Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-08
Blaine's Tariff Figures.

Mr.. Blaine is still harping on the
tariff. That is well enough, for it is
legitimate subject for discussion, and
Mr.. Blaine would like very much to
exalt it into such prominence as to
overshadow the Mulligan letters. He
would like to change the subject,
which is becoming embarrassing TO
him. The tariff is handy, so he takes
it up aud talks in an ofl-hand, familiar
manner of the splendid effects of pro-
lection, and institutes comparisons be-
tween 1860 and 1880 to prove that the
country is weather. now than it was
twenty years ago.
Whether there would be the same
amount of wealth IN the country had
not the protection policy been adopted
in 1860, is not question with Mr..
Blaine. He assumes that there would
not. In recent speech in Ohio he
congratulates the people of that state
upon the possession of SO, 300 900, 900
worth of property, against 81, 1905 0O,-
600 in 1860, and claims that this great
increase is due to tariff which in the
same time has taxed the people of
Ohio perhaps as much as the total in
crease. Why would not like result
or growth have been attained without
this tax? From 1850 to 1860 the pro-
pOrtionate increase was as great as in
the period specified, and there was no
protection tariff in that decade. A
great part of the increase was of
other than the protected inter-
ests, which, so far from
being benefited were positively
injured by high tariff. The period
from 1860 to 1850 was one of extraor-
binary briskness in manufacturing in
terprise all over the world, in free
trade as well as protected countries
New inventions, doubling and treb.
ling the capacity of workmen, were in.
troduced, and it would have been won
derful, indeed, if there had not been 6
great increase of wealth, even in spit,
! Ol hT. blalue'S lallu.
Another thing that the presidential
orator did not tell his hearers, was how
this great addition of 81, 100, 600, 900 il
held. OF the laboring men in Ohio
how many are better Off for it? Tn
starving, maddened miners in tn
Hooking valley of that state ar
not enjoying any of it. 1t !
there, but it is held in bulk
The Standard Oil company own
S25,OO0,000 of it, one-eighty -fourt
of the whole. Other corporations an
individuals own the greater part {
what is left, in sums of from 81 600, OC
to $l00O0,O0O. The.people as Who'll,
and especially the laborers whose vote
Mr.. Blaine appeals for, are no bette
off for this great addition of aggregat
wealth, but they are much worse o
for the high prices which are occasione
by Mr.. Blaine's tariff tax.
Yet we do not blame Mr.. Blaine (,
a talking about the tariff, even If
s does have to chop logic. Almost an,
/: thing is better, in his mind, to discus
& than the Mulligan letter
i Any fair-minded man will a,
$ init as much If he will imagir
n himself in that gentleman
q place. A painful thing it must be t
n have ones hypocrisy and venalit
o exposed just when he is posing as
great reformer and trying to NAL
d the people believe he is what he pr
IS tends. So let him make all he ca
ofthe tariff, but we will not forget h
II record as speaker while disputir
n with him over principle of COVER
e ment