Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-05-31
TIE TARIFF.

One hundred and twenty ocean
going steamers are now laid up on
the Tyne and the Wear rivers and
at Leith in consequence of the de-
pressed state of the shipping trade
in England.-T-D.
That the question of free trade is
complicated, and difficult to under
stand is shown by the differ
ent views entertained by it,
friends and its opponents. Men
| of marked and unquestioned abil-
ity have taken either side OF the
question, and advocated their po-
sition so earnestly and so persua-
svely that one who has no positive
views on the subject is as hopclcssiy
mixed as ever and more incapable
of understanding the subject than
before.
There never was yet a country
prosperous for any length of time,
whose sole dependence was its ag-
ricultural industries. Sooner or
later disastrous failure of the crops
occurred and if the unfortunate peo-
pie escaped famine it was because
they had outside assistance or they
had other resources than agricul-
tural ones.
There is in most, if not all agri-
cultural communities q natural III
clination for free trade. 1t sounds
so nice to say, that if it were not
for the tariff, a hat, for instance,
now costing three dollars, could be
bought for two, or a suit of clothes
costing twenty dollars, could be
bought for twelve, but whore that
two dollars for the hat or twelve
dollars for the suit is to come from
is further on. Don't stop until you
get to the stopping place. Agricul-
ture, is dependent on other indus
tries. No industry is independent
of others, for there must be an in
ter-change of commodities, to pre-
serve healthy market. If the
cotton or wool manufacturer cannot
sell his products he cannot buy
yours, and a good home market is
better than a foreign one.
France protects her home indus
tries. She is not a free trader. ant
. there is no more prosperous coun'
try on the globe than France except
our own. Remove the necessity o
an immense standing army ant
France would have money in album
dance over and above her needs
Saddle England with the military
expenses of France, and she would
raise wall that could be heart
around the world. France protects
herself, she supports an immense
army, she subsidies her steamship
lines, she spends millions on in
tcrnal improvements. When it il
once decided to be necessary t.
deepen a river or improve an har-
Dor, it is done. The expense is ;
secondary matter. The result is
France is prosperous, her people
are happy, (they don't emigratc
which they would do if they were
not happy and when she wants t.
raise money for any purpose she
raises it at home among her owl
people.
Now in our great United States
We have a surplus revenue of ovel
$40, 5000 and this is~the pie;
offered for a reduction of the tariff
That surplus could be very easily
used for the public good. Th'
country needs a navy, there are
public buildings needed in man
places. The Mississippi Rive,
needs money spent on it. There
need be no trouble in getting rid o
it. Give it back to the people il
, the shape of making internal i'm
: provements spend it freely. 1t i
! a good plan, to let well enough
alone. The country is prosperou
the taxes are not grinding anyone
, the Wall street game of tenpins di,
not even stagger the country. VIII,
NEEDLE with such state of affairs
Take off internal taxation, if SOM
e taxes have to be removed, but lie
the tariff alone except D adjus
{ some items. There are man,
E things that doubtless are improper
ly taxed, and they should be ad
ljusted, but the wholesale bushes
: applied TO the tariff reform won
| do.