The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-20
MEMPHIS APPEAL.
SATURDAY, FEB. go, 1856.
Sugar DUTIES AND TRADE DIS
TuRBANCES.


TDRBANCEs.
The billintroduced into Congress by
Mr.. Morrison does not change the
defects of the present tariff system, but
proposes to reduce certain duties and
toadmit certain raw materials required
by our manufacturers free. II passed
Il would reduce the sugar duty about
$lOOOO,OOO and take off Sl0.0O0,O0O
more on other articles. The measure
is mere entering wedge where much
is required, but it is step in the right
direction and is, therefore, acceptable
as far as il goes. The Louisiana sugar
interest will, no doubt, be the princi-
pal opponent Of the measure. This
interest has for years contrived to force
from Congress n degree Of favor to
which its comparative insignihcance
by no means entities 1t. To bolster up
unfair and inadequate claims the sugar
interest supports all efforts to prevent
tariff reform. II opposes the Mexican
and Hawaiian treaties and generally
seeks to bend the welfare Of the
country to it's own special advantage.
Every pound OF sugar the American
citizen buys he pays from 2 to
to "a cents 90 tribute to the sugar
lords" OF Louisiana. OF the S6O,OOO,-
600 year tribute thus paid, to take
away $4,000, 900, is a much too mod
crate proportion. The American peo-
pie would be great gamers II the gov
eminent were TO buy up every sugar
plantation in Louisiana. sell II in forty
acre lots to small farmers who live by
their toll, not by taxes, and abolish the
sugar duty altogether, making "a free
breakfast table" for every household in
the land. Mr.. Morrison's bill tIans-
lers filty-two articles to the free list
which last year aggregated $5,0O0,643
10 the revenue, including wood and
lumber, hemp, iute and other fabrics;
coal, salt, iron ores, lead, copper, POI
tatoes, hay, corn, beeswax, bristles,
dye-woode, undressed building stone
and other articles. A number OF
things in ordinary use have the
amount Of their duties reduced. The
monopolists and tax-eRters will, OF
course, make an cutlery. Their talk
will be about the interests OF the
country. What they do will regard
their own selfish aims. Their principal
cry will be that any agitation
Of the tariff question will derange
prices and interfere with business.
That such will be the result, to some
extent, ia n matter Of course. The
question lie, whether the impediment to
business comes from the injury done
to the country's welfare by defect
i've, indefinite, inadequate, unjust, in
harmonious and oppressive tariff, or
by efforts to reform and amend the
tariff. When wrong is done there is
always a certain amount of disturb
ance OF existing conditions when the
wrong is righted. That the tariff as il
stands abounds in wrongs even its adj
vocates do not deny, though they try
to excuse, but TO deny that wrong
should be righted because to do
rights troublesome and inconvenient,
Is going contrary - common sense
and to all mans best instincts. At all
events efforts to reform the gigantic
evil with which the tariff curses the
country will be made from time to
time, and the longer reform is refused
the oftener business will be disturbed
by tariff agitation, Those who com.
plain OF the disturbance are the real
authors Of ii.