New-York tribune., 1888-03-22
A FEW PLAIN REMARKS.

THE NEw-YoRK TRIBUNE as the leading Repub;;
lican paper has At last frankly announced % the real
portion of the Republican party In relation to the
s 1t dS mot 0 Sau s "ne axa"n Wc a
tho Republican party has given to the country as the
Itorfered with or touched in any way. There can
be no doubt as to the meaning OF these words 1t Is
divine law, admits Of no change or amendment, In
that sign the Republican party, according to us lead
Ing paper, expects TO win--(Buffalo Courier.
THE tribune has never declared the present
tariff to be perfect 1t Is complex system of
mechanism that has set and keeps in motion the
diverse industries Of the country. Not every
wheel and cog acts precisely as the designers ex-
pected. Too much power is cxerted at some
points: not enough elsewhere. Inevitably, mis-
takes and mscalculations are shown in the prac-
tical operation of q tariff Even II legislators
were infaible and it were possible to procure the
enactment Of q perfect protective tariff for tho
current year. il would be ccrsain as time went on
to get out Of gear. A tariff needs to be con-
stantly adapted to the progress OF new industries
and to changes In the economic conditions Of the
country. The present tariff undoubtedly requires
intelligent revision by the friends of those indus
tries which IL was designed TO develop Tarifre-
vision is one thing; the destruction Of American
industries and the mpoverishment Of American
wage-earners is another.
III" lKlBCNb was ono Oh Une urst JOurudsS W
recommend the revision Of the tariff in 1883,
and it admits frankly and without equivocation
that the work that was then wisely done by q
Republican House needs to be repeated now.
There were inequalities then In the schedules that
required correction; and so there are now.
There were burdensone taxes to be scaled down
then and needless revenues to be cut of and so
there are now. II Republican House were now
in session, the work done In 1883 would he un-
dertaken anew ON the same general lines and
ID would receive at every stage the hearty ap-
proval of The TRIBUNE. The tariff would be
simplifed and made more equitable. Surplus
revenues would be reduced Home industries
would not be abandoned to o ruinous contest with
foreign competition. The wageearners would
not be compelled to struggle for their lives against
European cheap labor The protective character
Of the tariff would be preserved and developed.
No industrial interest in the country would be
imperlled by the correction Of inequalities and
mistakes and by O wise readjustment Of the ex-
isting schedules in conformity with the general
principles Of Protection.
While THr TRIBUNE has never held that the
tariff like the laws of Darius, must not DO
amended or touched In any way 1t has always
maintained that IL should be revised by the
friends and not by the enemies Of Protection.
Democratic President and q Democratic House
have undertaken this business in very different
spirit from that shown by the Republican party
in 1888 They are bent upon breaking down the
tariff and exposing the diversified interests OF
the country to destructive competition. They
ore Indifferent to the welfare OF American labor,
which they are seeking to degrade TO the foreign
level Against the reckless operations OF Free
Traders and tarin-raiders rnE IsrNt has taken
its stand. and it will continue until the end 10
sht the battle OF American industries and Ameri-
can labor against the enemies OF Protection. The
tariff - IL u may not be the tariff as II ought
~ be.but II tho Dsmoosstio party remains IN
powsrsis w1Il ssese altogether 70 b tari6 That