The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1888-08-31
SOME TARIFF HISTORY.

which, being boiled down. read
about ag follows: We never testet
free trade, but the nearest ap
proach to it was in 1873 when al
inter. State tariffs were abolished
and tariff on foreign goods reduced
to a nominal figure. Result--tht
country took lis first step forward
and in twenty years about doubled
in population and quadrupled il
wealth. In 1908 tariff duties were
made prohibitory and commerce
with the world shut of, according
to the Chicago platform idea. Re
suit - financial and commercial
collapse. In 1909 prohibltory tariff
repealed and a tariff about one.
fifth as high as at present was
adopted. The nation again moved
off on a are of prosperity. In
1912 it was doubled and the wal
cut off foreign trade, and we had q
"home market as in 1905. Re.
sult-hard times, banks suspended
and general distress. There was
then a raise and we had the first
"protective tariff" Times grew
worse. In 1918 the tariff doctors
gave the patient another dose Of
"protection," increased tariff all
round. The following year, 1919,
was one of universal disaster unil
1924 when more tariff was put on
Nc improvement. In 1928 tax was
raised and times grew harder.
In 1882 the country changed
doctors and a part of the tariff lax
was wiped out. Business revived.
In 1888 the tax was again lowered
and prosperity increased. By the
year 1887 the treasury surplus was
divided among the States, which
was followed by wild specu alton
bursted land bubbles and a general
panic lasted for nearly two years.
Then things started to move of
smoothly until 1912 when the ia.
nous high protective" tariff OF
that year was enacted. In 1913
the depression was grealer than
that which followed the panic OF
1897, and from which The country
had recovered. Prices Of farm pro
duets fell off one-haIf, and com
merce vas cut in two in the mid
die. Then for the first time in the
country'S history the protected few
began TO get rich at the expense of
The o~vertaxed many, especially at
the expense of the farming inter
ests. In 1916 the tariff Of 1S42was
reduced about one-half. Then for
the first time the country began 10
go forward with giant strides.
Commerce increased at a marvel
Gus rate. Manufacturers were i'm
bued with a new life. Agriculture
was prosperous 10 a degree hither.
TO unknown, and the policy of low
ering the tariff tax TO prevent the
accumulation of a surplus was pur-
sued. In 1857 a panic, superin-
duced by wild land speculations,
ensued, but before 1858 its effects
had passed away, and up to 1860
agriculture, manufactures and COM
merce were on the high tide OF
prosperity, and Ee successfully
rivaled England in maratime
greatness. In 1861, to meet the
exigencies of the war, tariff taxes
were raised substantially TO the
protective basis of 1912. In 1864
these taxes were raised to so per
cent, and in 1867 they were raised
again, although the wal was over.
In 1888 under the pretense of a re-
duction they were again increased
TO their present standard. Since
the war the millIonaires have
grown, while the great agricultural
interest has stood still. Strikes of
working men against oppression
have convulsed the land. In 1873
a financial cyclone swept over the
country and impoverished count
less numbers of people. Tramps
filled the land from ocean 10 ocean,
and laws against tramps we're en-
acted. The panic of 1872 lasted
until 1879, and the suffering among
our people was equal 10 overcrowd-
ed Europe. Unemployed working
men was the rule for seven years,
and the protected few demanded
more tax as the remedy, while they
imported foreign paupers in for
eign ships 10 take the place Of
American worklngmen who re-
fused TO accept starvation wages
in a land that should be a land of
plenty, If tax burdens were justly
Ial