St. Landry democrat., 1884-09-20
TARIFF.
States.

The doctrine of protection carried to
its legitimate conclusion means Nc
trade with foreign country. ALI thai
we consume we should produce. That
course will "protect American indus
tryn until the time arrives when we
produce more than we can use. Or
protective tariff has been bad enough
| to bring about that result already in
some directions. What we want now
is market for our surplus manufac-
lures. The cry everywhere in this
country is overprOduction. Ii nOn-in-
tercourse, the real protective policy
prevailed, that cry would always be
heard. The remedy for our present
evils is reduction of the present tariff
! to governmental requirements, as near
an approach to freedom OF traffic as the
necessities of national revenue allow
Such a policy would enable us to pro-
duce manufactured goods at prices that
would command the markets of the
world, give workingmen constant en-
ployment. and so reduce the cost of the
necessaries of life as to enable those
who support our industries to accumu-
late out of their earnings, instead OF
living from hand to mouth.
No PARTY advocates absolute free trade.
The government must have revenue,
and It is generally conceded that it is
best that it should be collected indi-
rectly and on imported goods, than by
an assessment in the shape of a direct
tax on the property OF the country.
The tariff system is fastened upon the
country. That the system puts the
weight of the exactiOn upon the consul
mers and not upon the wealth of the
country, admits OF no contradiction.
The burden thus falling upon the poO-
pie themselves, and not upon
their accommodations or the degree of
protection afforded to them by the laws
and police powers Of the government, it
is the interest of every member of the
community that the tax should be linn
tied to the absolute needs of the gov
eminent for purely governmental pur-
poses. That is the Democratic doctrine
as enunciated in the present and prece-
ding platforms of the national party
as announced, advocated and defended
by the Democratic leaders.
The raising of an unnecessary am
cunt Of revenue, by any system, mex
cusably increases the burdens of the
tax payer. That is an absolute truism.
The accumulation of money in the ma
tional treasury beyond the imperative
needs of government offers the OppOr-
tunity for extravagance in expenditure,
fraud and corruption. We have been
collecting too much, to the furtherance
of vicious system that under the name
of protection injuriOusly affects the
mass of the people, induces the sug-
gestiOn of wild schemes for it's eXpen-
diture, while the only people benefited
by the exactiOn are those capitalists
= 1snko N%rrt nF
special industries. Gen. Butler is an
tile conduct of his bunting manufac-
ture, which is protected by tariff of
one hundred per cent levied upon his
class of goods when imported from
abroad. OF all the advocates of wild
schemes to get rid Of the constantly in
creasing surplus in the national treasu-
ry no one has been more absurd than
Mr.. Blaine, who has proposed that the
Over-accnmulatiOn should be parceled
out among the several States. He would
keep up the Oppressively exorbitant
tariff, pay the expenses of the cOlIec-
ton of the OveTplus, and then hand it
over to the States, to be again temp
tatiOn to waste and SPECULATION. He
would have the general government
raise taxes for State expenditure, re-
gardlesS of our whole national and
State polity in relation to taxation.
Another proposition advanced by
those who would keep up the present
protective and really grew
Qua tariff system is, that the excise ON
whisky and tobacco should be abolish
ed to reduce the national income. 1t is
evident to any sane man, who will
bestow thought upon the subject, that
it is better to keep up tax on these
two articles than to maintain it upon
the actual necossaries of life. It is bet
ter that spirits and tobacco should have
their cost of production increased, if
thereby the need of levying upon the
cost of those things that are of indis-
pensable daily use be Obviated. AbOl-
ish the fax ON distilled spirits and to-
bacco, and there will be excuse for CON
tinuing otherwise unnecessary duties
upon those things which are really re-
luired in every household.
It is talking against obvious facts to
say that the high tariff improves
tho condition of the laboring
man. We have had near quarter of
century of high tariff, and what is the
of the working man as the
result of the system