The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-11-30

An Able, Candid anx Mo1ernfe Hnper
By Ex-secretary Mccullough.
Ex-Secretary of the Treasury
Hugh McCulloch contributes to a
recent issue of tue New York Times,
paper upon the tariff, which is re-
ceiving much attention throughout
the country, not only because of the
subject discussed, but because of the
author of the article. The paper
commits the veteran Republicans to
the tariff reform policy of the Dem
ocratic party. The paper is very
able, candid calm and moderate, and
it is addressed wholly to the reason,
not to passion or prejudice. Mr..
McCulloch has filed with great dis
tinction and ability the highest
financial Office in the country, at the
most important junctures, and his
wisdom and experience as counsel
lor are unsurpassed, and wholly I'M
affected by party predictions.
Like every man of strong convictions,
he has sympathized in general with
one of the great parties of his time,
but his position has been that of in
dependence rather than of vehement
partizanship. He was Henry Clay
Wing, aud as such he is today a
tariff reformer. He was Repub-
lican of the early day, before Repub-
licanism was identical with extreme
protection; and his mastery of
finance, with his prolonged practical
conduct Of financial affairs, in which
his life has been passed, and his en-
tire impartiality, give his opinions
a weight which those of very few
orators or leaders possess.
Mr.. McCulloch considers the tar
if to be now the paramount public
issue. There is, however, he says,
no free-trade party in the United
States. Both the great parties hold
that the government must be sup
ported mainly by duties upon i'm
ports. But the Republican party
holds that duties should be levied
mainly for protection. The Demo
cratic party holds that they should
be levied for revenue, but mainly
upon Injuries and upon articles
which are made in the United States
which will be thus incidentally pro
tected. This, Mr.. McCalloch says
was the position of the Wing party
when Henry Clay was its leader
The general defence of a protective
tariff resLs,he says, upon the three
grounds-that it stimulates produc-
ton, advances wages, and lowers
prices by creating home competition.
He admits that protection was once
needed to establish manufactures.
But its continuance has stimulated
them beyond the need of the country,
80 that few factories are now worked
to their full capacity, and it is esti-
mated that if all should be actively
employed for six months, they would
satisfy the demand. The tariff slim
illus thus leads to trusts to regulate
and diminish production. Wealth
has been largely increased by manu-
features but it is not widely diffused.
The nation has been mainly enriched
by agricultural, but not at the ex-
pense of other interests. Yet agri-
culture has received no favors from
Congress except in wool-growing-a
favor which obstructs the wooden
manufactures.
AS for the second point, wages are
higher here than elsewhere, although
they are falling, and unless immi-
grafton is checked, must soon decline
to the European standard Yet pro-
tected manufactures promote immi-
grafton in order to lower wages.
Free trade in labor, which the pro-
tected interests welcome, will pro-
duce practical equality in wages
between this country and other coun-
ries. Thirdly, the cheapening of
goods in common use, is due mainly,
not to protection, but to improve
ments in machinery. Protection,
not only prevents free exchange be-
tween this country and other coun-
tries, but establishes combinations
to prevent free trade at home. The
objections to protection are, first,
that it is class legislation; second,
that it is no longer needed to estab-
fish manufactures, nor to protect
home interests against foreign i'm
portations, because most articles of
general use can be made as cheaply
here as elsewhere; third, not only is
protection class legislation, and no
longer needed for legitimate purpos-
es, but it is closing the markets of
the world against our agricultural
productions, and fourth, if it has
not caused the decline of our mer-
chant marine, it obstructs it's restor-
alton. Mr.. McCulloch's paper is a
very simple and lucid statement of
the elements of the tariff question.
He believes that the question is
more generally understood than ever,
and sound views of the subject are
prevailing SO rapidly that he thinks
if the tariff should not be wisely re-
vised by the next Congress, public
opinion will acquire such momentum
that it will be revised much more
radically by the succeeding Congress.
The principles of revision should be
freedom of raw materials, and con-
centration of the tariff tax mainly
upon Injuries and upon articles
which are manufactured here. The
capacity of the Republican party to
deal in large way with the great
public question will be again tested
in the approaching session of Con-
gress.
A FRAUD FOUND OUT.
U. s. Grant Click Fools UniOnt0wn
DannIn oud 10 Eyunca6