The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-24
THE TARIFF POLICY.
The Plan To BE Pursued by the New Admin
istration. as Told by Mr.. Manning.

The Plan To Be Pursued by the New Admin
istration, as Told by Mr.. Manning.
Special to Philadelphia Times
Secretary Manning, in conversation to-day
said: II know that there is great and proper
desire on the part of the people generally, and
particularly among the representatives of the in
dustrial interests throughout the country to
know something of the policy of the administra-
ton on the tariff and cognate questions. 1t is
little early as yet to lay down any very defined
or detailed statement on that subject, as the
time of the President and members of the Cabi-
net has been mostly absorbed in getting the ma
chinery of the new administration into working
order; but can say this for the present or until
the matter OF the tariff is reached as one of the
measures of the administration, that the Presi
dent will carry out the tariff plank of the Demo
cratic platform both in the spirit and the letter.
In this. too, as far as 1 can judge, he will be
heartily seconded by every member of his Cab
met
''The President has thus far adhered very
closely to the enunciations of the platform
upon which he was elected"
Eyes, he has, and the people will find, as his
plans develop, that he takes a CONSCIENTIOUS
view of the obligations of his position as they
are set forth in the platform upon which he was
elected, his letter OF acceptance and his utter
ances in his inaugural He is not to be dis
turbed by temporary clamor or opposition. His
first impulse is to satisfy himself Of the right of
a thing and then to go ahead On the tariff
question you may rely upon it that he will fol-
low on the line of the platform upon which he
was elected. In doing that am confident that
the people having the best interests Of the coun-
try at heart will be satisfied"
1.-THE Democratic platform is broad in this
respect and leans towards the protective side Of
the question"
''You may take that as the groundwork of the
administration when that question is reached for
consideration. The Democratic party is pledged
to a revision of the tariff believe those are
the very words of the platform, adding in the
spirit of fairness to all interests The faith of
the Nation must be preserved involate There
fore, whatever is done on the subject of
the tariff by way of revision should be done
cautiously and by conservative methods
In reducing taxes we must not ignore the inter
ests of domestic industries. The customs being
the chief source of revenue. they must be relied
might seriously cripple the financial condition of
the government"
There are some industries, however, that rely
upon absolute protective legislation"
THAT is true, and therefore whatever changes
should be made in the tariff laws, the interests
of labor and capital alike should be looked after
sBut great stress is laid on limiting taxation to
the requirements of the government, economical
ly administered"
THAT is the doctrine OF the platform, but then
in an explanatory clause it says that the reduc-
ton must be made without depriving American
labor of the ability to compete with foreign la
Dor and without imposing lower rates of duty
than would be sufficient to cover the additional
cost of production due to higher wages here"
THAT would impose few changes
Il cannot say to what extent. as have not yet
examined the subject. Going back to the plat