Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-07
TAElFF MAKING.

WnlIe the tarlu tDat ID 10 De charged
upon commodities imported into this coun-
try is under discussion there must necessarily
be check 10 activity in trade, for no capt.
talist can buy or manufacture goods freely
while there is possibility that reduction
10 the tax upon foreign goods of the same
description may be made by Congress, by
which those goods would have 10 be sold for
Teas money than was spent to buy or make
them. This stsgnatien is an evil, and ON
that account many persons are urging that
almost any tariff Congress can agree upon
should be readily accepted, however hur.
riedly that agreement may be come TO, and
however imperfect the settlement adopted
may be. Others point out that the
check 10 trade while a change is
under consideration is merely a tenn
porary difficulty, which will disappear
when final and carefully considered settle
ment is arrived at, while defective or mis-
chievous tariff will have a certain degree of
permanence, and the evil it produces will
last for years. These latter, therefore, are
in favor of doing we'll the work now on
hand, giving each portion of the subject due
consideration so that the whole shall be
harmonious, such tax being such as the par
ticulsr article in question requires, and such
As will place it in just proportion with its
kindred parts. As matters stand, there is an
evident leaning in Congress to think more OF
the temporary evil of delay in fixing the
new tariff than OF the permanent injury to
trade that would follow an ill.considered and
mischievous tariff. These latter are sustained
by the whole body of monopolsts, for the in-
terested capitalists know they can secure
greater share of advantage for themselves
out Of a hurriedly constructed tariff than
from one constructed with skill and deliber-
alton, for their care is not concern for the
general comm ercial interests Of the country,
but for their own personal enrichment.
Notwithstanding this sway OF personal inter-
est in opposition to the general welfare, there
are experienced members Of Congress who
believe that it is physical impossibility to
prepare tariff law this session, unless, in
despair of doing better, the bill proposed by
the Tariff Commission, with all its imper-
fections and unjust increase Of rates in many
important cases, should be accepted and
passed as whole. To. Judge by the way
the House is doing ills work, any tariff
adopted under the crude, immature way
with which it is treating the sub
ject will be a tangle and failure.
Many proteclionist members think the tariff
as it now stands is good enough, and desire
az little change as possible. These would
not be sorry TO see the session end without
new tariff system being agreed upon, hoping
10 give the monopolist several more years in
which 10 build up fortunes out Of the tribute
wrung from their iellow-citizsns. Almost
every proposition inthe proposed law excites
sharp debate, for there are members who de-
sire a Just and fair tariff, and there are
others who want the particular interest with
which they are concerned 10 get the highest
possible taxation, and all the monopolisis
aim to get as much as possible, and
to prevent any lowering of rates that
may decrease their power of fleeing
the consumer for their own benefit.
So goes on contention OF public spirit and
private interests, each interest eagerly rapa-
cious and grasping to get as much as can be
secured. Speeches are made, but not for the
interest of the capitalists that are crowding
Washington and vociferously urging their
claims. The speakers are all contending for
the welfare of the American workingm an,
for the protection of his labor, and that his
wages may be maintained. Yet nobody pro-
poses 10 protect the labor he has to sell, but
to raise the price of what the capitalist has
to sell and the workman 10 buy. Nobody
proposes plan to give labor a correspond
ing share when protection makes large
profits, or TO secure him employment when
protection, while enforcing high prices,
chokes of the buyers Of the high-priced ar.
ticles, and so brings "hard times" While the
House is engaged in constructing one tariff
law, the Senate is even more industrious in
passing another. With one bill passed by
each house the matter will become more
complicated, and a conference will be neces-
sary to reduce the two bills TO one. In the
meantime the day is fast approaching which
will see the present session at an end, and
there is other legislation beside the tariff
that must be attend to, whether new tariff
is enacted or not