The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-01-20
SENATOR SHERMAN ON THE
TARIFF.

THE recent speech OF Senator sherman
on the tariff question il attracting wide |
spread attention notalone from the press
of the country, but as well from every
individual who gives thought or consid
Grafton TO public matters. Unlike the
President, Mr.. sherman thoroughly
knows what he is talking about, and un-
derstands both the principles and the
facts connected with tariff protection OF
American industry as opposed to the
heresles Of the Free Trade wing of the
Democratic party, with which the Presi-
dent has allied himself. Commenting
edltonally upon Mr.. Sherman's speech,
the New York Independent, Of which
there Is not more CONSCIENTIOUS publ
cation in America, takes occasion TO re-
mark that it not only represents the
principles of the Republican party IN
the past, which, by protecting the indus
tries Of this country, has given it such
wonderful prosperity, and enabled il in
short time to pay of nearly half of the
National debt, but clearly indicates what
should be the general policy Of Repubh-
cans in both Houses Of Congress in deal
ing with the surplus and tariff questions,
and also what win be the great issuebe
fore the people in the next Presidential
election.
The Senator, being proverbially q man
of courage, is not at all frightened by
the Presidents effort to get mp scare
among the people over the surplus in
the treasury, and thus rush tho country,
without due thought and reflection, into
q policy prejudicial to its best interests.
While not opposed to, but rather favor
ing such revision of our Federal Tax
system, as will lessen the amount Of rev.
enue collected, without abandoning the
protective principles and thus putting
the industries of the country in peri
from the poorly paid labor of Other
countries, he justly said:
"Even without q reduction OF taxation, thu
surplus revenue might have been applied fo
, great national objects, but for the vetoes o
the President. for the failure OF the Secretar!
Of the Treasury to exercise plain discretion
; airy powers conferred upon him by Law, ant
the failure Of the Democratic House of Repre-
sentatives to make appropriations for some o
the highest national objects demanded by tn
people"
This is simply square statement o
truth. The fact 10 that the Democrat
/ party, as represented in Congress, ant
by the President, has acted as If it mean
/ to have an unnecessarily large surplu
Z in the treasury, and then cry out for Ia!
reduction on this ground, in order to az
sail our protective-tariff system. TIL
!, President, as the Senator correctly says
I, urges no objections to our internal reve
!, nue. taxes, but rather proposes to lie
b., them stand as they are, while he load
Q down our tariff taxes with opprobriou
! epithets, and proposes here to place tn
= entire reduction under color of gettin
C rid of an unnecessary surplus Thi
looks likes pretext for breaking dow
a system under which the country hs
enjoyed great prosperity.
We have not space to give even
synopsis of Senator Sherman's argr
ment on the tariff question itself Whs
he says in regard to the importation (
what are called raw materials" wi
suffice as q good illustration of his genel
: al position. The President propose
y that all such materials shall be admitte
Il free of tariff duties. Taking the wot
growers, the hemp and fax producer
= and the iron and coal miners of th
. country, who are the producers of era
= materials" as pertinent example, b
y says:
. "No reasons could be given why wool shou
n be made free and wooden goods should be pr
C tecteu. IT rucrv musT DC cheap wool, thel
y must be cheap woolens; and IL the labor Of Il
farmer In producing the wool Is not to be pr
tected against undue competition with Au
tralia or Buenos Ayres, then that OF the clot
b maker should not be protected against comp
: tition with the looms of Manchester and L,
! ons. If there are 10 be low duties on iron or
there will have to be low duties on iron an
steel In their various FORMS"
& The plain truth is that raw mattel
! ials," so-called, that are produced in thi
r country, and that need protection, q
s wool, for example, are just as much Ell
titled to it as the articles manufacture
out of these materials. In both case
the protection applies to the labor en-
ployed in producing these materials @
a ri Aa h. loI Af 4
f farmer engaged In raising sheep an
n producing woods or that of the manufaC
I turer in turning the wool into woole
, goods. 1t is in both cases the protectlo
D of American labor against the pauper Ia
Dor of other countries; and where sue
I labor needs protection it must be afford
Z ed by tariff duties on the products of fol-
! eign labor or the rate of American wage
, must be reduced. One or the other
inevitable. Senator Sherman's plan
to give the protection, and thus encouI
q age American labor at a fair rate Q
wages. This is the doctrine of the Re
publican party, of which he is 30 dis
, tinguished leader.
The country ought to thank the Sena
tor for his timely and grand speech OF
this subject. His name has frequentl,
been mentioned as q candidate of th,
Republican party for the Presidency
Nobody doubts his competency for tn,
duties Of this high Office. His publi
and private record is free from AM
stain to disqualify him. He is a thor
oughly tried man, and has never beer
found wanting anywhere, or unequal t
any position in which he has beer
placed. He has a long experience il
matters Of government and publ,
finance. He has no superior and verN
few equals in the Senate chamber. The
Government in its policy would be safe
In his hands.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION kE-
Il rfIDAS END taoo