chaotic tariff question.
Here is the paragraph:
We are very much inclined to
believe with the Nashville Ameri-
can that "tariff for revenue only
or a high protective tariff, will
mands of the country. The Amer
ican adds, "the plain truth is that
the South wants relief from a most
onerOus system of taxation which
does not discriminate fairly between
her agricultural and manufacturing
interests, and between both and the
same interests in the East"
How any intelligent man, who
has the capacity to interpret the
meaning OF the English language
can construe the above paragraph
to be declaration in favor of High
Tariff or the endorsement of any
paper that pursues such a policy,
we are utterly unable to understand.
1t was because we thought we saw
a backing down in the American
from its nigh protective platform in
the above paragraph, that caused
US to give it the very endorsement
of which our contemporary COM
plains.
The Tariff question as yet is in a
state of chaotic confusion. Few
men, even those who have given
the subject the deepest thought and
attention, understand it, and all
discussion of it must necessarily be
in a large degree theoretical. In
this disorganized condition of affairs
the people are apprehensive lest the
legislation on the subject be carried
to extremes, and for this reason we
believe a compromise upon some
middle ground is at present the best
policy to be pursued.
The most important subject which
engages the present session OF Con-
gress is the general reduction of tax
alton. 1t is a reform which the press
and people everywhere are earnest
Iy demanding. There can be no
doubt but that "the South especially
wants relief from an Onerous sys-
tenn of taxation which does not dis
criminate fairly between her agri-
cultural and manufacturing interests
and the same interests in the
North" This is the evil which
works so disastrously against us and
relief from which the South is so
urgently demanding. The cry is
that the internal revenue system
should be reformed so that there
should be no tax on any article of
domestic production, except posi-
bly, spirits, and that the tariff should
be reformed so that the revenue ii
yields will equal the amount re-
quired for an honest and ecOnOmi-
cal administration Of the govern
ment. The difficulty is in legislating
so as to accomplish this purpose,
without going too fast or too far.
There is no doubt but the best con-
sentative opinion of the whole
country demands substantial re-
duction of tariff duties, but is there
not danger that the abolition of du-
ties to the extreme to which some
of the free traders demand, might
so cripple the revenue of the cOun-
try from this source that it would
be necessary to increase the internal
revenue of the country in order to
meet the deficit? 1t is clear the
Government cannot exist without
an enormous revenue from some
source or other.
Again is it clear that the incident |
al protection which it is claimed, is |
afforded by "ta'if for rerenue on
IT," to the infant industries of the |
South, to American manufactures |
and TO American labor,
is sufficient to foster and encourage |
the former, which are yet few and
weak, and afford protection to the
latter against the cheap pauper labor
of Europe.
Says our contemporary.
A tariff for revenue is in every sense
incidental protection. II American
industry cOnnot complete with for
eigh manufactures with such pro-
lection, then the burden of taxation
ON our people will be lightened, and
the revenue increased from foreign
trade to pay off our public debt and
meet the expenses OF the govern
ment.
What, do you propose to rush
into this indiscriminate
uncer tain, unintelligent
tariff for revenue alone" merely
IS an experiment, not knowing how
t will effect American industry,
Dut blind!y hoping it will
benefit the country? Will you let
he heavy burden of taxation now
acknowledged to be upon our peo-
pie by the present Onerous system
If taxation upon articles of dOmes-
lie production remain, while you
invite almost absolute free foreign
rade. Would you try it as an ex-
pertinent and then if you find it
would not work, as it would not,
yOu will then go to work to Tighten
he burden Of taxation on your own
4