New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-20
THO STATESNEN EYBIBITED.

TWO STATESMEN EXHIBITED.
What craftsmanship there is in the Demo-
cratic party, what capacity to adjust measures
TO public needs, is possessed by a few men.
Nine -tenths of the Democratic members of
Congress have 70 idea beyond the distribution
of patronage aud the procurement of Jobs for
their districts. The opinions of the few men
who do try to study national problems are
therefore of more Importance than if the same
men were leaders of a better party. Mr.
Carlisle has distinguished himself by causing
two panics, the sudden contraction of currency
and collapse of prices which followed the
passage of his currency dill some years ago, and
the long prosuration of industry which resulted
from his election as Speaker and his selection
of Mr.. Morrison to lead the assault on the
tariff. No doubt he honestly believed that his
attempt to coerce the national banks was for
the public good, and that reform of tariff in tho
direction of free trade would help industry. In
both cases his plumbers were disastrous to the
country.
Addressing the Iroquois Club, Mr.. Carlisle
repeats his old fallacy that protection is
vicous because Government cannot make its
citizens rich and prosperous by taxing them.'
Every tex that is levied is inten ded TO make
the citizens richer and more prosperous, by
defending their rights and commerce abroad
by guarding frontiers, lighting and surveying
coasts, carrying mails, providing uniform cur
rency, clearing streams and harbors, opening
and guarding public land, and adjudicatlng
matters between individuals. Mr.. Carlisle
would be swift to object to appropriations for
any of these objects if he did not believe they
Ia r,oh.,r nd
porous. But it is also a shallow deception,
which no longer deceives, to assert that pro-
tectiye duties are mere taxes and nothing else
The inference that they cannot make the
people richer or more prosperous is fraudu-
lent, first because they are not taxes so much as
they are defences, and second because all taxes
are intended to benefit the people, or they
would not be willingly paid.
Beginning with this false assumption, long
ago exploded in intelligent discussions. Mr.
Carlisle proceeds to assert that the country
would undoubtedly" be richer now had there
been no protection. Not an atom of proof is
given by him or by anybody else to support
this familiar assertion. Naked and unsup-
ported, repugnant to all human experience and
contrary to common sense, this assertion is all
that he has to offer in reply to evidence that
this country has prospercd more marVellOusly
under protection than under any other system,
aud more than any other country, in this or
any other age, under any system. Stale and
childish repetition Of an unsupported asser-
ton is but poor resort for statesman When
challenged by Mr.. Blaine and other Republican
leaders with abundant proof that the I'M
equalled growth and prosperity Of the country
are in great part due to the national policy in
question, it may be assumed that Mr.. Carlisle,
being man of some ability, would gladly
have offered controverting evidence if he could,
ard that he returns to his naked assertion only
because he can offer no such evidence.
With his antiquated theories and long ex-
poded fallacies, Mr.. Carlisle naturally shows
no faculty of meeting or even of intelligently
considering the practical question NTH which
Congress has to deal ;hs very winter namely
how can revenue be reduced without pros trait
ing industry. Some reduction there must be-
unless appropriations are to be enlarged, or
disaster is to be invited by unprecedented con-
traction Of the circulating medium. Senator
Beck, who followed Speaker Carlisle in the
oratory for the Iroquos Club, recognized this
fact. But Mr. Becll's craftsmanship is illus
trated and measured by his proposal that the
Government shall lend its surplus to individu-
ais on deposit of Government bonds, W lille Mr.
Carsle's is also illustrated and measured by
his failure to offer any suggestion on the SUBJ
ject whatever. To him, the acme of states
manship is to repeat that abolition of protect
i've duties will "open the door to prosperity"
The surplus revenue, apparently, will exceed
$1O0,00O,OO0 A statesman would ask first in
what way 1t could be reduced without pros-
trating important industries fostered by past
legislation. Recognizing that moderate re-
duction of duty would only increase the reve-
nue., while large reduction on articles COM
peting with products of important industries
would cause disaster, he wOnld seek for such
duties as those on sugar, which have not i'm
portant home industries developed behind
them, or such taxes as those on tobacco, which
can be abolished without harming any indus
try. If he finds it not practicable to reduce
revenue enough by such means, he would then |
consider in what remuneratiye and perma- |
nenty helpful way public funds could be |
expended so as to bring back to the peoplc
ample returns in larger prosperity. But Mr.. |
Beck illustrates Democratic craftsmanship by |
that those WIN have Government |
bonds and therefore stand least in need of |
enlarged capital for industrial enterprises. |
should be allowed to borrow the surplus. at |
higher rate.
The verdict of the public, sitting as a coroncrs |
jury upon the wasted body of Civil Service Reform
is that 1t died Of hamilton
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