The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-10
to this necessity there is no controversy or
dispute.

10 tnls necessity there is no controversy or
dispute.
Gen. Hawley said
will vote in any direction to bring
about resolute attempt to give us q revis-
ion on the tariff. / say that as represent
ing protective constituency. j am for
resolute, direct, immediate action in the
direction OF wise revision OF the tariff.
The present tariff is a machine very much
out of gear. II hurts American manufac-
turers in some things, favoring the foreign
manufacturers. In short, il is inevitable,
it is to be seen without argument, that in
the progress of the country a tariff no
matter how wisely drawn, must require re-
vision
Mr.. Warner Miller said:
would have been glad ii the ways and
means committee of the House OF Repre-
sentatives had taken this matter in hand
and had brought in complete bill for the
revision of the tariff, not waiting for any
commission to sit upon il and investigate
it. We have now for twenty years been
going on substantially under one system
OF tariff, If there is TO be a revision OF it,
as think there should be, the sooner we
have the revision the better it will be for
all industries.
Mr.. Burrows who the other day made
q speech opposing tariff reform and sug-
costing the repeal OF the whisky tax, said
in 1882:
Upon the first proposition-to-wit, the
necessity for revision of the tariH'-therc
seems TO be no contrariety OF opinion. All
parties, men OF every shade OF belief, from
the high protectionist TO the extreme free
tro1nr oil Y,ffa Il, dam ,,.nlft,uN
ment OF the present tariff.
Mr. Mckinley said:
There are excrescences in the present
tariff which should be removed. There
are incongruitics which should be cor.
rected. The free list might be enlarged
without affecting injuriously single
American interest,"
CHANGE OF FRONT.
That was in 1882, only six years ago,
and yet today where do these gentlemen
stand? They denounce tariff revision. In
1882 they insisted on commission TO take
testimony and report scheme OF tariff re-
vision. They got their commission by as
serting vehemently that tariff revision was
the great necessity OF The day. The COM
mission was composed Of two representa-
tiyes of the wool and wooden industries
one OF iron and steel, one Of cotton and IFS
manufactures, one OF pottery, one of sugar
and only one for general farming, with
finally, one who was a general protection
lists. All but three were Republicans and
all but one were pr0tec,ionists. They went
all over the country, took great mass oI
testimony, and reported unanimously u
bill for tariff revision, Of which they them.
selves said in their report 10 Congress:
The average reduction in rates, includ-
ing that from the enlargement OF the free
list, and the abolition OF the duties on
charges and commissions, at which the
commission has aimed, is not less on the
average than 20 per cent, and il is the
opinion OF the commission that the reduc
ton viii reach % per cent. The reduc
| ton, slight in some cases, in others not at
tempted, is in many cases from 10 10 Of
per cent.
They added also:
''ln the mechanical and manufacturing
industries, especially those which have
been long established, II would seem that
the improvements in machinery and pro
cosses made within the last twenty years,
and the high scale OF productyoness which
has become q characteristic OF their ostab
/ iA'uAieAtnt Mouah PRINT OUT hlNluAlclhl
ers 10 compete with their foreign rival
under substantial reduction OF cxiatin,
| duties.
These Republican protectionists de
handed precisely what the President'i
message recommends, "a substantial re
duCtion Of tariff duties" They said:
"a substantial reduction Of tariff duties
is demanded, not by "a mere indiscriminai,
popular clsinor, but 10y the best conscrva
tive opinion OF the country, including tina
which has in former times been mos
strenuous for the preservation OF our ma
iional industrial dcienses. Such a roduc
ton OF the existing tariff the commission
| regards not only rs due recognition o
public sentiment and measure Of justice
10 consumers, but one conducive 10 the
general industrial prosperity, aud which,
| though Il may be temporarily inconyen.
| lent, will he ultimately beneficial 20 the
special interests affected by such reduction.
| No rates OF defensive duties, except for the
establishment Of new industries, which
more than equalize the conditions Of labor
and capital with those OF foreign compete
tons, can be justified. Excessive duties,
or those above such standard Of equaliza
ton, are positively injurious 10 the inter
ests which they are supposed 10 benefit
But the protoctionists rejected the bill
reported by their own commission, and
from that time on they have resisted will
increasing vehcmcnco every attempt a
tariff reform.