National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-16

The firm Of Morrison ~ Hewitt, tariff
thinkers, doubtless influenced by the senti-
inent Of the press Of the north, called halt
In their grand combination tariff scheme,
and, as appears from the new draft OF their
bill, have restored some articles that they
had on the free list in their first draft. But
the scheme is bad enough now, and Is as
crude piece Of legislation as was over pro-
posed In the national Congress, not even
excluding the famous horizontal tariff bill
Of last year. At first blush It is exceed
ingly difficult to diagnose the measure.
Evidently IL Is not "a tariff for revenue
only,n neither is IL ga tariff for revenue
with incidental protection" both of which
vague generalitles have served as rallylng
cries for the Democracy In the past. It
looks more as though they had adopted Gen.
llancock's definition, and concluded that
the tariff is "a local ISSUE" being careful,
however. not to apply their scheme of re.
duction to any Democratic locality, espec.
tally in the southern states They still
propose to admit lumber free of duty to
the extent of nearly S70OO,0O0 annual
tax under the existing tariff, and this in
the face Of the fact that with tax OF from
81 to So per thousand, Canada sells In our
markets annually over s6,0O0,00O worth.
Admit II free, and the lumber interests of
New England aud n portion of the north.
west IS completely crushed, and the Domtn'
ion Of Canada, with her vast forests and
pauper labor, will have monopoly Of our
markets.
What is true Of lumber Is equally true of
the other articles that this eminent firm of
tariff reformers (2) has concluded to either
admit free or at a greatly reduced tax, the
aggregate reduction being about twenty
five millions Of dollars. II is a thoroughly
pro-Britlsh scheme from beginning to end.
1t will necessarily harm every laboring man
in the north, and can benefit no one except
those who live in southern Democratic
states-the non.producers of the country.
Ohio, having become reliable Republican
state, is to be punished by having her wool
industries destroyed, but the "solid south"
is left undisturbed, with n chance to patch
her broken fortunes upon the ruins of
northern enterprise and northern industry.
1t is the "frst firm step toward free trade"
and as such 1t must be and will be met. The
We see in this the beginning of system of
levying duties upon foreign imports pcrnlcious
as II is unpatriotic; borrowed from our foreign
| livals, whose interest in destroying American
tarlns has never been concealed; a system DE-
sructivc of our productive industries and the
| home market for agricultural products and de-
| grading to American labor, and which, when
| 1t has been tried in the government, has event.
uatcd in falling revenues, furnished credit,
| and depleted treasury.
II we must have reduction OF the rev.
enues why not begin by putting sugar on
the free list? This article is an important
| item in the expenses of every laboring man,
and the reduction accomplished in that
way will carry blessing TO the home of
every laborer In our land, without Destroy
ing any American industry that is worth
| preserving. But our Democratic tariff
thinkers see in this possible harm to
Democratic state, and forthwith the good of
the people at large is put aside aud the blow
is aimed at northern states instead. Fortu-
nately for the country the outrageous
scheme is destined to fail, but nevertheless
it displays the animus of the Democratic
| party, and calls the attention of
| the country to what may be ex-
| pected II that party ever gets complete
| control of the government. In that contin-
gency our tariff laws will be emasculated,
our ships will be built in foreign yards, and
the full results of British free trade, with
low wages and wretched homes, will be
traueplanted to our shores. Surely the
lNborng men Of the country are not pre-
pared for this and If they are not they
should see to it that their sulTrages in the
future are given to the party that has al
ways defended the tariff, and has been the
consistent advocate OF every measure that
tended TO elevate labor and better the con-
dition of the toiling masses.