The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-22
THE THIEvING TARIFF.
Obsec cti0ns to It...Rotation in Office a
Remedy for Some of the Evils that

Amict Us.
Editor Press and Bdnnrr:
This discussion Of the protective tariff will
not set forth all The evils OF the thing. Such
a task would be almost endless. II Is merely
intended TO exhibit. In the strongest light pos
sible, the great. deformites OF the system;
Gov. Richardson, In his INAUGURAL address.
charges that for every dollar Of revenue col.
lected, three dollars aie paid to the protected
Industries" The amount annually received
from customs is something over S2Oo,CoOOo;
Then the infant industries. the subsidized
Inonopoles, take annually from the poor Or pe0- peto
pie OF this country more than S6OO.oOO QUO.
This may need explanation. The tariff Is lev
led upon about 4 900 articles. Upon number
is so high, ms TO prohibit their importation.
Snch Is the case with nearly all woolen goods,
the duty averaging ahont 60 per cent. Hence
our wooden mills add this per cent. 10 the cost
in England, can be manufactured here and
sold for six and q half or seven dollars. Can
:he iniquity of the thing fail to strike amy
one? Three-fourths Of the tariff tax goes into
the pockets Of the American manufacturers.
Let us now recapItuIate the charges against
the protective tariff: -,
lst. 1t is too expensive. The country can't
afford to pny three or four dollars to get ore
2nd. 1t is unequal, class legislation. enrich
Ing the few at the expense of the many.
3rd. 1t Is unreasonable, unnecessary, and q
grievous burden upon the poor.
y
that prince of curses TO free people-the mil
liOuaire-
5th. It obstructs commerce and robs the
people, by destroying competition and estab-
fishing moRopolies.
9th. 1t is contrary to every principle Of
right and justice, and at war with the fundn.
mental principles of Democratic republica n
government. "D0wn with the thievlng tariff" "
In my first article. "chronic off1ceholding"
was charged with q share In producing the
"hard times"
1t Is admitted, that long tenure Of office rem
iers the officer more Skillfui in the discharge
of the duties OF his office, but It, also, renders
him more skillful in covering and hiding lit
tie Irregularities. Rotation In office Is the
cheapest and surest plan to secure strict ac-
countabiity. In fact. It Is the only plan. All
the great defalcations in the country have
been by men who have been In office from ten
TO thirty years.
The United States Congress is responsible for
all the great evils that afilict us, and the rul-
ing spirits In that body have been there for
years. They look upon The people just as the
crowned heads OF the old world look upon
their subjects. They have lost all knowledge
OF representative government The remedy
for the train OF evils growing out OF this thing
Is simple. and easily applied. Limit the ten
ure OF office to two terms In succession. Abol-
iSh the United States House of Lords, by hav-
ing The Senators elected by the people every
four years. Let oil poStmasters be elected by
the city, town, or precinct In which the office
is located for term not exceeding four years.
Respectfully, OLD FOGY.