The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-26
FISHBACK ON THE TARIFF.
HOT SHOT FOR MONOPOLY TAKERS.
Protected Concern Which Made Three
Million Dollars In One Year on n Capital
of Two SIillions-How the Monopolists
Fixed Up the Tariff Schedules in 'S3.

of Two IilIions-How the Monopolists
Fixed Up the Tariff Schedules in 'S3.
Hon. Stanton J. Peele:
was too far away to reach you by let
ter in time for Fridays issue of the Netcs.
The time which should have been given
to you was occupied in journey across
the Allegheny mountains. Next to the
celebrated Horseshoe curve, the chief
object of interest on the Pennyslvania
railroad is the Bessemer steel works at
Johnstown. This establishment isproba-
bly, the most healthy and vigorous brat of
all the infant industries in our national
fondling asylum, and yet it whimpers like
a startling in charge of u baby farmer
when it is suggested that other infants in
the nursery should have some OF the pap
of which it gets more than its share.
In February, 1888, in tariff speech
in the U. S. senate, Mr.. Clay,
''the father OF the American system"
said: The theory OF protection sup
poses, too, that after a certain time the
protected arts will have acquired such
strength and perfection as will enable
them subsequently,, unaided, to stand up
against competition.
A hundred years before that one Dobbs,
who might be called the grandfather OF
the system" said in his Essay on Trade"
that premiums are only to be given to
encourage manufactures or other improve
ment in their infancy to usher them into
the world, and to give an encouragement
to begin a commerce abroad, and if, after
their improvement, they cannot push
their own way by being wrought so cheap
as to sell at par with others of the same
kind, IL is vain to force it.
Assuming it to be correct that strug-
Cling industry should be helped until it
can stand alone, don't you think this steel
company has attained stature and strength
enough to dispense with the milk bottle
1t is matter of record in the courts of
Pennsylvania that this company in the
years 1880 and 1881 realized net profit of
more than 100000 on capital of ST.
| 100000. When congress came to deal
with this industry a strong effort was
made in the senate TO increase the rate of
duty, but it was defeated. The monopo-
lists went before the conference commit
tee and increased the rate from 80 to 40
per cent. al valorem, and the report of
| the committee became the law. One
would suppose that this chubby child
might have survived without much cud-
| ding, but you voted to continue and in
crease its supply OF pap at the public ex-
| pense, and by so doing have almost
starved other interesting babies of the
| nursery.
Our friend Mr. De Pauw is in tribula-
| ton. He is the father of two brats which
he has deposited in hand-basket on the
| doorsteps OF the national nursery. His
| plate-glass baby has Jared sumptuously
on its 40 per cent. bounty, but his steel
rail infant is like to perish. Having no
| appliance for converting pig iron into
/ blooms, his steel rail mill must buy them
from other manufacturers.
BY your high tariff you compel Mr.. De
| Paw to buy these blooms from the much
! protected steel industry OF Pennsylvania,
and they come so high that it is almost
| impossible to run a steel rail mill at a
| profit.
At least that is the story of steel rail
manufacturers who do not make their own
| blooms. 1t is edifying to see Mr.. De
| PAW pleading for more protection for his
| plate-glass baby and clamoring for free
trade on behalf of his rail mill. Your own
| constituents, the owners of the newly
| built steel rail mills here in indianapolis,
are considering whether they can afford
to buy such high-priced blooms and run
! their mills.
Congress performs its functions of wet
nurse to these babies in a perfunctory
way, and with small, if any, show of ma
terial care. The good mother of twins be-
| slows her tenderest offices upon the
weaker child, but congress encourages the
/ pampered and Over-fed young zone to impose
upon its starving brother. 1t really seems,
my friend, that in fixing the metal SEIZED
ules of the tariff law, the steel and iron
monopolists had their own way, and that
did not over-state it when l said, in my
| first letter, that your honorable body was
a mere puppet in their hands. Brother
| Peelle, your protested friends make a mis-
take in assuming that criticism of your
official action implies recreancy TO our
| party. l was present on one occasion
when a majority of the Indiana
republican delegation in congress were
! insisting upon declaring open war against
the policy OF resumption. Gov. Porter
| then private citizen. had the sand" and
| sense to tell those gentlemen that they
were wrong and would very soon retrace
their steps. He birched them as lot OIL
hayward boys and they lived to thank
him for the chastisement. Afterward
Gen. Harrison, then in private life, de.
nounced the extreme greenbackers as a
| lot OF ldlots, In the presence OF the state
convention, and our congressman and
bosses turned pale and said ne had ruined
the party. You know how it has turned
out. But now, forsooth, congressman and
senators are infallible and an humble
member of the party who doubts it, and
expresses his doubt, is guilty of ''flat bur
glary." There is going to be larger lib
erty of discussion on this question in both
parties, you may depend upon it.
In its beginnings and in the days of ii;
great triumphs the republican party had
the sympathy and support of the mer
who wrote and read good literature
'Them dam literary fellers" and theil
friends have votes, and our party cannot
afford to insult or ignore them. They
write the textbooks used in schools and
colleges, and make impressions upon the
minds of young men which are no
effaced by the campaign documents of {
heated political canvass. Has it occurred
to you that our party is now pursuing q
course calculated to ALLEVIATE and repe
men of education and thought? Because
large revenues were necessary in pas
years, taxes direct and indirect were laiC
| unon tho paonla who bore them DatientlN