Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-10-26
Call for Tariff Reform.
Daily oregonian, Feb. Is, 1882.

But these incongI uities of the system
are not to be removed. The steel mo-
nopoly, intrenched in power, refuses to
allow revision of the tariff in the ready
way OF act of Congress, but proposes a
report in two or four wears hence, or
may never be ready. The object clearly
is, first, to delay action as long as posi-
BILE and, second, to secure report from
the commission which would defend the
existing system and afford no relief to
the country. Congress is controlled by
the combined monopolies which are en-
abled by the laws to fleece and plumber
the people; and what is even more dis
couraging is the fact that large numbers
OF the people are deluded and misled by
the shallow sophistries put forth as ar
guments in support OF the system by the
beneticiaries OF it. 1t is amazing that
anyone should believe that these bene-
ficiarles OF the system are insisting on its
maintenance ont of purely philanthro-
pic motives. Their assertion that the
laboring classes are interested in the
maintenance of high protective tariff
is just what might be expected from that
source. 1t is an esse initial part of the de-
ceptlon. If you are going to rob a man
with his consent, and not only have him
satisfied with it but even enthusiastic
about it, you must first make the worst
appear to him the better reason. Other
wise there will be trouble with him. No
imposition is too gross to catch stupid
people, and herein lies the great strength
of our GLORIOUS protective system. -
Judging from the census returns, there
are now probably three and half mil
lions OF persons engaged in or concerned
! with manufactures and mechanical and
mining industries in the United States.
Now protection requires that forty-six
and half millions of people shall be
taxed in order that these three millions
and a half should have better wages.
That is the theory OF pro 'ecton, not the
fact. The fact is that it does not i'm
prove the condition OF the three millions
and half, while it does impose heavy
burdens on all the rest. For example,
in order that five Eastern manufacturing
firms should be bolstered up, the price oil
steel, of which immense quantities are
used, is doubled. Its effect is to make
the shipper and passenger on all the
railroads pay increased rates and to keep
down the wages OF railroad EMPLOYEES
to increase the cost of the farmers tools
and machinery, and at the same time to
erect a barrier between him and the for
eign consumer to whom his surplus
products must be sold. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that protection
does not protect 1.-THE OF all the persons
employed in manufacturing and me-
chanical industries. Its immediate bene-
fits are limited to the line of industry
bolstered up by it, and which therefore
employ more hands than they other
wise might do. This is a very small
proportion of the three and half mil
lions-probably not more than one mil
lion all told.
1t is neither honest nor philosophical
to tell the working classes that their in
terests are all bound up with protection,
and it is politically imprudent, for the
reason that the agricultural class is very
much larger than the manufacturing and
mechanical, and that its interests are
most assuredly not identical with those
OF the protectionists. The necessity for
tariff reform has been growing clearer
for several years to all candid observers
OF national progress, and even the pro-
tected manufacturers have seemed to
.S"ii@O thal tiiCy COuiu IiOl Inucn longer
hope to fatten upon forced contributions
and considerations from the country at
large. Removal OF distractions to trade
is the natural philosophy OF all who gain
their living by work, though they are
very apt to mistake their true interests.
Protection is legalized form of robbery,
which diminishes the purchasing power
OF the wages of protected" labor by ar
officially enhancing prices, which makes
the farmer foot the bills of the manufac-
turer, which robs Peter to pay Paul,
which restricts production and commerce
and which, therefore. is opposed to every
rational and enlightened system of fiscal
and industrial science. The question is
now how much longer will this national
abuse be upheld? No part of the coun
try is pressed by it on the whole so
severely as ours. We labor under all
disadvantages which it creates, and
have no share in its compensations such
as they are.