The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-07-20
MiNUFACTUR RER TALKS
COOP SENSE ABOUT TARIFF I'M.
DUTIES.
Th, Present High Tariff Laws Are Not
" orth a Cent to North Carolina Cot.
ton Manufacturers.


ieh IS, Theoretically, at least and ought
he. a taCt-''the supreme Law of the
contains the following grant of
over. IL is Section $ Of Article /: The
#ngresS shall have power to lay and col
..t taNeS. duties, lmposts and eNclseS TO
the debts and provide for the common
teuSe ana general welfare of the United
atcs hut all duties. imposts and eNcises
-Hall he uniform throughout the United
States uder the authority thus given,
t4 dw making power proceeds 70 provide
fAe ways and means for the support of
bite government. The power granted must
used for the objects set forth, and for
ao other Therefore, when the authority
-o tax is used in such way that no reve-
rue comes, it is a use which defeats the
grant and IS 50 tiagrantly unconstitutional
nat all intelligent men should be able to
Soc il.
What is the plain duty of Congress,
when ii proceeds to lay taNes upon the
people Of the country, by customs or tax
- ON goods imported for sale: Why, it
must he TO place such burdens on those ar
,ces Il, viii not prohibit their importa
ton, but Will produce the revenue needed
torthe purposes for which the Government
was established. That. l think is so clear
shat mere statement of the proposition
Is a sufficient argument But when Con
,rtss lays" the tax, the agents of
Congress - officers responsible to the
Congress. must collect It. 1t cannot
ur levied by Congress. and then col
etei' by private individual for his
ovn benefit. Hence, whenever Congress
places such duty on any article raised
aar ia, and which can be produced in this
,a4uJry. that importation is prevented,
f0a collection Of the tax IS made by the
aaue producer placed in his own pocket
.H the people are robbed, for the benefit
few This view is the view OF the
Lae~t judicial tribunal of the country,
20 clearly right that au intelligent
fn.. must see il, and an honest man must
ae1uoW edge it.
Every one must understand that all
taxes upon articles introduced here for con
sumption, are protected, to the extent to
which they 90. In other words, that the
eect OF the TAX on imports IS to increase
sle price TO the consumer and thus pro
teut" or give advantage to the domestic
producer. If it does not have that effect,
ic c5Luot protect. and none of our modern
patriots who use the name of labor to fill
l-ir pockets would even ask it.
Many years agO-lOng before the pres
eut party. which calls itself Republican,
had au eXiStence-there were statesmen
Who believed that in the adjustment Of
the scale OF duties, Congress might. law
t4lv, make Determinations within the
the price Of the commodity to the CON
~-mer, would render the country partially
Independent in case of foreign war. But
tas was TO last only short While. i
was believed and said that a few years
only wolld be needed to cause the young
Industries to cast off their sNaddllng
clothes aud assume the strength and vlg0r
of mature manhood. Such was Mr.. Clay 5
view He never thought that 1t would re-
q
and protection" But if we are to believe
such men as Kelley and Mckinley, and the
Republican party generally, the infant
p,.I rot put on the ToGA yIRILIS until he
nall have lived as long as the government
slall last. Mr.. Clay's view was sustained
Jy he advocates of what was called the
american system, until within a very short
narIod when the mask was thrown off
and men began to claim that those who
Manufactured iron, wool and cotton had
q RIGHT to demand such legislation as
would increase their profits and thus ENA-
8s them to pay their laborers higher
wages They never have asked that they
should be FORCED 70 pay the higher wages,
a, the consumer is forced to pay the higher
prices These people want liberty tor them
Selves and slavery for those who have to
purchase their goods, wares and mer-
cuandize."
III .the good old days there We're a
number Of statesmen who thought that a
dIry laid. strictly for revenue, would give,
ot necessity, all the advantage which q
healthy development of the country and
I- approximate commercial independence
could want nobody advocated free
r,ade-or the raising of all revenues by
j rect taxation 1t was simply a contro-
Egrsv between the advocates OF the mini
mum and the maximum rate OF duty Tor
revenue
The present Tariff laws We're enacted
when the country was engaged IN great
n8r, and no one pretended at the time OF
for some years afterwards, that the eX-
trayagant rate could or should be nam
tanned. Republican statesmen admitted
that they would need revision and reduc
t.9u, il few years, and President ar
1aIr, in his message, gave expression 70 q
L- IF that there must De a revision
Tariff Commission was created, com
posed exclusively, ! believe, Of those
@ao favored high duties, and this com
mission was compelled to Iecommenc
tae covering of the rates Of duty lmposec
lpou articles imported. The Republlcal
Convention Of 1884 pledged the party to {
revision. But III 1888 the statesmen who
met at Chicago disregalded the formel
promises of the party, and now declare fo
4 continuation OF the present exorpltan
taxes. and even indicate that they ough
U be Increased, if needed, for the inter
rst> Of their youthful protege falsely can
= their bantling, the laborlng men OF tn
country.
The issue now presented to the America
people is this Shall the existing take
.pon goods imported for consumption b
mantained or even increased, or shal
they be lowered? The Republican part.
saya that they shall be maintained ln
Democratic party says they ought 70
,vered The Republican party. says tha
tu average tax of AZ per cent Is not To-
much. The Democratic party says ina
per cent is ample to protect any pusl
ness which ought to be favored, ana Una
il is niqutous to impose upon the couhtf
burdens grievous TO be borne" III oroe
tlat few fatlngs may get fatter, ana 0
AELE to pay their hirelings high wages
purchase and build castles amongst IN
Grapoan Hills, live amongst the pauper
yt Europe and sing psalms OF praise !
their employees, who 4'strlke IN oroef
yet part Of the profits which their partner
Congress, enables them to make. Does
require AZ per cent to enable the nc
,'laborers,'' like Andrew Carnegie, TO CON
pete with such ''labOrers" IN Europe