West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-08-03
DEMOCRATIC TARIFF DOCTRINE

ing newspaper give him fearful adj
vantage over Slippery Jim, the Juggier.
DEMOCRATIC TARIFF DOCTRINE.
"We Intend to Wipe Out the Last Yes
tlge of Protection"
West Virginia Democrat
The Democratic party is as free from
any suspicion OF Free Trade as the Re-
publican party. The difference between
the parties is that the latter favOrs ex-
travagant expenditures and consequent
high taxation, while the former is, and
always has been, in favor of economy
and low taxes and opposed to class leg
islation.- Wheeling Register.
1t looks as If the Intelligencer would
succeed in bulldozing the Register into
abandoning the Democratic doctrine.
The difference between the parties is
thistle Republicans favor protection
and the Democrats do not. The Republic
cans say;-tax foreign goods so heavily
that our home manufacturers can obtain
higher prices; they want the taxing
power employed to compel the masses
to pay tribute TO class petted by the
Government. The Democracy is oppos-
cd 20 this doctrine. We intend TO ripe
out the last uestige of protection, and the
sooner millionaires like Carnegie come
to understand this the better it will be
for them. We Want q tariff for revenue
o1,iy. This is the Democratic doctrine,
and every newspaper that tries to dodge
this truth does our party harm. we
must make square, bold, honest fight
or we will be defeated. The revenue
must come largely from a tax on inn
ports, but this tax should be levied for
revenue only.
Our view, and the view of every
man who understands the subject
whose judgment is not warped by a
personal interest, is:
l. The taxing power is for the
purpose of revenue and not for the
purpose of enabling government to
increase the profits of petted and
favored class. The protectiOnists
say that the petted class should be
protected against foreign competi-
ton so they will be able to obtain
higher prices.
2. The Democracy are against
protection; we intend TO have tar
if for revenue only. The revenue is
to come from tax on foreign goods.
AS soon as we abolish protection
then we will abolish the internal
revenue system.
3. The millionaire manufacturers
being accustomed to the artificial
stimulation Of protection, we pro-
pose to reduce the tax gradually.
The Mills bill selects few articles
which can best get along without as
much protection as they now enjoy.
The reduction is from AZ to Al per
cent. Presently a similar reduction
will be made as to other articles, and
this reduction will be continued un-
til the tariff tax is for revenue only.
4. If the millionaire manufactur-
ers are wise they will accept a policy
of gradual reduction. Unless they
do, the time is not distant when the
rank and file will understand this
matter, and then they will elect to
Congress men pledged to wipe out
protection without moments de-
lay. The question is between grad
ual reduction and q sudden repeal
of every tax which increases prices.
We are aware certain OF our can
didates for Congress (Senate and
House) are not as plain spoken as
this:-the reason is, they are afraid
of millionaire coal mine owners and
factory owners. We are also aware
that many newspapers and many
politicians not having clear.cut
views on this subject, talk as ii the
Democratic party was in favor OF
protection, and merely desired to
reduce excessive taxes, but these
papers and politicians do not infu-
ence the public judgment; the
masses are coming to understand
the truth. In this, as in all other
revolutions, the truth is propagated
by few men of conviction, courage
and brains who apply themselves to
the public service and yet receive
neither the honors nor the rewards
of life.
We are disposed to give less space
to the tariff issue, because it will be
discussed by others. The situation
is simply this, rich and powerful
interests built up by the protective
interests are resolved not to surren-
der if money and power can continue
their dominion. It's not question
of what is right and what is wrong.
The question is. how can the right
be made to overcome monopoly for
titled by law.
Edwin Rarhonr- editor of the Gull