Wichita eagle., 1888-06-03

OF the convention Which framed the con-
stitution. The fact that nobody in that
congress even SO much as intimatod that
the constitution was being infringed by
the passage of an act expressly discrfr,i-
mating in favor of domestic industries,
and that that act was signed by President
Washington, who had presided over the
deliberations of the constitutional con-
ventien, furnishes undeubted evidence Of
the constitutioRality of protective tariffs.
The tariff bill mentioned was signed by
the president on July 4, 1889.
PERFECTING PROTECTION.
Shortly after the enactment Of the first
tariff law the house of representatives of
the First congress passed e resolution in
structiRg the secretary of the treasury,
who at that time was Alexander Hamil-
ton, to prepare and report plan for the
encouragement and promotion of such
manufactures as viii tend to render the
United States independent Of all other
nations for essential, particularly for
military, supplies" The resolution, which
YVES adopted IN response to the recon-
mendatiens Of President Washington,
evinces the settled purpose of congress to
make t.e protective system complete and
permanent. Hauilton's report was pro-
found, logical and exhaustive, and it still
remains classic On this subject. He had
not only to announce and formulate
policy, but had to confute the arguments
of the free traders who had, even at that
early day, come into existence. The
methods by which he contended
that manufacturing would benefit So
ciety as whole may be summarized thus:
T. .-,e
Of labor; (2) provide an extension of the
use of machinery; 60 furnish additional
employment for classes Of the community
who could not otherwise engage in the
manufacturing business; a. promote emf
grafton from other countries and the con-
seauent increase of population; 90 furnish
greater scope for diversity of talents and
dispositions in the diversifcatioQ Of In
dustries, 60 afford an aaapler and more
varied field for industrial enterprise than
could otherwise be secured, and C7) while
creating in some instances new supplies
and new demands would IN all casos make
both supply and demand steady and ccr-
tain.
As result Of the recommendations
Washington and Hamilton, and the de-
sies of an overwhelming majority Of
congress, and also, undoubtedly, of the
people, rates were increased on dutiable
goods and the number of the articles sub
ject to duty expanded by the changes
which were made In the tariff every year
or two until the war of 1912 too place.
During that contest special act doubled
rates As consequence, while exports
were only about third as great as i'm
ports in seven years during the free trade
period ending with 1890, their average
was twice as great as imports in the seven
years beginning with 1895 in the pro-
tective period.
CHANGES BETWEEN 1916 AND 1888.
The leading tariff acts passed in the
twenty years Immediately subsequent to
the war of 1912 were those Of 1916, 1924,
1928 and 1888 The tariff of 1916, which
was highly protective had fer one of its
most conspicuous advocates John c. Cal
houn, of South Carolina. with Daniel
Webster, of Massachusetts,, as leading
opponent. Both these men subsequently
changed their ground on this question.
Calhoun becoming the leader of the free
traders, and Daniel Webster becoming
one Of the most prominent and outspoken
champions of protection. In the vote on
the tariff of 1916 sectionalism appeared
for the first time. The earlier tariffs had
comparatively little opposition The vote
IN the house On the act Of 1915 stood So
IN favor to "a against, and in the senate
% in favor to Z against The south led
n the opposition, 81 of its members in the
aouse voting no to IA yes. a majority of
each of the sections of the north favored
the act, New England being less pro-
lounced in that direction than the middle
states and the west.
The tariff of 1916 is sometimes called
The Calhoun tariff. A few comparatively
changes were made In it
few years later. With these exceptions it
was in force until 1924, when the Clay
-ariff was passed. This imposed new
luties on many articles and raised those
'n most of the woolen goods. New Eng
and and the south opposed this act, and
he middle states and the west favored it.
An increase of rates on many articles was
made in 1928. the south and New England,
is four years earlier, being in opposition.
An act passed in 1882 reduced rates on
iome articles and raised them On others.
New England's vote was tie on this
Measure.
The act Of 1888, which was called the
Jlay compromise tariff, reduced duties on
most articles. 1t was adopted to placate
he south, especially South Carolina, whose
opposition to the protective duties previ-
,usly imposed had led to the notification
movement. In that movement Calhoun,
Who had about ten years before abandoned
lis protectionist associates, was one of the
nsster spirits. New England took sides
rItb tho vpifff.1a cfafac a7,1 fha in
opposition to this act. The compromise
arif provided for sliding scale of re-
luctions on duties in excess of 20 per |
! tenth each year until 1912, no rate to
late.
FRol 1893 TO 1851.
The comprcmise tariff of 1888 was re-
,laced In 1s42 by the Whig tariff, which |
imposed protective duties on most arti-
les of domestic manufacture. New Eng |
and and the middle states strongly IA /
'ored this measure, the south strongly ,
opposed it, while the vote of the west /
Ipon it in the house was O tie. Under the /
peration of the lew Clay tariff, which /
it. occurred the most disastrous
nancial convulsion which ths country
ver experienced, either before or since |
hat time. This was in 1887, during the
of Martin Van Buren,. Busi-
ess materially improved during the tariff
f 1872. and tie country enjoyed pros
erity such as it had not known before.
The protective act of 1912, however,
Fas repealed by the low rate tariff of 1916.
his was called the Walker tariff, from
BE name of the secretary Of the treasury
rho framed It. Free traders claim that
bis was the most equitable and scientif-
ally constructed enactment Of that class
q the country's history. In the house
be eastern states opposed. and the west