The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-03-21
TARIFF REFORM.
The Subject as Viewed by Joseph
Medill of the Chicago Tribune.
A Speech Delivered Before the American
Agricultural Association at the
Annual Meeting In Chicago.
CONTINUED rrOm last weeA)


ance. Every rejecting, unprejudiced
man will agree with them; but, having
made that concession to common sense,
they have wretchedly fallen short in
making additions to the free list. One
Of the most needed of all tariff reforms
is q liberal and extended free list or raw
materials Of manufacture. Every en-
lightened protectionist admits that, and
vet hnd that, with the exception of
spices, wOOd-pulp and hulled barley,
they have added nothing to the present
free list of importation. Such import
ant raw materials as the following: AS
Dhaltum, Portland cement, soda ash and
bleaching powders, that enters into nu-
merous manufactures, kaOltn, clays of
all kinds, coal, salt, lumber, copper and
iron ore, regnlus of copper, max and tow,
jute, seeds OF all kinds, coarse wool for
mixing with American fine woods, and
many other articles In crude state
that should by all means have been pla-
ced on the free list are not there. Not
one Of them has been added TO 1t. These
I call grave and serious defects In the
report.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION.
In this connection l wish to say
word on the unconstitutional character
OF the bill this Tariff Commission has
reported, which Is the basis Of the bill
ming to foist on the country. The basis
Of the existing tariff and the new bill
that is being constructed, proceed on
the lines Of q tariff for protection with
incidental revenue, instead OF tariff
for revenue with incidental protection.
Is tariff constituted on that principle
eOnstitutiOnalp Does 1t not violate both
the letter and the spirit Of the supreme
Law, as we'll as Oppress the people for
the emOlument OF special capitalistsP
Can such protective" taxation be de-
Tended as cOnstitutiOnRlP Henry Clay
and Daniel Webster gave up the attempt
when pushed in the debates in Congress-.
Clay had to retreat to the formula he
invented, Of o tariff for revenue with
incidental protection"
Webster never advocated the cOnsti-
tutiOnality Of the principle OF levying
duties for the purpose OF protecting
special interests at the expense of the
community. When his constituents
among the manufacturers of MRssachu-
setts forced him in 1924 TO defend the
tariff imposed for protection, he took
shelter behind vested rights.
Through protection against my wish
you have built up industries that you
have no right to abandon" That was
All the defense even he could make.
Congress gets its right to tax imports
from the Constitution. That instrument
has not yet been referred to in the de-
bates on the tariff In either House, but
seems to be completely ignored. Its Ian
guAge cannot be construed except as an
out and out prohibition Of such legisla-
tton as the Finance Committee and the
Ways and Committee propose for the
benent OF Penn5ylVaniA and New Eng
land manufacturers. 1t says, Sec. g.:
"The Congress shall have power to
hay and collect taxes, duties, lmpOsts,
and exeises, 70 pay the debts and pro-
vide for the common defense and gem
OFal welfare of the United States; but
all duties, tmpOsts, and excises shall be
uniform throughout the United States
. To regulate commerce. No
tax or duty shall be laid on articles ex-
ported from any state"
Common defense" general well
fare" mo preference" are the keynOtes
Of these constitutional limitations of
the taxing power Of Congress. There
is no shadow Of authority given to levy
taxes to enrich special capitalists at the
expense Of the people.
Congress does not provide for the
common defense by taxes that prevent
ahiDbuilding by prOhibitOry taxes on
chip materials, and tOrbid the creation
of q commercial marine that would be q
nursery of ships of war.
It Is not for general welfare" that
the only febrifuge, quinine, that will
conquer malaria, has been taxed, and
is, II possible, to be taxed again.
tax system i5 not UNIFORM that
gives the paper manufacturer their raw
materials free, but makes all the pub-
fishers and readers in the United States
pay them q high protective bounty.
Nor Is 1t for the general welfare that
GA per ton be levied on the sheet-tin
which Is used to hold the farmers lards,
meats, vegetablesOr 100 per cent. on the
steel wire from which his barbed fem
ces are constructed, or 100 per cent. on
the steel for his wagon tires, or l20 per
cent on glass that lets light into his
dwelling, or 80 per cent. on the Gina and
erockery ware in his pantry. Nor
is It for the general welfare to
permit q few mOnopolists who
have bought up the remnants of the
Western pine forests to levy a bounty
tax OF 81 to $3.50 per 1000 feet on the
lumber used by the farmers Of the tree
less States for building and fencing.
Such taxes are believed In the interests
OF cOrmorant capitalists, In plain viola
Aion Of the Constitution.
ITO regulate commerce" does not
authorize Congress to pass laws to pro-
hibit the importation OF the cheap
blankets or cheap wooden cloth of the
workingman In order that he may be
compelled to pay two prices for Penn
gyiYaniR or New England made article
or of the bait with which he seasons his
food and preserves his pork, or the
matches with which he lights his fire OF
candle.
The tax on tin plate is tax for the
benefit Of certain men In PittSbuTg on
the expectation OF every can of meat, OF
lard, or fruit sent abroad by Chicago.
The spirit and the letter of the Con
stitution require that no tax shall be
levied which does not produce revenue
for Government use. The Legislation
that enaets revenue laws to make do
mestic goods dear to the consumer
and to foster speciol capitalists at thu
public expense is immoral and uncon
Btitutional.
WAGES OF AMERICAN AND ENGLIsI
WORKhRN.
The Tariff Commission In their repOr
state that the average wages paid q
WDnr Nm rFRou m fPoo fPaha En0lQnh arr