New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-11
uEDDLJNG NOT TAINTED.

MEDDLING NOT VAN IEO.
Those who have supposed that public opinion
might sustain another siege of tariff revision
this year. and by Democratic House, may
we'll examine the resolutions adopted by the
Arkwright Club at Boston, and those OF the ex-
ecutiye committee of the National Association
of Wool Manufacturers. These deliberate ex-
nressions deserve especial notice because the
Arlxw1ight Club represents allth principal man
ufacturers of textiles and textile machinery In
this part of the country, and because the WOOL
Association acted unanimously, only about a
month ago. The association resolved that al
ter full inquiry Congress had made all the re-
duction in duties on gOolens that was consist
ent with the security of these manufactures ;
that the manufacture has been subjected dur
ing the past two years to unusually heavy bur
dens, which are az much as it can now bear ;
that further reduction of duties would be ruin
Gus to that industry, and would IN
crease imports and augment surplus revenue
already too great; that the wool manufacturers
whatever their objections originally to some
details of the tariff, are prepared to accept 1t
until practical experience OF two OF three
years at least, has demonstrated how 1t may be
amended; that business has been adjusted 20 Ii,
and is based upon the expectation OF Its con-
tinuance, and chat no change whatever ought to
be made at the present session i'll the duties on
wool and wOOllcns."
The resolutions Of the Arlwright Club for
mally approve of the present tariff us measure
"whereby the customs duties were reduced,
"simplfed and more eqItably distributed"
and affirm that Notwithstanding the said act
"may not be free from imperfectiOns, 1t is sound
Gin principle, being based upon the National
"policy of protection to American industry,
"under which the people of the country have
"enoyed g degree of happiness and prosperity
"unequalled in history" These resolutions also
recommend reduction or abrOgatiOn of the III
ternal revenue system, whenever further re-
ducti0n of revenue becomes desirable.
These resolutions do not come from poll
ticians, nor express the wishes of any class OF
partisans. They are the sober and deliberate
declarations of business men, who have better
practical knowledge of the workings of the
tariff than Mr.. Morrison and all his partisan as
sociates and editorial supporters put together,
who have their own fortunes staKed upon the
correctness of their Judgment and who have
dependent upon the success OF their industry
several hundred thousand men, women and
children. No man who has grain of common
sense will lightly assume that these practical
business men are so foolish as to be Indifferent
to the welfare of millions of labOnng people, or
so blind as to sacrifice their larger and more
permanent interests for the sake of retaining a
little longer any small personal advantage. All
our experience for forty years, we beg the poll
ticians to take notice, teaches that in these
matters the opinions of the men who risk their
capital are shared by the millions who labor.
He knows very little OF public opinion, indeed,
who does not realize that to-day the millions
who labor are incomparably more in earnest
for continuance Of the protective tariff,
and more angry and unspaTing in their hostility
toward any who assail it, than the manufactu-
rers themselves. 1t has been said with some
truth very often, by prominent free traders,
that the manufacturers of New England were
becoming Indifferent to a continuance of pres
ent duties, but that the working-peoplc were
more strongly attached to the system than ever
before We advise any man who has doubts
about the matter to put himself i'll the way of
hearing the free talk of any class of working
people among themselves.
The people of this country are not asking foI
any change at this time. A lot of demagOgGes,
who imagine that the voters may like it, are
clamoring for more removal of duties. But the
people want Congress to let their industries
alone. Any party or set of men that insists
upon adding to the disturbance and the embar-
rassmeut of industry by tinkering the tariff
again this year, Will surely be sorry for it in
November next.