Wichita eagle., 1888-02-08
| NEW SCALE OF TILE TARIFF
NEEDED.

! tariff should be so adjusted as to pro.
tect properly the land owners in develop
ing and bringing into profitable uses all
the resources of their estates, thus add
ing to their power and resources of the
whole country. Mr.. Kelley, whom you
have well said, is the best posted man on
the tariff in congress. next proceeds to
say that ''the estates of the landless
millions consist of their thews, sinews
and Of their eyes and hands to quick CO.
operative action, of their taste for an
aptness in the production of the attrac-
tive in form, texture and color, of in
yentive genius, which enables them, by
new combinations of mechanical princi-
pies or the application of science to the
arts, to increase the productive power of
nations. He says these also have the
right to demand that their estates shall
be defended by the nation: that it is the
duty of the government SO to adjust the
regulations of its trade and commerce as
| to secure to its own people whatever
benefits are to be derived from the devel-
opment of the material resources of the
country and the conversion of the native
raw material into useful commodities. :"
In these words Mr.. Kelley has laid the
ground work for many practical sermons
on prote ction. They contain the state
ment of primary principles that must
overthrow the utopian free trade theo-
ries OF Henry George and the Demo
cratic party leaders in great
country like this for many
years hence, and until the
condition of the social and political
world is very different to what it is now.
1t is fine thing for theorists to sit down
and build Utopia and people it with the
creatures of visionary perfection; but
after all this is cold, practical world;
SO much so that its practice sustains a
precious small per centage of the sound
est theory We must take the world
life and all its belongings as we find
them; not as we would wish them to be.
The most sanguine or conceited people
have occasions to say to their inner
selves that the great difference between
figures and facts often places them in
sackcloth and ashes as effectuaily in
spirit as if it were materially so.
Henry George, in a series of politico-
economic works of most remark
able nature, has led hundreds of thous-
ands of American artisans and
laborers into beautiful vision
Of splendid modern Utopia.
But what have we to do now with
century or SO hence: Simply this, we
take care of the present to the best prac-
tical advantage in every respect; and
estimate the most probable contingencies
of the nearer future. When we have
done this well we have taken the best
care possible of the remote future. The
peculiar teachings of Henry George in a
century or so may be practicable and
acceptable. But if they are it will be
because all of the conditions of society
have been graduated to them by the
social and political steps that must be
taken beforehand. And then it is likely
that newer methods, practically solved
in the mean time, may relegate them to
tombs of sophistry.
l have referred to Henry George be-
cause he, as thorist and free trader,
has done more and is still doing more to
lead the producing classes referred to by
Mr.. Kelly, as quoted above, away
from their true political allegiance than
the whole Democratic leadership put to-
gether. They follow him in nearly all of
their organizations and through their
press with a theoretical blindness that
Obscures the true position of their real
interests in the ranks of the Republican
party. Such blind zeal portends no good
to the producing classes referred to; and
if they became united in favor of such
political heresies it will present crisis
in the industrial interests of our country
which may lead to political crises of the
most dangerous nature.
Recently in the EAGLE outlined re-
form in our tariff system that would pro-
tect the interests of the antisan and labor
ing classes OF the country, as well as the
capitalists. The adverse criticisms of
the labor interests upon that aaticle was
that it was cumbersome; politi-
cal dodge and would place an
additional incumberance upon the
statutes if adopted. / answer
that it is candidly offered, practical and
the Republican party must incorporate,
as MIR. Kelly says in effect, plan in its
protective policy by which the interests
of the labor element will be fully guard
ed in common with those of the land
owning element.
We have congressman of the Demo-
cratic party Offering resolutions in that
body to have committees appointed to
investigate the formation of trusts. That
is useless. A trust is a commercial or
manufacturing or a labor corner or
combination to increase the value of its
products. They have right to do SO,
and the only thing the government has
to do with them is to keep the peace and
see that the taxing system, In protecting
the general, shall not protect special
interest: or, at least, to reduce such in
cidental special protection tc the possible
minimum.
The sugar refiners of this country have
formed trust" or corner by refusing
TO buy raw material or work up but
stated quantity. The effect is
that the dispatches announce
that raw sugars shipped from for
eign ports get no sales in American ports.
and are shipped to European cities
in vast quantities: that sugar refining
labor is largely out of employ, and that
the dividends of the trusts are 36 per
cent on their deal. Now your Demo-
cratic tariff reformer clamors for free
raw sugars as cure. Your labor re-
former says take off the tax that pro-
tects the producer and retiner both. l
say make an adjustable tariff that will,
under such conditions. lower or take off
by a rebate system enough duty on i'm
ported refined sugars for stated period
10 burst that trust wide open in the start
and PUNISH Capitalists for every combi-
nation made against its labor under the
advantages created by the tariff.