The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-28
Truth About the Tariff.

The republicans tell the truth once in a
while in their campaign documents. Such
docume: rs. however, are not tended for
| general circulation. The purpose OF them
is to stimulate contributions to the cam
paign fund, or arouse the workers to greater
actlv ity.
The circular sent to the manufacturers of
tie country some days ago by Mr. Foster,
the president of the republican league, is a
Dc cument that contains great deal OF truth.
Ithas been quite generally commented upon,
and VIII continue to attract attention as
long as tho campaign lasts. 1t was sent to
manufacturers, and, by some means, got
into the public prints. 1t interests the voters
of the entire country, and ought to be read
by every one Of them before the election.
IL set, forth in remarkably plain language
what the republicans themselves think of
the present tariff. 1t is noticeable
that 1t doesn't pretend that the
tariff benefits farmers, laborers, trades
people or factory operatives Mr.. Foster
saws in his circular that ut is n fact that
the manufacturers of the United States are
mott benefited by our tariff laws" and he
Quotes from a letter written by republic
can United States senator, who says. 81
was solicited to contribute to the protective
tariff league, and | replied that if the
manufacturers of the United States in their
associated capacity were an eleemosynary
institution, that would vote to give them
pension, but that | did not propose my
self to contribute money to advance the in
terests of men who were getting practically
the sole benefit, or at least, the most directly
important benefits of the tariff laws"
Mr.. Foster makes other quotations from
the letter of the senator. Among them is
the following, which doubtless must be pro-
foundry interesting to republicans in all
parts of the country: 81 have it from the
best possible source that the manufacturers
of Pennsylvania, who are more highly pro-
tected than anybody else, and who make
large fortunes every gear when times are
prosperous, practically give nothing toward
the maintenance of the ascendency of the
republican party. OF course, | shall not
violate what | consider to be a proper
principle of action; but, if l had my
way about it, / would put the manufactur-
ers of Pennsylvania under the fire, and fry
all the fat out of them. If the Mills tariff
bill comes to the senate, there will be some
votes cast there which will open the eyes of
some Of these people who have, while gath
ering their millions treated the republican
party as their humble servant" Mr.. Foster
closes his rather remarkable circular with
the following comment on the quotations
from the letter of the senator: These are
strong words, and bitter, but they are true"
Here is a confession from republican
campaign managers, forced from them by
the refusal of the manufacturers to have
all the fat fried out of them, that about
the only people benefited by the present
high protective tariff are the manufacturers
In this confidential circular no mention is
made Of the alleged benefits which a high
protective tariff confers upon workrnen,
but on the stump and in their newspapers
the republicans insist that the work
men are chiefly benefited by the
tariff, and that 1t is for them chiefly that
the republican party is struggling to regain
control of the government The workmen
who read Mr. Fosters circular, however,
will discover that i'll the opinion of those
who advocate a high protective tariff the
manufacturers are principally benefited by
it, and that the benefit which workmen get
from it is not worth metioning.