The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-01-23
PROTECTIOE,
TARIFF FOR REVENUE, FREE
TRADE.

To the Editor OF The Morrlstown Gazette:
In two articles you have recently pub
lished Of my writing, have endeavor-
ed to show that free trade 10 a heresy
in politics that would be ruinous ia its
effects on our people.
have tried to show also that pro-
tectiYe tariff for projections sake is in
tie main Ineffective. In support Of this
view l might quote what q well-inform-
ed Scotchman in writing about the
South, very recently said. He said,
steel rdils can BE- made more ehedpEy IN
Birmingham, alabama, than iR Birming-
ham, England" This is true and IL is
true all along the line OF the great man
ufacturing interests. The arguments
by which the doctrine Of protection,
was once successfully maintained be-
fore the American people Sound TWEEN
ty years ago. are now mere clap-traps.
They belong to the past. Protection on
iron, steel, and hundred other articles
| might mention, in the way they are
now fairfield neither raise revenue, or
protect manufacturing interests.
But rs to some articles the case is
quite different.
Take the article of sugar. Ostensibly
to protect the sugar industry in three
or four parishes in Louisiana the Ameri-
can people pay an annual tariff of about
forty-six millions of dollars on sugar.
The farmers and mechanics all over the
land pay an average of ten cents
pound for sugar, when but for this lit
tie Louisiana interest they would buy
il for six or seven cents.
IL this tariff would develop a great
sugar growing interest, so that in
future we would raise all our own
sugar, and be independent of the out
side world through the increased pro-
auctions in Louisiana, then the doc
trine might be sound. But this can
never be. Louisiana produces as much
sugar now, as she ever will. 1t were
therefore far better for the American
people as q whole, to buy her sugar
plantations, and turn them over TO the
slligators than to continue to pay this
vast sum each year for their protection.
One other item. The tariff on stone
coal is, / believe, one dollar and fifty
cents per ton. have-been told that the
United States government has never
collected a dollar on coal. This item
in the Tariff schedule is purely pro-
teetive item.
Remove il aad coal from the British
provinces of North America will be
supplied to every seaport along the At
lantic, at about q dollar per ton less
than they now pay for Pennsylvsnia
coal and other coal. Keep it as it il,
and the coal kings Of Pennsylvania get
q dollar and fifty cents more for their
csal than they would otherwise get.
This dollar and fifty cents ton for coal
enters into the price of every article
manufactured along the Atlantic sea-
board, and is paid back over the coun-
ters of our retail merchants here In
Tennessee and all over the country.
Out of this the VsBderbilts, CARROTS,
Goulds and Huntingdons have largely
amassed their great wealth. We have
paid 1t 10 them, few cents at time in
the enhanced price Of the goods we
have bought, and have not known it.
The tariff on coal Is an unmltigated
outrage yielding to the Government net
a dollar-yielding to the coal and rail-
road Kings millions every year.
So, Mr.. Editor, call me cranky il you
will. But this country needs, and toiR
haUe when the matter comes to be un.
derstood, a sweeping revision of the
tariff laws. They need and will have,
such articles as sugar and coal-articles
Of prime necessity To all classes placed
on the free list. But on the other hand
they will have the silks, satins, laces,
cloths, jewels, wines, brandies-the ar
ticles that the rich alone consume
they will have these to pay at least their
full share 10 want the support OF the
Government. -