Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-09-06

TARIFF, CURRENCY, FREE TRADE AM
GENERALIZATION, PROTECTION, La
BOB, AND AGRICULTURE.
lam an old man, aud have large eNpe-
rience ofife, and Of public affairs, and feel
that would be wanting in the duty which
such a life, at its close, imposed upon me
did not give some Of that experience o.
old principles with Rs'r aspects upon which
tie younger men are now called to act al
this critical juncture OF conflicting measures
and policies. therefore speak briefly aud
as clearly as can upon the subjects which
stand at the head ofthis article.
''rHE JUDICIOUs TARIFF"
A long time ago, my connections with
political life commenced with the supper;
Of Andrew jackson as the President Of our
country in the sharp controversies, involv
ing the discussion Of questions relating to
currency, the tariff, Capitalization, nulliica
ton, and foreign policies. General Jack,
son, at q very early day, declared himselfin
favor Of a "judicious tariff. What this
meant may be gathered from the facts, thai
then there was great party in the United
States which declared itself in favor Of wha'
was called High Protection policy, upon
the ground that Protection would at an ear
" day produce sneh competition in home
manufactures as TO produce low prices; and
on the further ground, which was frequent
" openly ayoWed, that it was for the gov
eminent 10 take care Of the rich and the
rich would take care Of the poor, that is.
capital was to have the protection Of the
Government, and the poor would have thepT
lection Of the capitalists. On the other hand
were the free traders who were opposed TO
all protection whatever, though, hesitatingly
eonsenting TO tariff on the exclusive idea
Ofrevenue only, and whose ultimate remedy
Tor their supposed evils was notification
And here let Il be observed that these same
party leaders who were willing to resort to
such redress. had but few years before
that time been extremists in favor Of pro
lection, At once it will be seen that the
position Of General Jackson was a eonserva-
tive one. and that his administration stood
as q grea: breakNater between these eX-
tremes The majority Of the people Of the
United States accepted his idea Of judicious
tarif-that Il tariff which will not be the
instrument of unjust accumulation for one
class Of the citizens at the expense Of sll
Others, but which should promote the in.
terests and welfare Of all, nor sacrifice one
section Of the country to the exclusive inter-
ests Of appetizer. This Was the "judieious
tariff. and while there were many eontro-
yersies as TO the details Of the various tariff
laws, as 70 what, in each case was the
. l.ks., 81 - .k.-..l
the various articles included in such laws,
the settled policy Of the country was found
ed on this patriotic intuition Of the great
hero-statesman-until the exigeneies of the
country required the late war tariff The
cessation Of the war, and the superabund-
ance Of the revenue have required that
many sources Of that revenue should be cut
of from the taxation Of the people; and
the great amount Of thar revenue still
remaining, and which even the prodigacy Of
legislation and the corrupt practices Of Off
Gals cannot dispose OF, make il necessary
to look closely, as . matter of principle,
into all questions touching the politics aud
the measures which / have proposed for
consideration.
CURRENCY CONTROLS TARIFFS.
The question Of the tariff cannot be dis
posed Of without reference to the question
OF currency. Simply to illustrate in round
numbers tariff based on q currency of
four hundred millions Of circulation lin
specie and notes, would be entirely too low
for an actual circulation Of eight hundred
mill ons Of such circulation. And so to re-
verEe such condition Of things, tariff on
the basis Of eight hundred millions would
be entirely too high. as it would. also. be too
oppressive upon the mass Of the people
The prices Of every thing. and especially Of
labor. rise and fall with the increase or the
diminutiOn, or the purpOsed imitation and