Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-02-09
4 SENSIBLE VIEW or THE TARIFF.

We publish elsewhere an inter-
view with the Hon. Casey Young,
Congressman from the Tenth Ten
nessee District, which presents a
very moderate, sensible and Demo
cratic view of the tariff question.
Col. Young has sometimes been
accused of tendency to ''straddle"
and we must confess that we sus-
pected him of disposition to equiv
ocate on this all absorbing issue. 1t
is all the more gratifying, therefore,
to find him taking SO pronounced
position and one in which the
CHRONICLE can so heartily concur.
There is no mistaking the meaning
of his utterances. Being asked the
question, "Then you stand for pro-
lection ?'' he replied in language
both pointed and positive: "Most
certainly. So does my districts, and
so does the South. l don't mean to
say by this that there is satisfaction
everywhere with the schedule as il
stands. but as between protection
to American industries and free
trade or approximate free trade doc
trInes of certain radical democrats
in Congress, the South is unques-
tionably for protection" That is
the tariff position that the CHRONI
Gle has all along adhered to; it il
the position expressed in the Ohio
platform and it is the only position
that will insure the party success in
the coming presidential contest. The
writer of this article has frequently
had occasion to "hurrah for Casey
Young" and the above remarks
make him feel like shouting again
that old campaign cry, so familiar
In the Memphis district.
Such tariff position as that indi-
Gated by Col. Young should recon-
mend itself to the Democracy, not
only on account of its soundness of
doctrine and perfect good sense, but
for reasons of expediency. Ohio,
New Jersey and Virginia were re-
Gently carried by the Democrats on
platforms that embodied the same
idea and it requires no great politi-
cal sagacity to know that the two
former will be lost to the party if
equally moderate opinions are not
expressed in the next national plat
form. Those pyrotechnic Demo
Gratis of the Watterson school are
dangerous element. Viewed solely
from the standpoint of party policy,
a vigorous pushing of free trade
ideas should not be attempted. If
the last campaign taught any lesson
from which the Democrats can prot
1T, it was this fact. If further in
structIon was needed on the same |
point it was furnished by the result |
in Ohio. The election of Carlisle to |
the Speakership did not commit
the Democracy to a free trade cam
paign, and it is to be hoped that |
Morrison's committee will not be
allowed to do SO. The Democracy
must go into the coming battle for |
the Presidency advocating tariff |
reform but not practical abolition
of custom house duties. The party |
must fight against monopoly and all
legislation that fosters it, but that
does not call for an indiscriminate
crusade against the manufacturing
industries of the country. A decla-
ration should be made for a "tariff
for revenue" but those words should
not be followed by the mischievous
advert "only )" the phrase should
be qualified by the additional dec
that the tariff should be so
adjusted as to afford protection
when needed. Such platform is
the only sensible one the party can
adopt and it affords the only hope
Of capturing the White House.