The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-07
PHILOSOPHER ARP
Propounds Some Free Trade
Arguments.
THE STORY OF TWO PREACHERS.

lHE SlURf VI wv PREACHERS.
long time ago there were two noted min
listers in Athens, one a Baptist and the other a
Presbyterian. They were terribly Jealous in
their respective faiths and preached doctrines
and sectarialSm with power that kept the
people excited and produced moro discord than
Christian harmony. BY and by the Baptist
challenged the Presbyterian to a discussion
and the challenge was accepted. For several
nights tho debate went on and the house was
crowded to overlooking. 1t was nip and tuck be-
tween them for they were men of power, and
it was hard to tell who was getting the adj
vantage. When the arguments were eX-
hausted and the debate closed, it was observed
that neither of them INDUCED i'll any more
doctrinal sermons, and within less than year
the Baptist had withdrawn from his church
and become a Presbyterian and the Presby
terrain withdrawn and become q Baptist. They
had convinced each other and snapped sides
"Well. that was honest and liberal and l
like it. Now, if the high tariff and low tariff
men will do the same way the country will be
safe. We had debating society once that
made the boys swap sides, and it was n good
plan to keep down prejudices and make Us
look at q question fair and square. / was
Illuminating about THE CONSTITUTION and the
Telegraph, for they are dealing sledge hammer
blows against each others tariff creeds,
convinced each other before this and snapped
sides. The truth is this revenue business has
never been so ably discussed and so we'll venti-
lated as in the past few months by the south
ern press. The facts are coming before the
people and some of the mysterious surround
ings have been removed. Enough has been
uncovered to convince us that it is the most
complicated intricate problem now before the
American people. If L were to read
only one side think I should be for that side,
nd ,1l md f1riA o,,1 inf Mt
Every reflective man ought to take two papers
of different political views, and hold himself
an umpire between them. We are in politics
very much like we are in our religion. We
are preiudiced, and prejudice is the mother of
bigotry. If it were not for prejudice, the
north and south would have been at peace long
ago. But how can a man who was taught at
his mothers breast to believe that we were all
brutes and barbarians. ever recover from those
preiudices unless he moves down south and
lives with us long enough to find out his great
mistake.
Next comes in self-interest and when that
is added to prejudice, who can Withstand the
combination. How can Mr.. Randall be any
thing but protectionist, for protection has
made Pennsylvania rich and great and pros
porous. He grew up that way, and loves his
state better than he loves his country or any
other state, and so do L love mine, and so do
you love yours we cannot help it. You may
talk about your broad philosophy that knows
1t pretends to be eagle but it is buzZard, and
L always suspect man that talks that way.
~ man is for himself and his family first, his
county next and then his state His love
weakens as it spreads. We admire Mr. Ran
dali and MIR. Carlisle, and are sorry they are
SO wide apart, but they have got to yield some
of their prejudices Tor the sake of harmony.
But we hope they will make no such COM
promises as New England wantS-free wool,
but high protection on everything they make
e hot Sc oil 1;t,n fN, Xl,a,,,
but what will Ohio and California and Texas
say to it? While it would bring wool down
from twenty cents TO twelve it wouldn't
cheaper our clothes nor our carpets. Who
will raise sheep, then?
But l reckon l don't know anything about
it. 1 can read ali about this tariff business UNI
till my head gets "addledy," as Cobe says.
Here was the duty on quinine that raised such
big row six years ago, and Powers &
Weightman, who were making it all, sold it
for three dollars and fifty cent an ounce and
they told congress that If the protection was
taken off they would be ruined. Nevertheless
it was taken off an& quinille dropped to seven
ty-4iye cents an Oul ce and Powers q Weight
man built more factories and bigger factories
and their trade increased from one million
ounces q year to six millions, and other pal ties
built factories and now the supply is ten mil
lion ounces The low price placed quinine in
reach of the poor all over the nation.
So it does not follow that removing the duty
will ruin any business.
But Oh the other hand, look at coffee and
tea. There was a duty that brought us in a
revenue of millions, but the people howled for
cheaper coffee, and 50 the duty was taken off
and coffee and tea went right up and up and
up, and is SO high now poor man can hardly
afford to drink it. How is that ?
Why dident coffee and tea come down
! asked one of our statesmen that question
and he looked wise and solemn and whispered
'damfino, which didn't understand and don't
IND fint "a nh oil t,a ot,st A.
when I get tangled up on this tariff business
and go to the wise men with my troubles
dam.ino--damtno- reckon it's Greek or Latin
or Italian and would explain things if I'M
derst0od it,
But something must be done. Uncle Sam
is getting too rich off OF his own people and
that brings up the whisky business. / don't
reckon that anybody wants free whisky, but
most everybody wants the tax collected some
other way. Why not let the states collect il
in their own way. I'll bet the Georgia
legislature will find way to collect one dollar
gallon ont of all that is made or consumer
within her borders; and they will have it in
Spected too, so as to insure a pure article
We inspect guano and kerosene Oil, and why
not whisky? II a man will drink let him not
have to drink poison. AS Sam Jones says, if a
man has made up his mind to go to the devil
let him so as decently as possible lie
needn run his horse to death
on the road, but let him trot awhile and pace
under the shade of tree and rest.
The fact is, our people would rather collect
the whisky tax and pay it all over to Uncle
Sam than have it collected as it is now. Sup
pose Illinois can make it cheaper than Georgia,
then Georgia wouldn't make it at ALL and we
would get big revenue out Of Illinois whisky
There is nothing wrong about this, IS there
Suppose Barlow county wouldn't allowit to be
made or sold within her limits, whose business
is that but ours? This whisky traffic has set
tied down to be a local question and now let
| congress pass a law authorizing every commu-
nifty to regulate or tax or abolish as it sees fit,
1900 years ago old Jonadab, the son Of Uechab
started local option and made a law and said
"From this day and forever neither
will l nor my household nor
my descendants drink any wine OF
| strong drink, and they kept tile law for 800
years, and were still keeping it when last heard
| from, and 'the Lord blessed them and said
There shall not fail man from the house Of
! Rechab to stand before me forever"
But why reduce the tariff on sugar? 1t is
! cheap enough now. Every politician will say
he is not in favor Of gripping or unsettling the
! industries of the country. Both Of the great
{ Dartipc declared fltqt n flpir t,ioffortnp Tbn,