The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-16
HERMAN STUMP,
The Tariff.


If Republican organs and orators expect
to divert the attention of the people from
tariff revision, or beeloud the question IN
the next campaign, by crying Gree Trade
they are sadly mistaken. 1t is now the
leading question in American politics; the
people are in favor of surplus reduction
and tariff revision, and they will not be
frightened by the bugbear of Stree trade"
set afoat by trusts and monopolies, osten-
sibly in the interest of the "laboring man,
but in reality to grow richer themselves,
while the much-loved 'laboring man, the
farmer and everybody else grows poorer.
The Republican Organ of Carroll and
the Syndicate Organ both have much to
say about the Mills bill ard free trade, and
we don't think we hazard much in saying
that the editors of these organs hare nerer
seen a copy Of the bill, and if their utter
ances are any indication of their knowledge
of the tariff question, we hazard nothing
in saving that they have little or no CON-
prehension of it.
What does the Mills bill propose to
accomplish? Simply an addition to the
free list of some of the necessities Of Vt
and reduction of the tax or duties upon
Others, and some internal revenue Reduc-
ton. 1t makes a reduction from an aver
age duty of rs per cent. to an average
duty of 10 per cent.
Does any one presume to say that an
average duty of 40 per cent. is not ample
protection to our manufactures, and coupled
TO it in addition must be added the freight
charges upon wares and merchandise tc
this country?
Is there any free trade about an average
duty of 40 per cent? Can there be any
free trade as long as the government needs
several hundred millions of dollars which
must in the main be raised by import du,
ties? Why even the eminent Senator
John Sherman, now and for years past d
leading light in the Republican party, said
in 1867, in discussing a revision of the
tariff, it was absurd to talk of free-trade
tariff, ''because the wit of man could not
possibly frame tariff that would produce
s14O,OO0,00O in gold without amply pro-
tecting our domestic industry.
The revenue from customs last year was
more than s212,OO0,00G, and the Mills
bill proposes reduction Of about s54, O0O,-
900, thus leaving s15S, 100000 still to be
raised from customs. If it was absurd to
talk about free-trade with $40, 100000
to be raised from tariff, how much more
is il so when S15S, 900, 900 will have 10 be
raised by that means should the Mills bill
become a law?
That was twenty-one years ago, when
there was much said about protection tc
ourinfant industries. The infants certainly
should be full grown now, and should re,
quire less of the fostering care of the gov
eminent.
The surplus in the treasury at the clos(
of April was oyer $4,000, 900, and ii
grows daily. That vast SUM, for which
the government has no use, has been drawn
from the pockets of the people by system
of sheer robbery, for it can be nothing els'
when the people are taxed so far beyonC
the needs of the government. If thi
money were ia the regular channels O
business, can anyone doubt that the coun
try would be more prosperous? 1t is ;
hindrance to trade, and unjust and Cypress
i've to the people. For some years pas
there has been demand for u reduction
of taxation. President Arthur tgice called
attention, in his annual messages, to thu
necessity for revision of the tariff, ant
Secretaries Folger and McCulloch alsC
warned the people of the danger Of largC
SURPRISES. President Cleveland, and See
retaries Manning and Fairchild have don't
likewise. Here we have had warming
from two Presidents, one a Republican anc
the other Democrat, and four Secretaries
of the treasury, two Republican and tive
Democratic. In addition the platforms Of
both parties have called for tariff revision
and surplus reduction, and yet when {
measure is brought forward for relief, .
very moderate one, to be sure, but step
in the right direction, the Republican
organs cry out at is a dangerous and mon
strous proposition; business will be ruined
and the laboring man reduced to starva-
tionr' Such stuff is ridiculous. Upon
the one hand the creatures of monopoly,
who reap all the benefit Of . high tariff,
make this exclamation, and on the other
those who are subsidized and the ignorant.
The Mills Bill.
The ADVOCATE has said that the Mills
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