Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-30
A Brilliant History OF Tariff Aal-
tation and Tariff Measures
Which Shows Distinctly
That the Democratic Party Has
Always Been ia Favor Of
Protection
To American Industries by a Rev.
enue Equally and Justly
Administered.


protection as q means of beneftting special
moneyed interests, without regard to the
amount of revenue required for govern
ment expenses; the other Of protection in.
Cidental to and regulated By the necessities
OF the government.
George Washington, upon whose princi.
pies Democracy is founded, signed the first
tariff bill Ito protect manufactures" and said
in his message: THE safety and interests
Of the people require that they should pro.
mote such manufacturers as tend to render
them independent of others for essential,
particularly for military supplies"
Thomas Jefferson, the father OF DEM
ocracy, was q Protectionist. In his report
on the commerce CT the United States in
1898, Immediately before his retirement
from the Cabinet, he Endorsed the princi-
pie of protection. In 1902 in his message
he declared proper protection to American
industry to be one OF the landmarks
by which we are to guide ourselves
IN all our proceedings" Again, in his
last message to Congress in lSOS he con-
graduated the country that the new manu-
ing duties" become permanent.
President Monroe in his inaugural in
1917 said: "0ur manufactures will likewise
require the systematic and fostering care
of our Government"
Andrew Jackson, in his letter to DR..
Coleman in 1924, said that our manufac-
turing interests fought to have extended
to them adequate protection, that our man
ufactureIs and laborers may be placed In
lair competition with those OF Europe
In his message OF December I, 1880,
President Jackson upheld the constitu
,iopal power of the United States to main
;sin and adjust duties on imports, with q
view to the announcement OF domestic
branches of industry"
How Democratic Presidents Upheld
Incidental Protection.
Martin Van Buren, was nominated and
elected President by the Democratic party
.ong after he had established his position
on the question of the tariff. In the Uni
ted States Senate Mr.. Van Buren, had op'
posed excessive protection and favored q
tariff for revenue, with incidental anu
equally distributed protection to home In;
dustry. He voted for the tariff OF 1874 ana
the much higher tariff OF 1873.
John Tyler, whom the Wings desired to
urn over TO the Democracy, in his message
IN 1871 said:
In imposing duties for the purpose OF
revenue 8 right TO discriminate as TO the
articles en- which the duties shall be laid,
as well ss the amount, necessarily and
nronerIy exists. > So long as the
dulles shall be laid with distinct reference
10 the wants OF the Treasury no we'll.
founded objection can be raised against
them.
Preaident Polk, in his inaugural address
delivered on March 4, lS45, said:
have heretofore declared to my fellow
citizens that in my judgment it is the duty
of The Government to extend, as far as 1t
may be practicable to do so. by its revenue
laws and all other means within its power,
| fair and Just protection to all the
great interests OF the whole Un'
ion, embracing agricultural, manufacture
the mechanic arts, commerce ana naVlga-
ton. have also declared my opinion 10
be in favor of tariff for revenue, and that
in adjusting the details OF such tarlh 1
have sanctioned such moderate dlscrlml-
mating duties as would produce the amount
of revenue needed and at the same time al
ford reasonable incidental protection TO
our home industry, and that was opposed
To a tariff for protection merely and not
for revenue. In executing this
power of levying tariff OF duties for the
support Of government the raising OF rev
enue should be the object and protection
the incident To reverse this principle and
make protection the object and revenue the
incident would be TO intict manifest in
iustice upon all other than the protected
interests In exercising SOUND
discretion in levying discriminating duties
within the limit prescribed, care should De
taken that IL be done in a manner not u
bene fit the wealthy few at the expense oil
| the toilipg millions by taxing forrest the
| Injuries II life, or articles al superior
QUALITY and high price which can only oe
| consumed ~ the weslthy, asa h'9heH the
necessaries of life, or articles oi coarse qual,
| ity end low price which the poor snd grea'
msss OF our people must consume Inc
| hurdens Of government should. as lar a.
| practicable, he distributed justly and
oually among all our classes OF popuia
or. r..
| what Protection 90 American indus
try means.
In his first message 10 Congress, Presi'
dent Polk, in inviting attention to the
imnortsnce of tariff legislation, said
The terms protection to American in
dustry" are OF popular import, but they
should apply under Just system to all the
| yerious branches of industry in our coun
| try. The farmer or plsnter who toils
| yearly in his fields is engaged In "dones
| Tc industry and is as much emitted to
| have bis labor protected as the manu-
facturer, the man OF commerce
| the navigator or the mechanic, "no
| are engaged also in "domeshc III, 40
| dnstryn in their different pursuits. The
| inint labor of all these glasses constitute
| The sggrepste of the domestic industry
| ri Inc nation, and they are equally entitled
| m the nations protection" NO one o.
| IN. m can Justly claim 10 be the exclusive
rec;pients of protection which can Only
he sfIorded bg increasing burdens on the
"domestic industry" Of the Others.
The advantage under any system Oh In
| direct taxation, even within tue 5eFenu'
standard, must be in favor Of the manuisc
turing interest. and OF this no other inter
est will complain.
President Pierce entertained views o.
the tariff similar to those OF ffesIoen
Polk. He maintained the risnt saa W
uolicy OF protecting American indusu!
1L;iS rsising revenues for the necessar!
sTnsnsts of government But the azlta
ION oT the question OF slavery in the Ter
rito,ies ard the lKausss troubles owe
| .hsdoyed ali other issues during his al
n;nistratiop, We are not left IN doub
bnvsysr as TO what iIs course would haV'
been in rels ton to incidental p.otectton
Mr. Gutbrie, President Pierce's able Bee
Tetsry of the Treasury. in two reports tool
mn the auction OF the large surplus rev
snue aid recommended readlustmsn IN
bssed on protection, although increasin
The free list by the addition OF arhele
which would the most aid our own indu'
friss. ..
IA PepnsyIyanta Protectionist 10
President.
In 1856, the Democrats elected jams
| Puctansn President, not only ffots'
,iouist. but o Penpsylvania PrOtschonis
| As far back ss 1923. he had taken prem
u.nt part in the debate on The sltsrsuon
N The tariff then proposed. In the cours
| ~ . speech, in reply 20 Peieg sprague'
nsine. Mr.. DucbansD tsid
The American system CONSISTS In suor.
jrg EQUAL and Just legislative protection
ali The erea, interests Of The country. :
Is no recpec:er Of persons. II does not oi
| tineuisb between the farmer who pionst
the soil in Penusylvania and the mar'uia
turer on wool in New England. Being 10
! IartjaI. It embraces ell
The Ltelsiature of Penpsylvsnis hs'
eiyeu ms what, IN my opirion, Is the cn
, rect version of the American system rh'
rave drel,rei ihst ihs hest ipterts,s Oh q