The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-01-12
Senator Bayard on the Tariff.

A Washington dispatch in the New 70 rk
World Jan. l, Ex-senator Thomas f.
Rayard o-day said that it was the solemn
duty of the Democratic majority in the House
to consider this session the question of revis-
ing the tariff. He pronounced the so-called
tariff bill of last winter a monstrous humbug,
and said there were monstrosties in the eX-
listing tariff law that no conscientious legisla.
tor could look upon without shame. Mr..
Bayard is not believer in the principle of
protection, but he is conservative in his views
as to making changes. He would correct the
apparent evils first and move onward to secure
such reductions as can be safely made from
time to time. He is of the opinion that taxa
ton is public act, which can be properly
exercised only for public ends, and that when
it is made for private purposes for the protec-
ton of individuals it is perverted from its
proper channel, Protection was originally
intended for the weak. That is the very
meaning of the word; but under the system Of
so-caled protection the strong have been
clothed with constantly increasing power for
the oppression of the weak. Those who are
benefited by protection are those who need it
the least.
The present tariff system, involving the
building up and sustaining of mere private in
terests at the expense of the whole people,
had a demoralizing effect upon public men
and upon the consideration of public ques-
TONS Too otter men in Congress were mere
representatives of private interests, and there
fore incapable of considering legislation from
any standpoint of mere right and wrong. The
fact that the mere consideration of the tariff
question could not be made without raising
the cry of injury to our business interests
showed how artificial and unnatural was orr
III, 80,
in the interest of the manufacturers them
selves The business situation, so far us they
were concerned, could hardly be worse than
it now is. 1t was painful to read the Penn
sylvania papers and see the record of work
ingmen thrown out of employment at the out
set of winter. What was true ofPennsylvania
was true of other manufacturing sections.
Men are out of work everywhere, and relief
could not come until the manufacturers were
enabled to sell their products in foreign mar
kets.
Mr.. Bayard advocates such additions to the
free lists as will remove taxes from raw ma
terials as far as possible. With free mate
rails he believes ships can be built in our
waters as cheaply as upon the Clyde. When
he witnessed the launching of the new ship at
Lieutenant Gorringe's yard the latter told him
that the tax upon the materials entering into
the pal eup of The ship amounted to $2s, 900.
This was more than the difference of the cost
of building a similar ship upon the Clyde.
Protection and the pushing of private inter-
ests have become interviewer into the very
warp and wool of legislation. 1t was time,
he thought. for the Democratic party to as
sume positive aggressive position in advo-
eating a tariff reform policy. 1t had been a
party of negation long enough. twas enter
ing on new phase of existence, and if guided
by honesty and right would certainly be sue
cessful
Mr.. Bayard does not agree with Mr.. Hewitt
thai the tariff issue is the one absorbing issue
ant the one Of reforming the Evil service of
the Government