The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-09-11
Correspondence Of the Democratic Advocate.
What is the Effect of the TARIFF

Some time ago two neighbors were over
heard discussing the financial and industrial
situation of the country. They were men
vino were not without certain degree of in
telligence. They had to some extent read
the newspapers, at least those of their own
party, as was evident from their conversation.
They spoke of the dull times, of the trouble
between capital and labor, of the strikes of
working men, and of the low prices of grain.
This last item seemed to affect them more
than any other, and they dwelt upon it with
considerable warmth and earnestness.
Presently our two social philosophers turned
their attention to the causes which have pro-
duced this unsatisfactory state of affairs.
'tWhat is it, the one asked of the other,
s'that causes the low price of wheat? What
is the cause of so many men being out of en-
ployment? What is your opinion of these
things ?'' 80" said the other, sit is all the
fault of the Democrats. 1t is Cleveland, and
this Democratic administration. You see,
he continued, speaking with an air of great
gravity, "the Democrats want to put away
the tariff, and that is the ruination of us
farmers, and of everybody else in the coun-
try. 1t is the tariff that makes good prices
and good times. We can't expect the price
of our wheat to go up until we get more tariff:
We must, therefore, stick to the tariff, and
vote against the Democrats"
In this view they were both agreed. They
both concurred in the opinion that high
tariff makes good times, and the higher the
tariff the better the times. One could, OF
course, easily perceive that neither of them
had any distinct conception of the meaning
of a protective tariff, or any idea of the manner
of its working. Their idea was that the tariff
consists in the enhancement of prices by some
sort of government action; and beyond that
they had probably no thought on the subject.
They believed in the tariff evidently because
they believed in certain politicians They
accepted blindly the teaching of interested
politicians on this subject, and declared their
willingness to support it by their votes at any
and all times.
In this respect, it is to be feared that these
rural political economists were but fair sam
pies Of thousands of others. There are pro-
badly thousands of voters throughout the
country who speak and vote in favor of pro-
tective tariff, without having the slightest idea
of the way in which their own interests are
affected thereby. There is perhaps no other
subject in the world in regard to which there
exists so much misunderstanding and so much
confusion of thought as in regard to this.
Though there could be no greater fallacy, the
statement that a protective tariff secures high
wages to laborers and promotes national pros
perity, is so constantly and confidently re-
peated, that it is sometimes accepted without
investigation even by persons of fair intelli-
gence who ought to know better.
In these circumstances it occurred to the
writer that series of articles on this subject
might be profitable, and would be welcomed
by many readers of the ADVOCATE, who desire
more light in regard to it. 1t is proposed,
accordingly, if the Editors of this paper will
permit in a number of brief articles, to dis
cuss the tariff question in as plain way as
possible, so that all who read may understand,
and be able to draw their own conclusions.
1t may be we'll, however, before going any
farther, to remind the reader that the Demo
cratic party, whatever its faults may be other
wise, has no responsibility for the present con-
dition of affairs in this country. The policy
of the government in regard to the tariff has
been shaped entirely by the Republican party
during the last twenty-five years. During all
these years the Democrats have not been in
position seriously to affect this policy.
During one session, indeed, they had ma
iority in both houses of Congress, but then
HAYES was in the Presidential chair to veto
any bills that were not in harmony with Re-
publican traditions. 1t would seem, then,
that any man of average capacity should be
able to understand that whatever evils the
country may be suffering from at the present
time, are not due to Democratic influence.
Cleveland's administration has thus far been
able to do nothing more than save some mil
lions of dollars to the United States treasury
by the practice of governmental economy.
As far as the policy of the government las
any thing to do with the ''hard tines the
responsibility lies entirely with the Republican
party. That party is the author of the exist
ing tariff legislation, and must bear the re.
sponsibility for it. If the tariff has favored
! the best interests of the country, the Repub-
licap party should have the credit for it; if,
on the contrary, it has produced evil, the
same party must bear the blame Of it, Which
it has done can only appear from calm and
dispassionate study of the subject.
There is something suggestive, however, in
the fact that after adhering to the policy of
protection for @ quarter of a century, the
economic condition of the country should be
so unsatisfactory as it is acknowledged to be
to day. 1t would seem that, if this policy
were capable of producing an economic mil
lennium, it should have done so before now.
If a trial of quarter of century is not long
enough for any policy to produce its best re-
suits, it would be hard to tell how much time
would be required for the purpose. Lux.