New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-06
HONESTY IND THE TARIFF.

Senator Morgan, SENATOR vance, an"
associates of the Democratic minority III 'no
Senate learned little or nothing from the ia'e
election. Yet the votes of twelve mihohS VI
free citizens taught some important lessons 4"
morality and fair dealing which it wouio DC
uise for the leaders of every party fully 10
comprehend Indeed, not only the success Oh
a party, but in a measure the prosperity oi @'e
Republic, will depend upon general appreolao
ton of one lesson taught by the balioes Oh NO
yember last, namely, that the motive "nicn
prompts millions of citizens to prefer certain
economic policy cannot be honestly or sa1eiy
impupned. Intelligent discussion is not pos
sible. in it's absence wise government IS not
nossible unless it be assumed as basis OF all
reasoning that the great majority Of voters who
favor the protective policy, or who oppose tnae
policy honestly believe their course the bese
for the whole country. Yet the Democra"c
Senators are still engaged in the untrutbful ana
unjust aspersion of men fully as honest anu
patriotic as themselves, when they pretend 70
believe that the selfish interest OF few pee
manufacturers has shaped the Republican
economic policy and given it the most OF It's
support.
II will be seen that this is at bottom ques-
ton of morals rather than OF economies. Inc
Senators referred to have an indisputable night
TO oppose the Republican policy on its merits
and to show if they can that it is not for the
public welfare. So far as they try to 90 tnat
thew act within the limits of their duty. But
they constantly and persistently go beyond that
line of argument, Just as President Cleveland
did in the message which earned him defeat
L., 20 ohc c,,ptfV {
vately aware that their arguments against the
protective policy on its merits are unsound ana
worthless, these Senators constantly assume
that those who favor this policy are trying 10
rob the many for the benefit of the few. Be-
cause their assumption is false and full OF SIAN
der, these men are trying to deceive the people
when they put it forward. Because it tends to
undermine faith in the honesty Of self-gov-
erning people, and 80 to destroy confidence In
free institutions these men are radically I'M
patriotic when they resort to such SANDER.
The Republic rests on belief in the ability
and disposition of the people to act honestly for
the public welfare. He who declares or inn
plies that the majority of voters cannot or will
not seek to promote the public interest by their
votes asssils free institutions at the most vital
point. Even the British Free Trader, with
wiser appreciation of the dignity Of great SELF
governing Nation, whose policy for more than
a quarter of century has resulted in matchless
growth and progress, almost invariably assumes
that the voters who support the protective pol
lev in this country are honest in purpose, though
in error, as he maintains. But the Democratic
Senator, by daily combat with opponents whose
facts and reason;ngs he is unable to meet, has
formed the habit of assuming that the voters
who favor protection desire to rob the many
and to enrich the few, and not even the stern
lessons of the late election have led him to dis
card q habit 80 pernicious to free institutions.
Senator Vance processes to admire the Brit
ish system of taxation, but does not dare to
advocate its unreserved adoption here. Re-
minded that the British system guards against
fraud by imposing specific and not ad valdfem
duties, whereas his party has endeavored TO
substitute ad valorem for specific duties on
large classes of goods he resorts to the ancient
SANDER that the supporters OF protection are
only anxious to rob the many and to enrich
the few Challenged to declare whether he
prefers the British system, Senator Morgan
affirms that it is indecent and unfair to appeal
to mere prejudice against foreign nation.
The Senator knows that there il no prejudice
against English kin beyond sea-" but only a
profound conviction that the English policy OF
government is not for the good of the people
as whole. He knows that this conviction is
based on the experience of Great Britain, and
on knowledge of the actual condition Of the
working millions in that country. He is bound
to know and to admit that Americans who OPP
pose change toward the English policy do so
because they are not willing to subject Ameri-
can workers to the conditions which prevail in
England.
The Democratic party has yet to learn the
lesson that honesty is the best policy. 1t is
still trying to steal success by cheating the peo-
pie with false pretences, and pretences which
are disloyal as well as false. For it is in the
highest degree hurtful to free institutions to
promote among the ignorant belief that a
majority of the voters of this Nation. ma
jority of more than 400, 900 in the Northern
States, is governed by desire to rob the many
for the benefit of the few.