The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-08-31
BENEFITS OF PROTECTION.

CUngressu,an Mckinley. n Ohio. Exposes
the Great Evils 81 Free Trade Before
the Georgia Chastsnaua Assembly
why the Protective Policy Under which
the Country Has Prospered should He
Continued.
Augusta, Ga, Aug. 2a-The event yes
terday at the Georgia ChautauQua was .
speech by Representative Mckinley. who
had come from Washington to address the
people on the advantages Of the protective
policy. Among the large audience were
some of the leading citizens Of Georgia
Major Mckinley was introduced by Judge
Howard Van Epps and was warmly re-
ceiyed.
Major Mckinley, having thanked the So
ciety for the courtesy of its invitation,
said that he had come to address them upon
a public question Of great National import
which concerns not on y ie prosperity of
one section, but of all sections of our COM
mon country. and which is Of commanding
interest to our sixty millions Of people.
The different theories of taxation have an
interest now which they have never pos
sessed before. Public thought is awakened
and the citizen is investigating for him
self Frank discussion and thoughtful
consideration of the two conflicting
theories are therefore demanded In the
present state Of the public mind, as
well as the condition Of our National
Treasury. There are some things upon
which all are in accord, and which are 30
manifest as to require no argument or
amplification. They are admitted facts
Among them are that the United States
has no income, except what it secures by
taxes collected from its people. 1t must
collect its money, whatever may be its
actual requirements. either by direct taxes
or by duties upon imports. The American
sentiment is practically unanimous in favor
Of raising at least a large share Of the rev.
enue for the Government by levying duties
upon foreign importations.
Free-traders, so-called, or to be more ex-
act. the advocates of a revenue tariff, be-
lieving with the other school of political
economists in import duties, insist that
duties shall be levied upon that class of
foreign products which are not produced in
the United States, the principle being that
revenue is the sole and only object Of such
taxation, and that a duty levied upon such
foreign products as have little or no home
competition will secure the largest revenue
with the smallest rate Of duty.
An illustration familiar to all Of you are
If, however. the duty Is levied upon the
foreign competing product, it is made 50
low, having revenue only in view, that the
effect is to destroy home competition and
increase the revenue therefrom by increas-
ing importation. Hon. J. Randolph Tucker,
of Virginia, an eminent lawyer and ex-
periencei statesman, in q speech delivered
In the House Of Representatives May IS,
1878. defined . revenue duty as follows:
Therefore. as no higher duty to be laid
than il needed to raise the requisite rev.
enue on any particular article, It follows
that the true revenue duty is the lowest
duty which will BRING the required rev.
enue."
This definition is q fair and frank one,
and accept it A revenue tariff Is, there
fore, such one as will produce the largest
revenue from the lowest duty. The low
est rate of duty will encourage importa-
tions, diminish home production. and in
evitably increase the revenue; it will Of
necessity check competition at home and
send our merchants abroad to buy: it af
fords no protection, not even Incidental
A revenue tariff Is inconsistent with pro-
lection; it is intended for wholly differ
ent purpose. 1t loses its force and charac-
ter IS . genuine revenue tariff when it be-
comes to any extent protective. 1t has
but one object II can have but one effect
that Of opening up our markets to the
foreign producer, impoverishing the home
producer and enriching his foreign rival
England is more nearly free-trade coun-
try than any other. and her system of tax
alton furnishes an uumistakable example
Of the practice and principle of Q revenue
tariff Her import duties are imposed a.
most exclusively upon articles which can
not be produced by her own people upon
herjown soil, while practically all competing
products of foreign make and production
are admitted through her custom houses
free Of duty
1t will be observed that her duties are
more largely imposed upon peculiarly
American products than upon any others.
The duty upon tobacco Is, according to
moisture, from 81 to 81 cents per pound for
the raw or manufactured article. The
article is made dutiable at
% cents q pound greater than the raw
product, which, with all Of England's
boastej free trade, is intended As . protec
ton to those engaged in the manipulation
Of tobacco It is almost prohibitive to
Americans who would export manufact-
ured tobacco.
Another example Of this protection is
found in coffee and cocoa
More than s96,UO0, OOo, or nearly one
fourth of the British revenues, are raised
from customs duties. You will note the
character of taxation to which the revenue
invites the people Of the United States.
Both the breakfast table and the sick
room are made to bear q large part Of the
burden under the British system of taxa
ton. It is not without sign :hcance that
the nearer we approach this system, the
more generous the bestowal Of British
It is in vain for the British
statesman to assure US that their system
Is best for US 1T Is folly" said Wash
lueton in his farewell address, In one
nation to look for disinterested favors
from another; that it must pay. with por
ton Of its independence, for whatever it
may accept under that character. There
can be no greater error than to expect or
calculate upon real favors from nation to
nation. 1t is an illusion which experience
must cure and which just pride ought to
iscard."
one which believe to be essential to
American development and National pros
perity, is based upon an exactly opposite
principle. 1t permits all articles Of for
eign production, whether Of the field, the
or the mine, except Injuries only,
which we can not produce in the United
States, to enter our ports free and unbur-
iened by custom-house exactions. The
duty is to be imposed upon the foreign
product, that is, the product
which, If brought into this country, would
contend with the products Of our own soil,
Dur own labor and our own factories, in
Dur own markets.
This mode Of levyin9 duties answers .
1ouble purpose. A revenue tariff accom-
plishes but single purpose-that Of rsis-
ing revenue: it has no other mission, while
. protective tariff accomplishes this and