The National tribune., 1889-10-24
NO T1NKERrNG WITH THE REVENUE.

NO TINKERTNG WITH THE REVENUE
For century-ever since the beginning
of foundation of the Government-the best
and wisest men in the country have inces-
sanity striven to build up system of pro-
lection such as we now have for our indus
tries. The writings of Washington, Jeffer-
son, Franklin, Madison, Adams, Hancock
in fact, of every man whom we now honor
as one of the real founders of our Govern
ment, abound in the strongest urgings for
such a policy as VII protect our home in
dustries, make us independent of Europe,
furnish steady markets for our farmers and
employment for our mechanics Those great
and wise men had clear ideas as to what was
necessary for our country. They gave us n
political constitution which the whole world
admires, and which so eminent critic as
Gladstone pronounces the greatest work
which ever emanated from the mind of
man. Their views rs to financial economy
were no less sound, and the revenue system
that we have to-day is the mature fruit of
the plans they outlined. To build il up to
what it is to-day has required constant and
unparalleled effort against enormous obsta-
Giles thrown in the way by sectional jeal-
ousy of the mad kind which precipitated
tha ela n1,DI1
against it for decades, because they were
shrewd enough TO see that its success would
develop the riches and power of the free
portion of the country, and so endanger the
institution of slavery, for which they were
willing to sacrifice everything They were
aided and abetted in their wicked warfare
upon it, as their successors are to-day, by
the money and moral support of England,
who wanted to keep the country in COM
mercial, if not political, subsection TO her.
Repeatedly we secured the adoption of
protective system, under which our manu-
features flourished and our wealth increased,
only to have it overthrown and our indus
tries Frustrated by the Vaccinations of the
coalition Of the shareholders and English
Free Traders.
When the shareholders attempted to secede
we obtained the opportunity to make the
system permanent, and under it our coun-
try has thriven as no other land ever did
under the sun. We have built up manu-
factories which are the astonshment of the
world. We are paying better wages and
giving our people one and all more of the
comforts and decencies of life than any other
people living possess. We have made all
the conditions of life here so much better
than they are elsewhere that the problem
is how to keep ourselves from being
deluged by the swarms from less fortunate
lands, hungry to share in our prosperity.
There is every human reason for believing
that perseverance in this policy viii bring
about further augmentation Of these bless
ings while an abandonment Of IL will ineyi-
tably result in the widespread calamities
which have followed an abandonment of
it in the past.
There is absolutely no reason for such an
abandonment. There is no motive for IL,
except the selfish clamor of the men who
hope to personally profit by deluding US
into the adoption Of such suicidal course.
The promises they hold out of cheaper
goods are rs iliusory as the chase Of the
ignis JdtHus. Free Trade in the past has
not brought us cheaper goods, while II has
taken away from us the money with which
10 buy even the cheapest goods.
To-day, not only the interests Of the vet
crans but those of every citizen of the
country-every man who tolls with his
head or hands-is indissolubly bound up in
the maintenance Of the present protective
system, which is the cornerstone Of every
manufacturing and producing industry. To
even meddlc with il is TO stop the wheels of
business everywhere, freeze up the invest
ment Of capital, close the doors Of factories,
shut down the markets for farm produce,
and spread universal distrust and stagna-
ton, from which everyone must suffer in-
tensely and no one but the relatively few
importers be benefited.
The veterans can do much 10 help avert
this calamity, by steadfastly insisting that
there shall be no tinkering with the reve-
nues until they are given the justice long
promised them. They have the right, If
ever men had to insist that CONGRESSES first
duty is to listen TO them, and give them
the legislation which successive Congresses
have considered, digested, and all but
passed. The three last Congresses
have fully admitted the justice of this
claim, by bringing the legislation up TO the
last stage of final enactment Certainly
with these facts in view, the veterans cannot
be justly charged with unfairness if they
insist that this business should take pre-