Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-09-12
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE
MILLS REVENUE BILL.
An Able Discussion of the Paramount
Issue of the Campaign by One Who
Knows Whereof He Speaks.

Knows Whereof He Speaks.
Hon. Thomas B. Reed in the independently
Questions of craftsmanship arise in a natural
order and take their turn in demanding national
decision. Since the close of the war there has
been series OF settlements of great questions
by the people Of the United States, which we
can now see have been made with a SoundnesS
of judgment which gives confidence IN
the good sense and wisdom OF popular govern
ment. There much that ent1c1ng IL
the invitation which was given in 1868 to debt
laden people to scale down. by indrection the
bonds which conta nsd so much of -"unearned
increment" There was much that was rksome
and disheartening in the long period of struggle
after 1873 when we were paying the cost of th7
war. which would have tempted into inflated
currency any people less wise than our own. In
fact, the decision of the nation TO resume
specie payments, and the carrying OF that de-
cision il 20 effect will always be bright chapter
in our hi tory, and an almost unique chapter in
the histoGr OF tho world.
For several years new question has been
forcing itself upon attention which this year
has become question demanding settlement,
not by Cabinets Congress. but by the Nation
itself. There is much in this question, as in the
others, to tempt and entice the people into the
wrong pathway but believe that this also will
be decided with tie same wisdom and good
The idea OF freedom of trade with the
whole world is very captivating to the magma
lions of those who see life only through the me-
dunn of books. Real life is complicated and mys-
terious for it is the product of all lives No sim
gle mind cam out of its own consciousness, create
the true theory of II tional action. 1t is only az
ter laborious consideration of facts and results
that the truth is arrived at That truth is never
half so easy to explain as the falsity which owes
its clearness to its being only half the story
Nothing is palmer than Ricardo's theory OF rent
men nrsg TAKE up the best land, then the next
best, and the difference of productiveness fixes
the price of rent of the best land. This theory
still delights the writer on what is called politi-
cal economy; but the careful observer in this
country, and critical observers like the Duke of
Argyle IN the old world, know that the best land
is not taken FIRST and a trip to Colorado will
prove 1t beyond a peradventure. Nautilus
theory of pc ulation seems mathematical
prophecy that the whole world will soon become
like Tadmore in the Wilderness The political
economist still loves the theory, even while he
comics SEES that other causes" are at work which
seem likely to postpone beyond all human con-
Germ that day of desolation SO conclusively
proven to be at our very doors.
But II the theoriZ1ng of individuals goes
often wrong, there is something which much
oftener goes right end that is the instinct of the
human race The President of the United
States may say that the people pay not only the
duties on all imported goods, but the like in
thereby proclaiming that protection costs
thousand millions year; but rich and pros
porous people with q country covered with rail-
roads with network, q country thriving with
farms and orchards, flowing with milk and
honey, resonant with looms aud steam ham
mers and lighted with furnace-fires know in
fnitely better and will show their knowledge
when the supreme hour comes to decide be-
tween the short sightedness of one man and the
policy of whole nation. Mr.. Mills, surrounded
by his shouting compeers on his side OF the
House, may proclaim in the exuberance of his
newly acquired knowledge that in order
to get $50, coo of revenue from manu-
facturers OF iron and steel and WOODEN and
cotton goods the people have to pay $500 900, 90
to $500 U01, 600, but the very people who said
to pay these vast sums, and who have never
read Edward Atkinson Ricardo, or even Adam
Smith will show in due time that they have
eyes that are keener ewes than Mr.. Mills and q
good sense which shows that q people swimming
like ours buoyant on the top wave of prosperity.
do not do it with any such milestone slung to
their necks. After all has been said, can be
said, the crucial test of theory of prosperity is
the result you find in actual life, and the great
negative of free trade is the prosperity of the
onlIeo states OF america. Prosperity ana pro-
lection have gone hand in hand [ have, how
ever, heard number of Southern gentlemen,
proud of their Latin, declare that that the
old fallacy OF Post hoc, propter hoe, an express
sion which seemed 10 convey to them world
of consolation, but which only means that if the
wagon is behind the horse, that does not
prove that he pulls it. That is entirely true
my Southern FRIEND but if the horse was not
only attached to the wagon but was kicking it
with both heels, should hardly expect to see
them coming along together on an uphill road
such had during and after the war That
prosperity and protection exist together does
not prove that protection causes prosperity;
but ii the Presidents theory and Mr.. Mills
theory that protection costs prosperity a thou
sand million dollars year be true, it would
seem that instead of going hand in hand, they
would hardly be within speaking distance of
each other. The problem is, how can a country
become rich without parallel in history, which
is cursed by system costing thousand mill
ions year? The answer is that it cannot. But
the country is becoming rich yisibly to the naked
eye; therefore the thousand million theory
must be false.
u.
Oregon elections and seeing also other like signs
in the heavens, have now become alarmed; ard
Mr. Mills himself, after having delivered four
years ESQ pointed declaration in favor of free
trade, calling it by its very NAME and just after
having been examined personally by Henry
George and pronounced fl ee trade from the base
up, has been constrained to go to New York
and declare that mo Democrat wishes free
trade" The newspapers of his party also are
now full of disclaimers. They take refuge in
the doctrine OF percentages, and declare that it
is cruel to charge them with free trade when
they only take off per cent. and leave forty.
This doctrine of percentage is mere juggle
with figures as [ will show. 1t has had great
vogue, for both parties have used it. It was
presented early in the debate and tie Democrat
&c figures were taken by their opponents be-
cause the then Democratic doctrine, announced
by all their speeches. was that protection force
the people to pay thousand millions to manu-
facturel in order to give the Treasury hun
dred millions of revenue and was therefore a
sytem of robbery" To which the quick and
uncomfortable answer came: II this be rob
berry," why do you still sanction what you say is
40 per cent. of "robbery?" This percentage,
therefore, seems to have the sanction of both
parties, whereas it is only the assertion of one.
Now, however, since the Presidents friends are
trying to claim that their retention of 40 per
cen. shows them to be the real original friends
of protection it is time to call attention TO the
fallacy, and to show how this percentage doc
tr ne is managed. Tt is time to show what they
call merely a per cent. reduction really is.
Some articles we use much OF. OF others
very little. In this new doctrine of percentages,
quantity plays part. Tannic acid at 1877 per
cent, of which we use ounces counts much
sands of tons. We import $500 Of the acid and
Sit, 900 worth of the metals Anybody
see the folly of adding these percentages
together and saying that the average
protection fannie acid and the metals is LIT
per cent And yet just in that way is this slight
of-hand percentage doctrine unanswered. A
better test is in the very figures which Mr. Mills
himself furnishes in his last speech July q, in
the table at the end. The total duties collected
in 1887, on the articles named IN his bill were
S179 TAI, 33l71. The amount of duties remitted
by this bill" is $50, 591 So than % per
amt Even he NOT GbO fIoo
tent of the disaster, for it shows only an aver
age after all Some articles are cut much more
than % per cent. and the whole free list from
its very nature, is stripped to the extent of 100
per cent How severe is the attack in
dustries the len9th OF the five-minute debate on
the items-which extended weeks full of
very long days-is the best witness. For most Of
the time occupied on the Republican side,
and it was occupied not in speeches for delay,
but naturally and for the most part, in explana-
lions of the injury each item would inflict upon
the Industries of the country.
Yet this BILL dangerous as it is, has in it the
seeds of still greater danger. If it should be-
come law it would be in settlement