Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-02
THE PROHIBITION TARIFF PLANK.

THE PROHIBITION TARIFF PLANK.
The Kansas prohibitionists are no
less outspoken and emphatic than dem
ocrats in their condemnation of the
high oppressive tariff under which the
country suffers. The tariff plank in
the platform adopted at Hutchinson
this week declares for ''such tariff as
may be necessary to protect infant in
dustries and to amply meet the de-
mands of the government" There is
nothing heretical nor undemocratic
about that. 1t is not even unrepubli-
can, us that party years ago, and now,
justities protection because of its fos-
terlng influence on infant industries.
Hence, everybody, democrats and re-
publicans, will agree in that PROPOSE
ton. But that is not all. There is
something more OH the tariff question,
more on protection. 1t declares that
protection is a failure of industries
begun under Washington ninety years
ago with and eight per cent. tariff, now
requires A per cent. protection" How
many will disagree with that? How
many will say that that idea is not well
taken? Who will deny that the point
is we'll made? What fair minded man
can do so? Our prohibition friends
struck the nail squarely on the head,
and in doing so spoke their honest sen
timents. They have nothing to gam
by quibbling and equiyocating on the
tariff OF any other question. They are
party contending for "a principle Wis
iOnary though it may appear to others.
They have the courage of their convic-
tions, and speak out boldly ON Il ques-
| tion of greater present urgency than
even prohibition.
The alluSiOn to the first revenue bill
passed immediately after the adoption
of the constitution, is very timely
one. The declared object of that bill
was to raise revenue to pay the debts of
the government, and to encourage
home manufacturing. The rate of
taxation thought to be necessary to ac-
complish both these objects was only s
per cent. That was the opinion Of
such men as Washington, Hamilton,
Adams, Jefferson and others. If per
cent. was thought to afford reasonable
protection when manufacturing was
really i'll its infancy, and certainly
needed more help than it does now,
| what is to be thought of a system that
gives six times that amount of protec-
tion to that same industry which in
stead of being an infant needing cod
ding and nursing, is ninety years old.
At no time in the past ninety years
have the manufacturing industries OF
the country enjoyed a less rate of tariff
protection than that afforded by the
bill alluded to above. They have never
in all those years been asked to once do
business without even a higher rate
than that. AS the years followed, and
these infants waXed older and stronger,
the higher was the rate imposed for
their benefit, and the protection al
lowed them, until now, and for twenty
years past they are protected to a
greater extent than ever before. Yet
they are not satisfied, and through the
republican convention at Chicago, de-
manded more. That body said ''all
right, elect us and you shall have it. We
will raise the rate, and give you all the
protection prohibitory tariff will afford.
That is the situation now. When these
industries were youngest, they thrived
on an per cent tariff. Now that they
are grown powerful and independent.
they must have A per cent. or more, if
it can be had. Is it right? DO they
deserve it? Answer for yourself
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