Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-08-02
THE TARIFF NOT AN ISSUE.

There is no issue made up between
the Republican and Democratic par
ties ON the tariff question; their plat
forms have substantially the same
thing 10 say on this subject. Both
favor a reduction OF taxes TO the
requisite revenue point, and both adj
vOcate an adjustment of duties for the
purpose Of protecting labor and en-
cOuraging the healthy growth of in
dustries. Nothing more definite than
this can be made of either, and though
both are susceptible of being tortured
into other constructions, this is their
most evident meaning.
The Democratic tariff plank starts
out by denOuncing "the Republican
party for having failed to relieve the
people of crushing war taxes, while
the Republican platform declares that
"the Democratic party has failed COM
pletely to relieve the people of the
burden of unnecessary taxation by a
wise reduction of the surplus" The for
mer document aflirms that "the Dem
ocratic party is pledged to revise the
tariff in a spirit of fairness to all inter
ests," and the latter asserts that "the
Republican party pledges itself TO cor
rect the irregularities of the tariff and
reduce the surplus"
The Republicans are explicit In
saying: an raising the Teqtlisits rep
entes for the Government such duties
shall be so levied as to afford security
to our diversified industries and pro-
lection to the rights and wages of the
labOrer," and the Democrats virtually
repeat that declaration in the follow
ing:
ain making reduction In taxes, It is not
proposed to inJGre any domestic Industries,
but rather to promote their healthy growth.
From the foundation OF this government,
taxes collected at the customohOuse have
been the chief source OF federal revenue
such they must continue. Moreover, many
Industries have come to rely upon leg1Sia-
ton for successful continuance so that any
change of law must be at every step regard
ful Of the labor and capital thus involved.
The process of reform must be sub ect to the
plain dictates of Justice. All taxation shall
be limited to the requirements of an eco
nOmical government. The necessary reduc.
tion in taxation can, and must, be effected
without deprlving American labor OF the
ability to compete successfully with foreign
labor, and without imposing lower rates
of duty than will be ample to cover the ln-
creased cost of production which may exist
in consequence OF the higher rate of wages
prevailing in this country"
These two utterances are the same
in idea; both demand revenue tariff
adjusted for purposes of protection.
The Republicans use the phraze
requisite revenue" and the Demo-
Gratis say @AH taxation shall be limited
TO the requirements of an economical
government" adopting the language
OF the Ohio platform. No candid mind
could claim that either omits the ad-
justment feature, and, of the two, the
Democratic plank expresses it most
clearly; it states expressly the amount
of protection labor is entitled to.
The CHRONICLE is not alone in the
assertion that there is no issue made
up between the parties on this ques-
ton, but is borne out in the opinion
by very eminent authorities.
Harper's Weekly says: "After long
delibeTation the Democratic cOnven-
ton adopted a platform which COM
pletely sustains the view that we have
always taken, that the campaign would
not be conducted on the tariff issue.
The parties are divided on this question
and it is practically removed from the
canvass The
two positions Democratic and Repub-
hcan), are practically the Same. No
tariff issue is raised, and public atten-
ton will not be directed by the plat
form declarations upon a tariff from
the paramount question of personal
character and administrative reform"
The New York Times says: "The
platforms are in substantial accord on
the tariff"
The New York Herald says: "The
Democratic platform does not raise
the tariff issue as the main issue of
the Presidential campaign"
Even Frank Hurd, of Ohio, who has
earnestly labored to place the DemOo-
racy on a free trade platform and was
anxious to make the fight on that
issue, said recently in an interview
with a Courier-Journalr reporter:
"The tariff will not he the issue this year.
The people will simply be asked whether
they will vote for Blaine or Cleveland-for
corrupt or honest government"
And this is the outcome of all the
tariff talk in which SO many newspa-
pers and politicians have engaged.
The Courier-Journal swore that the
tariff was the only issue that divided
the parties, and that tariff for rev.
enue only was the cardidal principle
of Democracy. Those who couldn't
subscribe to such a tenet were turned
over 10 the Republicans where it was
alleged all protectionist belonged.
Vet still the tariff plank in the Ma
t;onal Democratic platform, which
yyafterson and Morrison had a hand
in framing, is substantially the same
a. that adopted by the convention
-,h;eh assembled at Chicago in June.
The fact is both parties are divided
:, themselves on the tariff question
and the attempt to make it a diStin-
gushing party issue was if0in 0