Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-04
o.. con+emDorary Answered.

OuP Contemporary Answered..
Our esteemed contemporary, the At
lanta Constitution, labOriously avoids an
swering a few pertinent questions rela-
tive to its sstill hunt" policy which we
asked. 1t takes occasion, however, to IN
ouire what we think about reforming the
tariff so far as rice is concerned. ms Is
lust what our Mobile, Macon ana Other
CONTEMPORARIES have asked, and as theY
are all strong protection journals we take
il that by asking this question our
Atlanta contemporary has abandoned us
tariff reform notions, which 1t took pleas
IRE in celebrating some months ago, ana
has Joined the ranks of the protectlOnlsts.
Wa ara clad to find out exactly where our
cortamnorarv stands. The articles which
demand the immediate attention of the
tariff reforners are those which take about
five times as much out of the pockets OF the
neople as they contribute to the revenues
Of the government. About five times as
much rice is imported as is produced III
this country, and, therefore, 1t takes only
about One-fifth as much out OF the pockets
of the people in aid of tie rice industry as
il NAYS into the national Treasury. Rlce
and sugar are largely revenue articles,
while iron and steel and a good many
other articles that could be mentioned are
monopoly articles. We are not asking
any favors for rice. We only want II
treated fairly and according to its mer-
its. The policy Of the Democratic
majority with regard to rice Will be salts
factory to US. We advocate what we be-
Iieve. and do not think the Democratic
party can succeed by pursuing decep-
tive policy.
1t is true our contemporary says II IS ID
favor of equalizing taxation as nearly as
possible: of compelling some of the pro-
\ tected interests. which have grown rich
/ and powerful under our present system,
/ to share the oppressive burdens OF taxa
1 ton with the great mass of the people,
! and Of making the necessities of the gov
eminent the measure of taxation; but 1t
expressly announces that it wants no at
tempt made to do any of these things.
WHY? Because, it says, that such an at
| tempt Will alarm the business interests OF
| New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
The Democratic party, according TO our
! contemporary. must abandon its princi-
nles for the time being for fear Of alarm
inc the business interests Of the States
named. Our contemporary would have the
Democrats saw to the country: We be-
Iieve in reforming the tariff and reducing
the revenue to the necessities of the gov
eminent. but we are so afraid OF incur
ring the hostility Of certain business in
terests that we do not intend to urge our
tariff policy until we get control OF the
government. These tariff mOnOpolists
will not see our little game, and will not
therefore exert themselves to prevent us
from getting into a position that will en-
able us to put our tariff principles into
practice.
This is apparently a very taking pro-
gramme, but we are sure that nobody will
try to rob our contemporary of the credit
of originating it. The only trouble with
it is that it isn't honest and would
neither deceive anybody nor secure
the support of any interest thai
is hostile to tariff reform. Il
would, however, lose the Democratic par
ty the support of those who are sincere il
their desire for reform in the tariff. The
Democratic party cannot abandon Its
tariff reform policy for a while and take
it up later on. 1t declared for that policy
when it elected Carlisle Speaker, and il
must advocate and urge it at all times
and under all circumstances. 1t is not
its business to inquire what
Republican Senate or a Republican
administration will do. 1t must pursue
this aggressive course or adopt Randall;
position, which is to let the tariff alone
and abolish the internal revenue taxes.
As our contemporary, notwithstanding
its assertion that it wants the oppressive
, burdens Of the present tariff system re
moved, is opposed to tariff agitation, We
) hope we do not do it injustice in assum
> ing, as we did above, that it finds the posi-
, ton of Mr.. Randall and the prOtectionist
more satisfactory to it than that OF thu
. / tariff refOrmers.