Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-10
THE EVERLASTING TARIFF.

HAF
Mr. Randall's Southern tour has full
EabFkened the tariff question which,
in allteasure, slumbered during the
hte AniPaign, and the papers and pol
itieiAAs hare got one another by
the ears again quarreling with their
old tine Figore and venom ever this
troubIesemesissue
The tariff Is the staple article of the
! American political harder. 1t is the
mutton to which we always return
when we have disposed of the high
spiced dishes which for a time alb
sorb the public appetite. 1t was an old
question in 1874, and furnished the
material for the exciting campaign of
that year. 1t was old when the coun-
try was new, and has been a study for
statesmen and bone for political con-
tention ever since the levying of duties
was begun at TarifIa, the little Spanish
town from whose name the word is
derived.
The tariff in America has always
been, in a manner, sectional, and is
always bound to be so in country of
such great territorial extent with such
a variety of industries. On this ac-
count it is moresor less selfish ques-
ton and its discussion pro and con
is influenced by self-interest rather
than genuine patriotism. Daniel
Webster and all New England advo-
: Gated free trade until the prosper
ity of that section became dependent
on its manufactures, then Daniel
changed his views and New England
has since been the very home of pro-
lection ideas.
While the South was an exclusively
agricultural country, and persistently
neglected the vast stores of mineral
wealth and manufacturing advantages
that nature had prepared Tor her, she
inclined to free trade notions. But
the abolition OF slavery has produced
change in this section. The more
advanced thinkers OF the South recog-
nize the fact that the poverty of this
section OF the Union as compared to
others, ia due to the senseless system oil
buying all our manufactured articles
from abroad, and they are working to
bring about change. Those locali-
ties in the South where manufacturing
has been attempted have prospered
amazingly and the more progressive
Southemers, those who have learned
to think of something besides states
rights and the antiquated questions of
the slavery era, are coming to the con-
clusion that a tariff that protects home
industries and encourages their
growth is not such bad thing after
all.
The Southern sentiment in this re-
gard, however, is less selfish and more
patriotic than that which has been adj
vOcated by Eastern protectiOnists and
which is said to be the cardinal prin-
ciple of the Republican party.
The South is instinctively opposed
to monopoly. The records of South
ern statesmen and the trend of South
ern ideas have always indicated this
fact. All the protection that the South
asks for is that which will allow our
home industries to compete success
fully with those of England and other
foreign countries. II England can
manufacture an article and export it
to America cheaper than it can be
manufactured here, she can, of course,
drive out the American manufacturer
unless he is protected by an import
duty on English goods. We do not
want a tariff that will shut out the
English goods, but one that will place
American goods on a competing basis
with them. There can be no mOnop-
oily where such competition IS allowed
and we can trust to American enter
prise IN sustaining Itself When there Is
such fighting chance.
This may be little milder than the
position taken by Mr.. Randall, but We
believe it to be, in the main, his view
of the subject. 1t is clearly the view
expressed in the National Democratic
platform, and so far as we can deter
mine from some of his utterances, it
is not strongly at variance with the
views of Speaker Carlisle. 1t differs
from the Wattersonian theory, advoca-
ted in Congress by Morrison and
Frank Hurd, in that it recognizes the
necessity of any adjustment of import
duties for protection purposes. 1t is
the view entertained by the more con-
sentative and more sensible Demo
Gratis and will meet with endorsement
in Mr.. Cleveland's first message to Con-
gress.