The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-08-28
MEET THE QUESTION HONESTLY.

1t is announced that the Secretary of
the Treasury is seeking the opinions OF
manufacturers and business men gener-
ally, in regard to the proper revision OF
the Tariff. Party organs and party agl-
tatOrs will make a desperate struggle
to hinder full, free and honest inter
course between the Government and the
business interests of the country. be-
cause they want the Tariff as a cam
paign football but business has al
ready suffered too much from partisan
exactions, and the sooner it shall be
clearly and absolutely divorced from the
schemes of mere politicians, the sooner
will the country become substantially
and enduringly prosperous.
All parties agree that the Tariff must
be revised by the next Congress. and
all intelligent business men should know
that there can be no wise Tariff reviS-
ion on purely partisan basis. a paUti-
san Tariff will mean the subordinatiOn
of business to party interests. and it
would leave the great industrial inter
ests as unsettled as they are now
Doubtless many party leaders of both
sides will make an earnest endeavor to
shape Tariff legislation to serve party
rather than TO serve business buS Pres
ident Cleveland and Secretary Manning
both believe that he serves his party
best who serves his country best, and
they will earnestly seek to revise the
Tariff on sound, practical, honest bust
ness principles.
The chief peril to Just revision OF the
Tariff is not so much IN the babbliBg
free traders as in the friends of pIOtec-
tiOn. Protection has been made unjust
and oppressive in the past. and il was
measuTeably overlooked because of the
general prosperity of the country: but
the gradual gravitatiOn toward actual
values aud legitimate profits has made
the continuance Os monopoly features
in our Tariff policy an utter impOssi oil
ity. 1t was tie glaring abuse of the
protective policy that gave Importance
and power to the free trade destruction
lists and they will be potent or impO
tent in the battle over Tariff revision
just as protectionists shall be wise or
unwise in their demands. Il they shall
insist upon the monopoly protection of
the past they will do more to make pro
lection OdiOUs than all the free traders
in the land but if they shall heartily
join in a revision of the Tariff on hon
est business principles, every general
productive industry of the nation will
be given not only ample protection, but
the the highest possible assurance of
stable Tariff policy.
President Cleveland and Secretary
Manning have proved that they deserve
the confidence of the business men Of
the country, and when the views OF
business men and manufacturers are
sought for to inform the Treasury De-
paTtment fully on the subject, there
should not only be q prompt response
from all shades OF political opinion. but
there sho1ld be the utmost candor in
presenting every phase Of every inter
es.. Manufacturers and all interested
in the Tariff should look squareIy in the
face ;he obvious truth that no partisan
Tariff can now be enacted and that the
only safety TO business and industry is
in The Intelligent revision of the Tariff
on the single basis of sound business
principles. Such Tariff revision will in
spiTe every channel of industry with
confidence, and do more to revive gen
eral business than any one cause and
lt IS clearly in the power of the business
me" OF the country to enforce it. Let
the manufacturers ana business circles
cordially and frankly confer with the
Administration on Tariff revision. and
when the proper notifications shall he
fully considered aud undeTs' OOd. patri-
rt!c men Of an parties will unite TO
e7act Tariff that must ensure business
confidence aud industrial progress. .-
Meet The question honestly !-Phjl1deI-
pbja Record.