The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-05-05
The Tariff Discussion.

There is much mystiGcation thrown around
the tariff, as ordinarily considered. IL seems
TO he plain enough and simple enough to De
tboronobIv understood by all who will take
the mains to think upon the subject. A tarili
Is n tar, nothing more nor less. a tax which
while Maid at the customhouse by the lmpor-
ter. is finally paid by the consumer who pur-
oboses the taxed articles of the merchant.
This is too plain to be misunderstood by 'ne
most ordinary mind. This tax, LEVIED upon
all articles contained in the schedule, ABOUT
fonr thousand in number, chiefly the necessa-
r;as of life such as articles of food and CLOTH
;no which the poor as well as the rich must
have. enhances the price OF everything on
which the tariff is laid. A low tariff lessons
taxation, and enables labor to buy the heces-
sor;es of life at cheaper rates. A high tariff
increases taxation and makes living higher,
ond ;mnoses a heavier burden on labor than
it would otherwise have to bear. Inc neces'
sary revenue for the government must con-
,;nue tn he raised, as railways has been raised,
in the main, from impost duties or tarin'
Absolute free trade is therefore out OF the
o,o.t;on II is impracticabe in the present
state of the commercial world, nobody wants
IL or expects it, and when the opponents oil
ravenue reform and tariff reduction, hnrl the
charge of "free trade at their adversares,
they know it is absolutely and unqualIhediy
false, as there is no such thing as free trade IN
nractice. and is not likely to be while the
world stands or while such thing as COM
uerce is carried on between the different ma
t;ons of the earth. If all the governments oil
the world would collectthe necessary revenue
by means of direct taxation and abolish I'M
most duties altogether, then free trade IN the
fullest sense of the term would be possiole'
Int the world is not likely to witness such
thing for generations to come, II ever, ana
tariff must remain, as the best means OF pro-
yiding the necessary revenue for the wants
of the government, or as preferable to direct
tax upon the people, who prefer this indirect
method. A tariff which supplies the neces-
sary revenue for an economical adminlstra-
tion of the government, is legitimate. But
such an one as we now have, which meets all
the requirements ofthe government and leaves
a surplus in the treasury of Sl55,OoO,Ooo an
nually, drawn from the pockets OF the people
and from the ordinary channels OF trade ana
business, and locked up in the Treasury at
Washington, where it is not needed, calls
loudly for revision and reduction. And that
reduction will come. If Congress should not
enact such a law before November next, the
oeonle will decree it at the polls. They are
looking into and are beginning to understand
this delusive pretense of protection. 1ney
see that it is about the same sort OF protec-
tion which the wolf affords to the lamb, that
the rich are protected at the expense OF the
moor. and that while the millionaire manuiac-
facturer enjoys his so per cent. protection on
his capital, his laborers are robbed OF that
amount and more, by the advanced price OF
every thing they have to buy The farmers,
of all men, are most damaged by the tariff,
because the price of everything they have to
buy is enhanced by it, while everything they
sell is cheapened by the want of foreign
market. of which our high prohibitve tariff
has deprived them by Gripping commerce
and shutting them out from the markets which
formerly created an active demand abroad for
their surplus grain. Half Of them, or more,
are under mortgage, and foreclosure must
follow. unless relief speedily comes. The
general complaint that ''money is scarce, is
due to the tariff more than to any other cause,
which locks up in the Treasury Sl55, OO,OOV
annually, keeping it from circulation among
the people in the ordinary channels OF trade,
TINS producing stagnation in business. All
this is perfectly plain, and was fully set forth
NV the President in his last annual messaget to
Congress, warning the country against an APP
preaching crisis in business unless the tarif
should be revised and the revenue reduced.
The Democratic party, in and out of Con-
gress, is struggling TO effect this reduction OF
taxes for the relief of the people and the pro-
motion of their business interests, while the
Republican party is doing all it eaa to OBJ
struct this reduction of onr war tax and to
maintain it still although the war has been
over more than twenty-three years.
These are the great leading issues between
the Democratic and Republican parties at the
rresent time. The intelligent voter under
stands them. and hisjudgment upon them will
be rendered at the polls in November next,
with an emphasis that will not be misunder-
stood By the country at large nor by their
servants in Congress, but will cause their will
10 be respected without hating or hesitation